Deep ruby colour, with a just a tinge of brown. Classic cab shiraz palate, with a strong scent of black currants. Drinking well now, but starting to fade. Drink now to soon.
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Combination of dirt of fruit. Color has tawny hints at edges, showing its age. It is drinking quiet well today. I would not hold onto this vintage much longer though. Drink now.
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Youthful dark color with a good nose of blackberry, dust and menthol on the nose. On day one, though, no palate. So recorked and enjoyed on Day Two where the aromas come through as flavors on the palate, along with significant tannins. To it's credit, there's none of the usual Barossa excess here. But at the same time, at age 16 it's merely chronologically older and it lacks the secondary development one cellars a wine 16 years for. Not sure if this will improve with even more time or merely fade away.
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Nose reminds me of tamarind paste. Well balanced palate, no heat, good acidity. Not a fruit bomb. Still some tannins clinging to the teeth. Very good palate penetration. Fresh and substantial but lacking complexity on day one. Day two lurking menthol emerges with black cardamom and pencil lead. Now the complexity has kicked in. Still perfect balance day two. Remarkable drinking on day two for a 14 yr old wine! Score for day 2.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, melon and hazelnut. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, chocolate, bell pepper and geranium with a medium body. Polished texture with a long finish - Today this wine is drinking very well. I was pleasantly surprised at how refined and polished it is now.
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Brought to restaurant and decanted for half an hour. Pretty consistent note with last year experience. Quite plummy, ripe and rich. Still a measure of tannin. Drink up.
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This is drinking MUCH better than the last bottle two years ago. Tannins have come into balance...medium to nearly full bodied, primarily cab in flavor profile, with hints of pepper giving interest. Medium plus finish
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Drinking well now. Blackberry and fig nose with a little sweet pepper thrown in. Nicely integrated tannins. Slightly strange prune finish but enjoyable. Decanted for 30 min.
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Quite prominent smoky oak and vanilla with menthol and prominent Cabernet notes over Shiraz. Still palpable tannin after 10 years. Somewhat one dimensional. Not sure will improve.
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I let this wine decant for 45 minutes before drinking; it helped. The wine was beautiful. Black currant ,cherries and hints of dark chocolate. Medium bodied with no hard edges...had a nice finish.
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This is a good wine, but it did not meet my lofty expectations. Red / purple color and clean, not a lot of aromatics. A little thin on the palate. Maybe an off bottle...but this didn't blow me away.
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Popped and poured. Smoky aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, raspberry and black liquorice. Aromas follow through to the palate with a full-bodied, silky mouth feel. Balanced and still young but the tannins are in check. Based upon this particular bottle's showing still years ahead of it. This bottle showed very well indeed.
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I found this bottle amply tannic. Beneath the wall of tannin, there were hints of dark and blue fruits. I am inclined to let the remaining bottles lay down longer, to see if something interesting develops, but I am not sure the fruit is going to outlive the tannin.
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Back label puts the optimum drinking window til 2011 and I reckon they're on the money. This was at its peak with loads of secondary flavours coming through.
The '01 wont be as long lived as some of its siblings and wont get any better. That said it should continue to drink well for another couple of years.
Drink by 2013.
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Decanted for 30 minutes...great color but the rest was a let down. Based on the other reviews this bottle has missed its prime which is a bit disappointing.
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Eucalyptus to the max! Rubbing alcohol on the nose along with spice and some fruit. On the palate too much eucalyptus and way out of balance. Another over rated Parker wine!!! Terrible
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A little disjointed (I like the previous "muddled" note) and off-focus for me. We paired with burgers yet the marriage didn't sing. Rounded tannins, so it's definitely a good time to drink. Just not the stellar experience I would expect at this price point.
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I guess my palate is not tuned well for these cab-shiaz blends because they just taste muddled to me - not a true expression of eitherbut a fake attempt to add something to a less than stellar cab. It's a good wine to drink. Dark, brooding, with bitter cocoa on the palate. Not a fruit bomb but deep fruit with a ton of structure and drying on the finish. I was hoping for more from these.
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I love this bottle for its QPR. All the traits of a really solid bordeaux, (I like the reference to the 2001 Smith Haut Lafite) and none of the "over-ness" these Aussie cuvees. Unfortunately, it's just starting to fall apart.
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Time has been kind to this bottle since my last one in early '06. Similar notes as previous bottle with exception that the tannins have receded to a tolerable level for me. No hurry to open my last bottle.
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This wine did not show as well as I had anticipated....after 45 minutes in the decanter, it was very tight, and tannic....as we neared the end of the bottle, about 3 hours after opening, the nose had come to the fore....though that tannins were certainly ample. Could use more time
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A very nice, complex nose with cocoa, liquorice, raspberries and smoke. The same flavors follow coupled with lots of muted cedar and well integrated tannins. I imagine this was somewhat clumsy in it's youth, but it's beautifully made and drinking well right now. The heavy handed oak remains it's only big distraction.
