2002 Dowie Doole Reserve Shiraz

The name Dowie Doole is generally acknowledged as being a most unfortunate name for a bottle of wine. Frankly, we hated the name last release and still do. It seems that we are not the only ones, wine writer Huon Hooke exclaimed, "… not even the most coke addled advertising executive could have come up with the name Dowie Doole". However, it is here to stay, so long as the pair continue making excellent wines. NORM DOOLE is a former Vice President of the National Bank of Canada and DREW DOWIE is one of South Australia’s most successful winery architects. Both men and their partners own vineyards, but have only recently become involved in winemaking.
The story goes, that after a hard night harvesting grapes from their McLaren Vale vineyards, the boys were having breakfast and decided that a bottle of red wine was in order (after all they had been working all night!). After the second bottle, the view from their verandah became inspirational as they dreamed of creating their own wine from their grapes, rather than selling fruit off to neighbouring wineries. If there was ever a reason not to drink red wine before sunset, then this was it, and on that morning the partnership of Dowie and Doole was formed. Upon sobering up, the realisation came to them that they knew nothing about winemaking or marketing – they needed a third partner, someone who could sell their produce. LEIGH GILLIGAN was their man, a marketing guru with extensive international experience. One might have expected that the new partnership be renamed to Dowie, Gilligan and Doole, but that was not to be – the rationale apparently was that it sounded like a firm of solicitors or worse still, accountants! Gilligan engaged the services of top winemaker BRIAN LIGHT and the rest is history. The partnership sources grapes from two vineyards; Drew Dowie’s Tintookie Vineyard in the North East of McLaren Vale – the soils here are sand over red semi porous clay which is interspersed with ironstone pebbles. Norm Doole’s California Road Vineyard is situated 3km West of McLaren Vale and consists of sandy loam over limestone.
We described the 2001 Dowie Doole Reserve Shiraz as a “Breathtaking Shiraz that is grossly undervalued which puts Dowie Doole on the map as a serious producer.”The 2002 is just as good but unfortunately there is less of it. To replicate the outstanding 2001 Reserve, many barrels were culled and only the exceptional ones were selected for the blend. Regular rainfall throughout winter and early spring ensured good soil moisture and strong vineyard growth. The growing conditions were excellent with a cool summer resulting in relatively late flavour development in the grapes. The grapes were of very high quality with rich depth of flavour and strong varietal character, Rosemount’s winemaker CHARLES WHISH is quoted as saying "2002 in McLaren Vale is right up there with the great 1998 vintage".

NO MATTER HOW YOU SAY IT, THE 2002 DOWIE DOOLE FROM MCLAREN VALE’S GREATEST EVER VINTAGE, IS AN ABSOLUTE BLOCKBUSTER SHIRAZ.

TASTING NOTE: A wonderful example of refined Shiraz. Totally opaque black crimson colour with a film like cling to the glass. The nose evolves,yielding a sophisticated sniff with notes of cedar, violets, marzipan, liquorice, plum and a hint of mocca. The palate reveals the classy character ofthis wine - English wine writers would call it “breed.” Perfect integration of flavours. Mouthfilling, totally balanced with velvet tannin structure.Flavours of black pepper, plum, dark chocolate, vanilla and spice linger right through the palate and onto the very long aftertaste of liquorice, spiceand black pepper. Outstanding!
Cellar 4-5 years (2007-2008)
Alc/Vol: 14.5%

RATING: 98/100

VALUE: XXXXX/5