48 Hours: Red Wine Weather

With the temperatures cooling off it is time to break out the red wines again. One of the hardest Aussie Reds to find is Henschke’s legendary Hill of Grace Shiraz. Wine Spectator spent some time there earlier this year and took a stroll among their vines, some of which were planted before the American Civil War.

Their fall harvest season falls in April and May; the southern hemisphere is funny that way. Winemakers seem to be less stressed out than money managers, you can meet Henschke’s family team below.

A cool, windy day will find me on Long Island’s North Fork, where we will check out Bedell Cellar’s 2005 Merlot Reserve. It is crush season in wine country, check it out if your get the chance.

Bedell Cellars has already released its 2005 Reserve Merlot ($40). And, despite its youth, the intensity of the vintage demands attention. Loads of blackberry preserve, fresh fig, and cafe mocha aromas reach right up out of the glass and pull you in. Big, lush blackberry flavors fill the mouth, with rich chocolate and a little vanilla in the background. The extracted, broad flavors carry through from beginning to end. The structure is a little firm and this wine is very full-bodied for the region. The finish is lengthy, if just slightly astringent. I expect the tannins to mellow, revealing layers of complexity and deliciousness rarely seen on the North Fork. In three to five years, when other wineries are just releasing their 05s, this wine could be a classic. Appellation America

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