2006 Oscar Semmler
Reserve Shiraz
The best structured and most mouth filling parcels of Shiraz from the St Jakobi block are blended together each year for our "Oscar Semmler" Shiraz. The "Oscar" is the reserve label for Dutschke, representing "the best of the vintage" from the 1975 block of Shiraz
Grapes were harvested on three separate occasions, picking one third of the "75 Block" on the 17th of March another third on the 22nd March and the remaining third on the 29th March. The must was fermented for 7 days in open fermenters, before being transferred to new and one year old French oak hogsheads to complete fermentation. Post fermentation the wine was racked and then returned to these same French oak barrels to mature for a further 22 months.
The 2006 Oscar Semmler Shiraz is a full bodied ripe silky textured wine, showing mid palate fruit sweetness with characteristics of plum and dark cherries. The spicy French oak characters and fine grain grape tannins compliment the sweet fruit mid palate concentration. The finish is long, with clean acidity. It's a wine that will further soften and complex with careful cellaring..
We trust you'll enjoy it
Scores
93pts
- January Wine Enthusiast Magazine – Advanced Buying Guide
“Demonstrates the Barossa Valley's capacity to produce shiraz with enormous depth and length without dead fruit; just mouthwatering, velvety shiraz flavours, tannins and oak in the chorus. - 96pts”
- James Halliday Wine Companion 2010
“Wayne Dutschke’s famous shiraz is a fraction of the price of some of the Barossa big guns, but it in no way holds back in any department of perfume or concentration. In fact, texturally, this wine is succulent, luxurious and brocaded without ever being gaudy. And none of this excitement is reliant on oak, because it is all thanks to his phenomenal fruit.”
- Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines
“The purple/black 2006 Oscar Semmler Shiraz is a blend of the finest parcels from the St. Jakobi vineyard and was barrel-fermented and aged in French oak for 22 months. It offers up a full-throttle perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, truffle, espresso, wild blueberry, and blackberry. Plush on the palate, ripe and surprisingly forward, this succulent Shiraz has the balance to blossom for another 4-6 years. Drink it from 2013 to 2026. - 93pts”
- Wine Advocate - February 2009
“… Calliard was an enthusiastic supporter: “Liquorice, blackberry pastille and malt aromas, very fresh and bright. A beautifully balanced wine that is perfectly ripe, with underlying savoury, malty oak. Finishes firm, long and sweet. Top-notch, almost Grange-like.” “Yes but not as elegant,” Bulleid replied. For Forrestal, it was more elegant than many wines in the bracket. “Spicy and juicy,” he said, “vibrant, with good depth and balance.””
- Gourment Traveller Wine - Star Turns - August/September 2008 - Comments by Nick Bulleid MW, Andrew Caillard MW, Peter Forrestal
“Dutschke's barrel-selected flagship is a massive wine, swirling with black plum, prune and spice concentration. Firm, fine tannins support this maelstrom, while dark chocolate oak adds complexity. - 93pts”
- WBM 100 - June 2008
