Community Tasting Note

Jon Harrison Likes this wine:

Friday, March 22, 2024 - Color: Very dark ruby. Opaque (impressive).

Nose: A smack in the face of wild purple fruits! Beautiful, classic, McLaren nose of ripe candied black/purple plum and blackberry fruit -with a touch of black olive, and black licorice. A little smoky (but not hickory). With a big smack of spicy medicinal new oak. This cuvee doesn't merit this much new oak (IMHO). But overall, the fruit is classic McLaren. Beautiful.

Some reduced aromas (slightly skunky mercaptan). This should lessen with time in the bottle. (Update: the next day sealed with a Vacuvin the reduced aromas were totally gone.)

Palate: Full body, good concentration. Rich, mouthful of black plum, blackberry, and black raspberry Syrah fruit. But ever so slightly thin and tart on the finish to rate above 92. Ripe (soft) tannins. Excellent alcohol balance (the label says 14.5%).

I am a sommelier in San Francisco. So, as we say, this is a CLASSIC New World wine. Sometimes that is said with a slightly negative connotation. Not here. This is phenomenal, complex, Syrah, of a place: The McLaren Vale. This wine is foot-treaded, basket pressed, and finished without fining or filtration. Fantastic winemaking.

Drinking window: This wine is so ripe and complex it drinks beautifully now. But this will also age without problem until at least 2032 (in a cool proper cellar).

Score: 92 - 94 (with a little more age).

JGH, Sommelier, San Francisco/Bay Area, CMS III

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