Peter Lehmann (Australia) Clancy’s Red 2002
An old favourite of wine-pages, Clancy’s is a bargain-priced slice of Australian blockbuster red. It offers copious amounts of sweet, jammy fruit and smoky, spicy oak in a very easy to drink format. A blend of Shiraz (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (37%), Merlot (17%) and a dash of Cabernet Franc (8%), it packs 14% alcohol. The colour is a deep ruby red, and the nose offers a melange of sweet stewed plums and cloves, briar and some raisined fruit. On the palate there’s a soft but powerful flow of smoky, dusty, redcurrant and damson fruit with lots of chocolate and tobacco warmth beneath, and a huge kick of spice into the finish. This has lots of substance and power, though with quite a fresh quality to the fruit on the palate. It has a nice backbone of acidity and firm, if background, tannins. £6.99-7.99 Oddbins, Waitrose, Co-op