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The oak has finally integrated a bit and takes on a smoky burnt pencil note... The acidity is now matched by the complex array of deep blueberry and licorice.
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Just Like the Old Days (Bowling Green, OH): Pencil lead and black fruit nose. High-toned acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Good structure. Lots of blueberry! Juicy. Great age. Lightly sweet, but balanced. Reminds me a bit of the 2001 Smith Haut Lafitte.
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First impression of the licorice with minty vanilla notes on the nose: Now&Later candies. But this is not a candied, simple wine. It also has nice coffee and tobacco notes, and some nice complex earthy notes, too. For the most part, the fruit profile is dominated by the cabernet component: currant, black cherry, but it strays slightly into the delights of shiraz, too, with some blackberry, as well. The wine still has ample structure framing all this, but the tannins are clearly integrating beautifully, and I'd say I caught this bottle drinking at its peak. I'd set the drink by date at 2012-2013.
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Extremely disapointed. Have had this twice before, a couple years ago, but at tastings. I really hope this is in a dumb period. but it is really... boring. Not much going on at all. A medicore wine with too much oak. Good luck if you have some.
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This wine has really come together; beautiful colour and a nice aroma with a hint of sweetness in both smell and taste; tannins have integrated and wonderful hints of bing cherry, mint, and a little smokiness at the finish
very smooth and quite enjoyable
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Deep blackberries and chocolate fragrances. The oak is subsiding a bit, revealing a better integration than eight months ago. Still not enough finesse to warrant any higher score for now.
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Dark purple with hint of red; aromas of smoke, cherries and oak; medium body with sweet tannins; cabernet tames the typical over the top Australian shiraz; palate shows tobacco, vanilla, and balckberries; long finish; no signs of oxidation after being open for 24 hours; this wine has really come together and become much more integrated and balanced from when I last tasted it a year ago.
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Not overtly oaky as most Australians on the nose with some nice cassis & pepper. Juicy black currant & plum with a nice dose of acidity. A restrained style for down under & still could use a few more years in the cellar. From magnum.
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Smokey, plums, black cherries, blackberries and sweet tobacco and licorice on the nose. Without decanting, the wine was excellent with good fruiit(not at all jammy) and the tannins are fully integrated and it was pretty smooth going down. I think this wine is pretty much ready and will stay the course for another 2 years. I agree with the winemaker's cellar until 2011 prediction for this wine. Steinman got the rating wrong but the drinking window(until 2012) right. Parker got the rating closer to what I tasted but his range(2020) is WAY off, unless you like to drink over-the-hill wines. Medium blackberry finish. This is good to go.
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Great wine. Decanted for about an hour but don't think it was necesaary. Very smooth with just the right amount of fruit, decent finish. The last of my 01's. Will await awhile for the 02's
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Heavily oaked with currant and a whif of chocolate on the largely shut-down nose. Blackberries and sweet tobacco palate, but lacking that something that should boost the score on this. Perhaps in a few years it will be better - perhaps not.
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More restraint nose of blackberry, oak and violet. Gentle spice, acidity with toasty oak in the palate. Palpable tannin. After 20 minutes, a more generous and round nose of licorice also made an appearance. Very good. Pretty consistent with the 1999. Not sure if worth the money though. Compared to the 2001 Kilikanoon Block road I had the other day, this is less appealing for I believe 1.5 times the price. On day 3, the nose has blossomed out even more than first day. The acidity becomes more prominent but pleasant. Tannin is still there. Probably drank too early. Potentially 90 points wine.
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Steve8 Birthday Dinner (Niagara Street Cafe, Toronto, Canada): Dark ruby colour. Aromas of currant and black licorice. Medium-full bodied with nice texture, but simple red berry/tart fruit with some mint. Short-moderate finish, 20-25s, with red fruit.
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Deep garnet/black; intense black currants, blackberries, smoked meat, vanilla; concentrated ripe berry, creamy, full body, good acidity, ripe tannins, long finish. Decanted 2 hrs. Ripe fruit soaked in oak with good complexity and balance. A red that could only come from Oz.
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Decanted for three hours for impromptu dinner with Dave and Melanie. Cherry, furity nose. Syrupy, tart - a sure shiraz, but the tannins from the cab come through as well here. A nice, but short finish. I would give this another couple years before venturing back in. Very good now with room to grow...
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Vegas Vacation Wines; 11/6/2006-11/11/2006 (Las Vegas, NV): Excellent effort on this wine. Aromas of incense, blackberry, black cherry, red raspberry, currant, earth, and vanilla. In the mouth this deep purple wine explodes with flavors of black and red fruit, with well integrated, dusty tannins. This wine has a beautiful 40+ second finish. At $30 from Costco this wine is a steal. Should last for 10+ years.
