Two Hands
Bella's Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz
Barossa Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
Very dark in colour - almost black. Lots of everything - ripeness, oak, blackberry, dark chocolate. The sort of wine I would have loved in my 20’s, not so much in my 70’s. Not for lovers of delicate wine - this is full throttle. This Australian producer is probably better known in the USA than Australia - like Mollydooker. A full bodied palate with M plus intensity and grainy tannins. Ranked No. 3 in Wine Spectators Top 100 wines of 2012. Not sure that extended cellaring will make a huge difference but will try to have the last one in early 2027.
Very dark in colour - almost black. Lots of everything - ripeness, oak, blackberry, dark chocolate. The sort of wine I would have loved in my 20’s, not so much in my 70’s. Not for lovers of delicate wine - this is full throttle. This Australian producer is probably better known in the USA than Australia - like Mollydooker. A full bodied palate with M plus intensity and grainy tannins. Ranked No. 3 in Wine Spectators Top 100 wines of 2012. Not sure that extended cellaring will make a huge difference but will try to have the last one in early 2027.
Apr 5th, 2024
2003 | Shiraz
So much fruit still, for my palate this is a 30Y wine.
2003 | Shiraz
So much fruit still, for my palate this is a 30Y wine.
Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blackberry with spice and cacao. This full-body wine had fine dusty tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy character. Serve this with a chop or Ribeye with garlic and herbs!
Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blackberry with spice and cacao. This full-body wine had fine dusty tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy character. Serve this with a chop or Ribeye with garlic and herbs!
May 18th, 2023Catching up on old notes. Drank this magnum with extended family on Christmas Eve. A rich ripe full bodied style showing plum and chocolate. Two Hands seems like one of those labels like Mollydooker which are better known in the USA than in Australia.
Catching up on old notes. Drank this magnum with extended family on Christmas Eve. A rich ripe full bodied style showing plum and chocolate. Two Hands seems like one of those labels like Mollydooker which are better known in the USA than in Australia.
Dec 24th, 2022
Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy character.
Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy character.
Feb 12th, 2022Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and hgearthy character.
Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and hgearthy character.
Feb 9th, 2022Just concluded the annual Fall seclusion at our cabin in the Rangeley lakes region of Maine, mobile service up there is mostly non-existent, after several days I am posting again.
(Notes this year were avoided, but scores are honest.)
Still years to go on this one...
Just concluded the annual Fall seclusion at our cabin in the Rangeley lakes region of Maine, mobile service up there is mostly non-existent, after several days I am posting again.
(Notes this year were avoided, but scores are honest.)
Still years to go on this one...
A Southern 🌍🌏🌎 Hemisphere wine theme for a small dinner with a dear friend. Some older bottles from our cellar and some younger bottles from another cellar. Paired this evening with Asian-style braised beef short ribs (Kinderhook Farm; Valatie, NY) and grilled polenta.
Notes possibly...Scores honestly.
A Southern 🌍🌏🌎 Hemisphere wine theme for a small dinner with a dear friend. Some older bottles from our cellar and some younger bottles from another cellar. Paired this evening with Asian-style braised beef short ribs (Kinderhook Farm; Valatie, NY) and grilled polenta.
Notes possibly...Scores honestly.
All in at $50.
The nose shows; ruby, floral & candied fruits of; mulberries, gooseberries, ollallieberries, boysenberries blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries with raspberries hovering across the top. Grilled, savory meats, black pepper, dark spice, dark cola, dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, dark expresso grounds, sweet tarriness, older tobacco, very used leather, limestone minerals, crushed rocks, incense, ambers, dry tree sap, dry herbs-sage, bat leaf, eucalyptus notes, moist, forest floor, moist, grey clay with withering, fresh & candied florals that are; purple, dark, blue and red set in pronounced lavender & violets woven in.
The body is; full, lush, rich, round, juicy & velvety. It glides across the palate in total gorgeous elegance. The structure, tension, balance & length are at their high point with another 5-8 years of solid drinking with a few years beyond if you enjoy that later stage. I am one who doesn’t protest that part of the life cycle. The tannins are round, pulpy and are still meaty. Fruits are; ruby, touch jammy, floral & candied fruits of; mulberries, gooseberries, boysenberries, ollallieberries, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, blueberries with raspberries hovering across the top. Grilled, savory meats, black pepper, notes of Worcestershire sauce, dark combo of Indian & some Asian spices that bring heat, dark cola, dark chocolate, caramel, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, dark expresso grounds, sweet tarriness, older tobacco, oak barrel shaving dust, somewhat card toast, very used leather, limestone minerals, crushed rocks, incense, ambers, dry tree sap, dry herbs-sage, bay leaf, eucalyptus notes, moist, forest floor, moist, muddy, grey clay with withering, fresh & candied florals that are; purple, dark, blue and red set in pronounced lavender & violets woven in. The acidity is round & excellent. The finish is stunningly well knitted, balanced fruit & earth, elegant, gorgeous, that loads lush & juicy and falls on to deep spices persisting for days.
Photos of our April 2017 visit; the walk up to Two Hands, waterfall in their courtyard in the back, utility building & their stand up tasting bar right as you walk in.
Stunning example of what Australian Shiraz can be with the right patience.
1/9/21
All in at $50.
The nose shows; ruby, floral & candied fruits of; mulberries, gooseberries, ollallieberries, boysenberries blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries with raspberries hovering across the top. Grilled, savory meats, black pepper, dark spice, dark cola, dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, dark expresso grounds, sweet tarriness, older tobacco, very used leather, limestone minerals, crushed rocks, incense, ambers, dry tree sap, dry herbs-sage, bat leaf, eucalyptus notes, moist, forest floor, moist, grey clay with withering, fresh & candied florals that are; purple, dark, blue and red set in pronounced lavender & violets woven in.
The body is; full, lush, rich, round, juicy & velvety. It glides across the palate in total gorgeous elegance. The structure, tension, balance & length are at their high point with another 5-8 years of solid drinking with a few years beyond if you enjoy that later stage. I am one who doesn’t protest that part of the life cycle. The tannins are round, pulpy and are still meaty. Fruits are; ruby, touch jammy, floral & candied fruits of; mulberries, gooseberries, boysenberries, ollallieberries, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, blueberries with raspberries hovering across the top. Grilled, savory meats, black pepper, notes of Worcestershire sauce, dark combo of Indian & some Asian spices that bring heat, dark cola, dark chocolate, caramel, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, dark expresso grounds, sweet tarriness, older tobacco, oak barrel shaving dust, somewhat card toast, very used leather, limestone minerals, crushed rocks, incense, ambers, dry tree sap, dry herbs-sage, bay leaf, eucalyptus notes, moist, forest floor, moist, muddy, grey clay with withering, fresh & candied florals that are; purple, dark, blue and red set in pronounced lavender & violets woven in. The acidity is round & excellent. The finish is stunningly well knitted, balanced fruit & earth, elegant, gorgeous, that loads lush & juicy and falls on to deep spices persisting for days.
Photos of our April 2017 visit; the walk up to Two Hands, waterfall in their courtyard in the back, utility building & their stand up tasting bar right as you walk in.
Stunning example of what Australian Shiraz can be with the right patience.
1/9/21