March 14, 2024 - Slow O'd for an hour, decanted for three; undrinkable at every point: oxidized (and brownish red, FWIW). I'd been looking forward to drinking this bottle since 8/2010, when I purchased it aftermarket from Cellaraiders. You takes your chances... I trust the bacteria in my septic system are enjoying the bottle's contents more than I did.
February 17, 2024 - Still a big forward facing shiraz but age has smoothed all the elements into a great bottle of wine. I can’t imagine it will get any better but still has many years of enjoyment for those opening a bottle in the years to come.
Others have summarized flavor nuances of this wine well.
February 3, 2024 - A touch sweet after a bright 10 min double decant.
January 28, 2024 - If you have never had this wine the the better part of 2 decades old, you have not done it justice. Forrest, cigar box, and chocolate nose. Darker fruits, chocolate, and subtle richness on the medium plus body matched with velvety integrated tanning. Maturing very slowly. Suspect near its peak but will remain there for at least a decade.
December 24, 2023 - Very powerful and forward style of wine. Lots of chocolate, coffee, and roast red meat on the nose. Palate is similar and carries a bit more fruit on it. My biggest detraction on this bottle was it began to fade after 2 hours open in a narrow decanter (for sediment), and the sweetness of wine really took over too quickly. Fun one to try, but I would not buy this again.
November 22, 2023 - Nase: fett, konfitierte Erdbeere/Kirsche, Speck, Mund: tolle Säure, noch gute Frucht, feines/moderates Tannin, mittlere Länge. Keine Alterungsnoten
November 5, 2023 - Corked
September 15, 2023 - Last one. Good cork pop, stain on end deep purple, a slight cork softness at 17 years, but no infiltration, a good seal. Odd thing was the top part of cork, not the bottom which was in contact with wine, was slightly soft. Seemed sweet and active, fruit really held up. Different from a Saxum Booker consumed just prior. A real contrast in style. Very energetic, wine not turned, no tc, just different. Gives impression of youthful wine as result. Not acidic but powerful on sides of tongue. It gives impression of being 'bright' but from fruit, not acidity. Striving to describe. But nothing like what I had in 2017. It evened out after several days open, and the brightness fell back and became balanced with the other elements of wine. As this wine was so different from my tasting of 6 years ago, it's hard to say about aging. Leaning towards ability to age about 3 years more, but only from this taste, not the 2017 experience.
June 10, 2023 - Rustic bouquet with leather and dark fruits. On the palate full bodied and concentrated, chocolate, mild acidity and round, soft tannin. Ready now and no real hurry.
April 21, 2023 - Quick double decanted. Sharp and strong wine with a medium plus body. Very compact. Vacuumed half of the bottle and the next day it wasn’t that great but my GF liked it better. Go figure?