Developed and floral nose of musk, lilac and sweet milk chocolate. Enchanting. Soft and sweet palate, brown earth, with soft tannins, elegant balance along the palate, nicely ripe, with a medium-weight persistent finish. A good now-mature effort from an average vintage. Ready.
Very primary, especially after the ’85. Chocolate, pepper and spice aromas. A palate of prickly acid follows, with silky velvet-like tannins, and lovely balance of components. Tastes a little more developed than the nose suggests, but still has a youthful aspect to it. A lesser Hill of Grace, but still a good wine. Probably best within 5 years.
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
Surprisingly youthful nose of dark chocolate, coffee and blackberry fruit. Intense and powerful. Deep. The palate is tightly-woven, but its full-bodied aspect is not supressed; it simply floods the palate with densely-packed black fruits, strong dusty tannins, and a long, powerful finish. Wants ten years to develop some more dimensions.
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
A small sip only. Very woody – an all-american oak hero. Big wine on the palate; sweetish with dark berry fruits, but lacks the togetherness of the 94. Fair wine, not worth the money.
Almost too small a sip to make anything of… brick red. Violets, blackcurrants, bitumen, tar. Soft tannins on the palate. Fully resolved wine, with the trademark volatility now starting to come to the fore. Good wine, but the bottle is well ready.
1985 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Developed and floral nose of musk, lilac and sweet milk chocolate. Enchanting. Soft and sweet palate, brown earth, with soft tannins, elegant balance along the palate, nicely ripe, with a medium-weight persistent finish. A good now-mature effort from an average vintage. Ready.
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1992 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Very primary, especially after the ’85. Chocolate, pepper and spice aromas. A palate of prickly acid follows, with silky velvet-like tannins, and lovely balance of components. Tastes a little more developed than the nose suggests, but still has a youthful aspect to it. A lesser Hill of Grace, but still a good wine. Probably best within 5 years.
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1994 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
Surprisingly youthful nose of dark chocolate, coffee and blackberry fruit. Intense and powerful. Deep. The palate is tightly-woven, but its full-bodied aspect is not supressed; it simply floods the palate with densely-packed black fruits, strong dusty tannins, and a long, powerful finish. Wants ten years to develop some more dimensions.
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1998 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
A small sip only. Very woody – an all-american oak hero. Big wine on the palate; sweetish with dark berry fruits, but lacks the togetherness of the 94. Fair wine, not worth the money.
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1975 Penfolds Grange
Australia, South Australia
Almost too small a sip to make anything of… brick red. Violets, blackcurrants, bitumen, tar. Soft tannins on the palate. Fully resolved wine, with the trademark volatility now starting to come to the fore. Good wine, but the bottle is well ready.
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