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Decanted 2 hrs prior to drinking. The wine was still very closed when I had my first glass but certainly started to open up about half way through the bottle. Very elegant and good concentration, definately not over the top when it came to fruit, oak was present but not overpowering. Yalumba certainly got the blend right this vintage. All roand a stunning wine. I'd give it till 2010 before having another bottle.
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What a difference a day makes with this wine. After tasting it last night I was very disappointed. On day one I found the cabernet and the shiraz to be juxtaposed and almost fighting each other. I wasn't getting a nice blend. It was like taking a sip from two different glasses at the same time. I was also getting way too much oak, lots of menthol, and little fruit. After pumping the bottle with 2/3 remaining and storing overnight at 57 degrees the wine is fantastic tonight. Seamless and smooth with a long finish.
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No tasting note. Opened it up over a very late night dinner with Rob Parker. Impression was very full big and tight. I managed to open up a bit after about an hour and drank very well for the next three, but I’ll give the next bottle some time before opening it up.
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Had this wine over two nights: The first night I said WOW.. I hadn't had a nice wine like this for a few weeks, then I had supper and it did not pair well, so I decided to way for the next night to post a note. Second night it was just a nice, less wow, but more finesse the tannins that were more present had time to flesh out, nice deep ruby, with a edge of purple. Nose of blackberries, pepper, a hint of vanilla and oak. Mouth coating fruits (Raspberries, blackberries) and a nice peppery bite, medium length, (The acidity is still very present, but not overwhelming).
I think this will get better in a few years, but I agree with some that it will not have a very long life.
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What a nice wine. Nose of earth, cherries, and pure blackcurrant with some sweet oaky notes. More blackcurrent on the peppery palate with well integrated acidity and tight focused tannins on the long, mouth filling finish. Parker is on the money with this one, 95 points for me too, maybe a 96 with future development. At 44$ Cdn, it is a great value.
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Agree with my CT buddies. Seems like it will be worthy of its predecessors, yet I recall the 99 drinking far more robustly at a similar age to the 01. Very tight, an hour in the glass didn't budge it. Loads of berries, tight focused tanins. A few years in the cellar could earn the Parker 95.
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Still tightly wrapped. Could be another three or four years before this opens. In the meantime, it is a formidable, well balanced, flavorful (pepper and chocolates) dynamo.
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Black fruits and pepper on the nose and palate. This needs either decanting time or some age in the cellar. I won't open another for a couple of years.
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Color: Medium purple Nose: Plum, crushed rock, Lots of Earth Taste: Chewy wine with spice, earth, crushed rock, cinnamon Finish: Spice, fruit, and earth dominate. Very short finish for an Aussie High End Wine. Evaluation: Not a good value for the money as this is the second time trying this in the last six months. 86 points
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Excellent mouth of blackberry, mild earth and tobacco smell (but limited taste of it). Very interesting and a great wine for $30 as a PA Chairman selection.
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5/14/2022 - Mr Laroux wrote:
Deep ruby colour, with a just a tinge of brown. Classic cab shiraz palate, with a strong scent of black currants. Drinking well now, but starting to fade. Drink now to soon.
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12/14/2020 - Michael_D Likes this wine: 92 Points
Combination of dirt of fruit. Color has tawny hints at edges, showing its age. It is drinking quiet well today. I would not hold onto this vintage much longer though. Drink now.
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4/10/2017 - Neecies wrote: 88 Points
Youthful dark color with a good nose of blackberry, dust and menthol on the nose. On day one, though, no palate. So recorked and enjoyed on Day Two where the aromas come through as flavors on the palate, along with significant tannins. To it's credit, there's none of the usual Barossa excess here. But at the same time, at age 16 it's merely chronologically older and it lacks the secondary development one cellars a wine 16 years for. Not sure if this will improve with even more time or merely fade away.
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7/15/2016 - simmer34 wrote:
With big brother
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9/25/2015 - ephorn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose reminds me of tamarind paste. Well balanced palate, no heat, good acidity. Not a fruit bomb. Still some tannins clinging to the teeth. Very good palate penetration. Fresh and substantial but lacking complexity on day one. Day two lurking menthol emerges with black cardamom and pencil lead. Now the complexity has kicked in. Still perfect balance day two. Remarkable drinking on day two for a 14 yr old wine! Score for day 2.
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7/10/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 87 Points
Good fruit but out of balance acidity. Possible heat damage.
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4/7/2015 - SORC Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is drinking beautifully now. Full bodied with lots of character and a wonderful finish. Velvety smooth and drinking like a $300.00 bottle.
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8/13/2014 - Jeffrey Silver wrote: 93 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, melon and hazelnut. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, chocolate, bell pepper and geranium with a medium body. Polished texture with a long finish - Today this wine is drinking very well. I was pleasantly surprised at how refined and polished it is now.
