Aussie night!!!

Blind tasting of some of the best Australian wines. Mostly Shiraz but also a few cabs/ blends. All wines were either well known (Grange, RWT, etc) or rated at least 95 by WA or WS.

• 2001 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm 98 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  dark inky purple. No age. Nose is all over the place - dark fruit, underbrush, cinnamon, cigar smoke. HUGE in the mouth but once again so smooth. Hits everywhere on the palate. Decadent. Long finish.
  Rated 1/4 in this flight, and tied for WOTN overall.
  (WA 98)

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• 2004 Andrew Hardy Shiraz Ox 97 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Deep purple in glass. Looks younger. A bit muted on the nose at first, but opened up with time to dark fruits and pepper. On the palate: absolutley fabulous. Full, huge mouthfeel but SO smooth. Tasted like a high end Napa cab. Big, integrated tannins. Long finish. Fantastic! Rated 2/4 in this flight. (WA 97)

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• 1982 Penfolds Grange 95 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. Simply amazing, the youth of this wine. The cork was flawless. Deep purple in the glass, not even a hint of bricking. Mainly leather and dried leaves, but also some deep blackberry/fruit on the nose. Full and very pleasant in the mouth with integrated tannins. Medium finish. Ranked 3/4 in this outstanding flight.

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• 1998 Parker Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Terra Rossa 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes: Deep purple in glass. Nose of freshly cut grass, bright fruits, a hint of tobacco. In the mouth, started a bit tangy and acidic, that subsided a bit with time. Few tannins but enough for decent structure. Short finish. rated 4/4 but still an excellent wine. (WA 97)

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• 1998 Penfolds Shiraz RWT 96 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  purple, dark in glass, appears young. Rich, creamy aromas especially molasses. A huge mouthful, great structure, integrated tannins. Nice fruit. medium finish.
  Rated 1/4 in this flight.
  (WS 92, IWC 90)

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• 2010 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 95 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Young, purple in glass. No bricking. Classic cab nose - cassis, dried fruits, cardamom. So BIG yet so smooth in the mouth. Firm but pleasant tannins. long finish.
  Rated 2/4 in this flight.

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• 2001 Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard 94 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Deep purple. little if any age. Monthol, eucalyptus on the nose, with some smoky aromas. BIG wine with good structure, big tannins. Very young. medium finish.
  Rated 3/4 in this flight.
  (WA 96)

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• 2000 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command Flawed

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  sadly, this was corked.
  
  (WS 97)

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• 2003 Torbreck RunRig 98 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Nose - complex, beautiful aromas of woodsmoke, berries, and molasses
  Mouth hits everywhere - but especially on high midpalate with unique and focused flavors of molasses, blackberries and toast. Amazing fine-grain tannins.
  Long, lingering finish.
  Rated 1/4 in this flight and one of two WOTN
  (WA 99, WS 98)

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• 2003 Kalleske Shiraz Greenock 95 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Nose - muted fruit, Flintstone vitamin, cooked meat
  Mouth - Thick, rich, decadent. Abundant dark fruit, chewy fine tannins.
  Long finish.
  Rated 2/4 in this flight.
  (WA 96-100)

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• 1981 Penfolds Grange 90 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  purple with some bricking.
  Nose - old. underbrush, dried raspberries
  Mouth - somewhat thin but pleasant, mellow. few tannins.
  finish - medium
  Rated 3/4 in this flight.

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• 1997 Classic McLaren Shiraz La Testa 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Nose - smoky, meaty, potpourri
  Mouth - Tastes like cab but a bit thin - cassis, Napa fruit. few tannins
  muted finish.
  Rated 4/4 in this flight.
  (WA 98, IWC 96)

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• 2006 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard 93 Points

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  deep purple color. youthful appearance
  aromas of smoked meat, rich blackberries
  Mouth full of fine grain tannins, meat flavors and plenty of fruit.
  Medium finish
  Ranked 1/4 in this flight.
  (IWC 93)

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• 2003 Clarendon Hills Syrah Brookman 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  purple. dark, inky.
  Nose - fruit, leather
  mouth - fruit forward but some character. Med tannins
  Rated 2/4 in this flight.
  (WA 97)

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• 2002 Rusden Cabernet Sauvignon Boundaries 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  Deep purple in the glass
  Interesting aromas of green pepper, asparagus, dark fruit.
  Mouth - somewhat thin on midpalate, but fair tannin concentration
  Rated 3/4 in this flight.
  (WA 95)

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• 2004 Berrys Bridge Shiraz 89 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Tasted blind alongside three other great wines. My blind notes:
  deep purple. no age
  Nose - muted. Didn't give up much over time.
  mouth - full, rich, chewy but somewhat one-dimensional
  finish - short
  Rated 4/4 in this flight.
  (WA95)

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