| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.3 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 34 notes) - hiding notes with no text |
| | Tasted by ChairmanM on 3/1/2024: Opened a bottle and was immediately hit by a strong smell of menthol and eucalyptus. Thought maybe it would blow off over the next hour or so but it didn’t. Overwhelmingly strong and not enjoyable. Decided to open a 2nd bottle to see if it was just a bad bottle but alas, it was the same. Guess I waited too long to open these…. (87 views) |
| | Tasted by fmginc on 5/22/2020 & rated 88 points: Wonderful (1608 views) |
| | Tasted by sawira on 5/6/2018 & rated 84 points: Old and tired. Over the hill. (1931 views) |
| | Tasted by AlexHop on 2/25/2016 & rated 90 points: Nice. Really well made and round. Holding up well. (2325 views) |
| | Tasted by Nico P. on 11/16/2015 & rated 93 points: 14.1%. PnP. Still very dark, almost black. Toasted oak through dark chocolate notes. Faint old shoe leather & mushrooms, fragrant, lifted dark berry fruit, some kind of fruit liqueur - no menthol notes, nicely tart, tannins well integrated and seem to have melded nicely. Structurally balanced and smooth. Went well with steak. Showing very well. Fruit still redolent on the nose, with only the beginnings of secondary character. Based on this bottle, could easily go another ten years properly stored. FWIW, bought in 2006 and kept temperature controlled since. A stunningly pleasant surprise - opened this bottle fully resigned to consigning the contents to the cooking wine jar (based on the last few CT notes), but now regret that I only have one bottle left. (2292 views) |
| | Tasted by saturnaisland on 10/21/2013 flawed bottle: Dark with hints of chocolate, not much sweet syrah fruit evident. Had an unpleasant medicinal finish with slight hints of band aid; possibly VA. A disappointment. (3057 views) |
| | Tasted by Bill Bucklew on 3/15/2013 & rated 85 points: Dark reticent fruit nose with elements of graphite and black currant. Little fruit on the palate, black olive notes, cassis and wet stone. This was not showing much and thus was very disappointing, drink up! (2522 views) |
| | Tasted by Magnolian on 5/5/2012 & rated 86 points: Officially past its prime. The previous smoothness is now veering into excessive acidity; the fruit is now tired and worn. Last of six bottles. (2552 views) |
| | Tasted by AlexHop on 4/2/2012 & rated 88 points: Decent but a bit "rustic". Some nice body but not great balance and a touch chalky on the finish. (2213 views) |
| | Tasted by cbbrown3 on 5/3/2011 & rated 90 points: Deep ruby color. Chocolate, cherries, blackberries, cinnamon, incense, mint and fresh ground espresso on the nose. Medium body ripe, integrated tannins and very nice acidity. Very nice and refined on the palate, absolutely no excess weight. A very food friendly Aussie Shiraz. Decent length on the finish with the minty note providing just enough oomph. I like! Still have a few bottles in the cellar and I'm in no hurry based on this bottle. (2683 views) |
| | Tasted by Dingo on 2/28/2011 & rated 88 points: A mellowed drop with just a hint of ageing colour on the rim. Sweet fruit on the nose and pallet. I will leave my remaining bottle for 2 more years. (2400 views) |
| | Tasted by cbbrown3 on 1/25/2009 & rated 89 points: After an hour in the decanter. Deep ruby color. Blackberries, cherries, raspberries, chocolate, mint, and a bit of shoe polish on the nose. Medium body with solid, moderately ripe tannins and good acidity. Big, spicy, peppery crushed berries on the palate with some mint. Decent length on the finish with a bit more mint. The wine has improved a lot over the last year and a half or my first bottle was an off bottle. This may need more cellar time. (2487 views) |
| | Tasted by ews3 on 1/13/2009 & rated 86 points: disappointing... nose was off. lots of red fruit on the palate -- mainly cherry, with some plum and berry behind it. young, will be interesting to see where this goes (2366 views) |
| | Tasted by bound4er on 1/11/2009 & rated 90 points: Very similar results to my last bottle. This would merit an even higher score if there was just a bit less mint on the palate. All-in-all an enjoyable wine. (2655 views) |
| | Tasted by Nico P. on 8/9/2008: Dark ruby, no bricking; some sedimentation (decant recommended). Blueberries, black pepper, menthol - dense, lush fruit, unmistakably an aussie shiraz. Solid structure directed by chunky tannins, acid is second fiddle. Overall well balanced. Very good to excellent. (2453 views) |
| | Tasted by bound4er on 7/4/2008 & rated 90 points: From memory - a fair amount of eucalyptus but not off putting. Good dark fruit core with nice acidity and building but controlled tannins. Very enjoyable QPR wine - should develop even further with more cellaring. (2742 views) |
| | Tasted by gregg g on 2/17/2008: TN: Garagiste Wines at Marouch PT. II: Strong menthol, eucalyptus nose with some barely discernable fruit. The palate is better, but I can't get past the "Bengay" aromas that eventually overpower the wine. After about 30 minutes, it did begin to receed a bit I had moved on. (3609 views) |
| | Tasted by Mark on 1/30/2008: No tasting notes recorded. I’m not sure that I’m a fan of this right now, and found it a bit disappointing. Will try one again in a few more years. (2894 views) |
| | Tasted by thebonnydooner on 1/27/2008 & rated 90 points: Very similar notes to last time. Still not showing any age. Nose is full of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, some eucalyptus, mint and licourice. Very smooth and well balanced, mainly blackberry fruit, but also some raspberry, tannins are pretty resolved, some dark chocolate on finsih, along with nice balanced acidity. Drinking really well, this is a very balanced wine. (2803 views) |
| | Tasted by ews3 on 12/21/2007 & rated 87 points: maybe i was looking for it, but the shoe polish on the nose was definitely there. plum notes and other dark fruit. nice bottle. (2890 views) |
| | Tasted by cbbrown3 on 8/21/2007 & rated 85 points: A Garagiste purchase. Popped and poured. A Deep, dark, purple color. An unusual nose with pine needles, eucalyptus, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. Medium to full body with ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there is cherries, blackberries, raspberries, and the minty, pine resiny note with a bit of green herb. Decent length with tart cherries, pepper, blackberries and the herbal note. I'm not sure if I like the pine and green, herbal elements but the wine was enjoyable. I don't know if time will help the nose and finish, but it can't hurt. (3044 views) |
| | Tasted by Magnolian on 8/14/2007 & rated 88 points: No time to decant this bottle and it showed, with much more alcohol on the nose and palate than the last bottle. Still a ridiculous value, just take your time and let it breathe a bit. (3159 views) |
| | Tasted by JBVino on 7/6/2007: The non-Aussie...Aussie...this shiraz was restrained with fruit tacking back seat to secondary flavors of earth and spice...still a bit restrained by for $12 you have to be kidding...solid effort. (3332 views) |
| | Tasted by LeechDogg on 6/9/2007 & rated 85 points: WS was right about 'shoe polish' nose, very smooth besides that. (3251 views) |
| | Tasted by Rich Hanna on 5/21/2007 & rated 89 points: Very nice shiraz - not busting out at the seams or anything, but a restrained, complex quaff. Moderately intense fruit with a nice acid and earth balance. There is more meat and grit here than I usually find in an Aussie Shiraz, more of a rhonish feel. I'll drink the other half soon and comment further. (3451 views) |
| | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
