Dog Ridge Vineyard DV7 McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003

Produced from 60-year-old Shiraz vines from the McLaren Vale of South Australia, the 2003 Dog Ridge Vineyard DV7 epitomizes the region's aromatic, full-bodied, hedonistic style of Shiraz and adds further credence to the McLaren Vale's reputation as one of the two leading appellations in Australia (Barossa is the other) for sensational Shiraz. Deep but not impenetrable in color, it may at first glance be mistakenly expected for a lighter, more subdued style of Shiraz — but not a chance. The 2003 DV7 starts with a bang and a cornucopia of aromatic fireworks: black fruits, mulberry, spice, and more. In the mouth, the wine is full, rich, and satisfying, a mélange of Angostura, charcoal, blackberry, and smooth spicy oak. And, as smooth and balanced as DV7 is, one hardly notices the 15° plus alcohol that it packs. Thanks to twenty months in French and American oak and additional bottle age before release, the DV7 drinks beautifully after just a little aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2012.

Nearly all meat and Mediterranean specialties stand to be enhanced by the award-winning 2003 Dog Ridge DV7 Shiraz. After all, this wine won the prestigious Blue Gold Award at the Sydney International Wine Competition for the finest Shiraz brought to table. In other words, this was the best wine with food. So, for a simple but exquisite culinary delight, we have chosen to follow the winery's number-one choice of accompaniment: a filet of lean beef rubbed with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and mixed herbs — all of which is baked in the oven. The beef is then cut thin and served over a bed of sweet potato mash with a reduced Shiraz glaze. Side dishes of roasted carrots, grilled sweet corn, and organic greens complete the picture. Enjoy!

Dog Ridge is a jewel of an estate that sits at the base of South Australia's Southern Mount Lofty Ranges, a series of hills and low mountains that overlook McLaren Vale. A family-owned winery of 140 acres, Dog Ridge is dedicated to producing full-bodied, award-winning McLaren Vale wines of distinction from old-vine Shiraz and a coterie of other French varietals. In order to achieve their mission, Dog Ridge's proprietors, Dave and Jen Wright, tend their vineyards with great passion, employing only sustainable practices of viticulture and devoting their energies to a serious CO2 Emission Mission to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, they have undertaken the task of uprooting feral vegetation from their property and the surrounding area, which border Onkaparinga Gorge National Park, and they have re-planted the creek beds and ridges with more than 6,000 trees and shrubs of indigenous origin in order to revitalize the land. Many of Dog Ridge's Shiraz, Cabernet, and Grenache vineyards in McLaren Vale date to the 1940s and form the basis of their many premium offerings such as DV7. At Dog Ridge, the soils vary considerably over a small area, giving the winery the opportunity to select small parcels of the best fruit to reflect the distinct terroir of each site. Furthermore, every one of this estate's wines reflects the natural diversity of an individual terroir, which adds to the uniqueness of each and every wine. Taste and see the difference!