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2/5/2014 - kbudlong Likes this wine:
Like not love, dark rich sappy
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4/11/2013 - acheng wrote: 88 Points
Brought to restaurant and decanted for half an hour. Pretty consistent note with last year experience. Quite plummy, ripe and rich. Still a measure of tannin. Drink up.
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12/8/2012 - dsimmons wrote:
Second of 3 - both flawed. I suspect heat damage
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11/29/2012 - pcgraves Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. It's ready. wish I had more
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10/24/2012 - thalver wrote:
This is drinking MUCH better than the last bottle two years ago. Tannins have come into balance...medium to nearly full bodied, primarily cab in flavor profile, with hints of pepper giving interest. Medium plus finish
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10/7/2012 - tonsta wrote: 92 Points
Decent wine, a touch 'dirty' but IMO this just added to the wine's enjoyment.
In it's peak drinking window now but will hold for another couple of years yet.
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9/20/2012 - BGK810 wrote: 94 Points
Deep, concentrated flavors of blackberry, cassis, fig, and earth. Silky smooth and absolutely delicious.
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9/3/2012 - RandyC wrote: 93 Points
Good oak and blackberry on the nose. On the mouth blackberry plum choclate and cedar. A real winner with good structure and rounded tannins.
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3/29/2012 - LARich wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well now. Blackberry and fig nose with a little sweet pepper thrown in. Nicely integrated tannins. Slightly strange prune finish but enjoyable.
Decanted for 30 min.
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3/12/2012 - acheng wrote: 88 Points
Quite prominent smoky oak and vanilla with menthol and prominent Cabernet notes over Shiraz. Still palpable tannin after 10 years. Somewhat one dimensional. Not sure will improve.
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11/12/2011 - darklord wrote: 92 Points
I let this wine decant for 45 minutes before drinking; it helped. The wine was beautiful. Black currant ,cherries and hints of dark chocolate. Medium bodied with no hard edges...had a nice finish.
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9/11/2011 - peterk wrote: 91 Points
A bit austere initially... But after an hour the fruit emerged, the tannins softened, and the wine came together. Nice.
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6/18/2011 - nvandyk wrote: 89 Points
This is a good wine, but it did not meet my lofty expectations. Red / purple color and clean, not a lot of aromatics. A little thin on the palate. Maybe an off bottle...but this didn't blow me away.
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1/23/2011 - KSC02 wrote:
Popped and poured. Smoky aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, raspberry and black liquorice. Aromas follow through to the palate with a full-bodied, silky mouth feel. Balanced and still young but the tannins are in check. Based upon this particular bottle's showing still years ahead of it. This bottle showed very well indeed.
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1/10/2011 - on the wine wrote: 79 Points
Very disappoionting. Not much aroma. Fruit seems to have dissipated leaving a rather sour empty taste. Opened second bottle and found same.
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12/4/2010 - thalver wrote:
I found this bottle amply tannic. Beneath the wall of tannin, there were hints of dark and blue fruits. I am inclined to let the remaining bottles lay down longer, to see if something interesting develops, but I am not sure the fruit is going to outlive the tannin.
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11/28/2010 - tonsta wrote: 92 Points
Back label puts the optimum drinking window til 2011 and I reckon they're on the money. This was at its peak with loads of secondary flavours coming through.
The '01 wont be as long lived as some of its siblings and wont get any better. That said it should continue to drink well for another couple of years.
Drink by 2013.
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11/7/2010 - LewisDowney wrote: 87 Points
Maybe this was a bad bottle. Very little fruit. There was an influence of eucalyptus when the bottle was first opened, but it diminished over time.
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8/14/2010 - tthorn wrote: 84 Points
Disappointing. Plummy nose. Round tannins, but very one-dimensional, like a $10 pick from Costco. Drink up.
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7/4/2010 - 11mcraig wrote: 86 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes...great color but the rest was a let down. Based on the other reviews this bottle has missed its prime which is a bit disappointing.
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6/4/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 80 Points
Eucalyptus to the max! Rubbing alcohol on the nose along with spice and some fruit. On the palate too much eucalyptus and way out of balance. Another over rated Parker wine!!! Terrible
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5/12/2010 - signotim wrote: 84 Points
lacks balance. disjointed on mid palate. not worth the price.
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4/22/2010 - jeffal66 wrote: 89 Points
A little disjointed (I like the previous "muddled" note) and off-focus for me. We paired with burgers yet the marriage didn't sing. Rounded tannins, so it's definitely a good time to drink. Just not the stellar experience I would expect at this price point.
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4/1/2010 - iamandyc wrote: 88 Points
I guess my palate is not tuned well for these cab-shiaz blends because they just taste muddled to me - not a true expression of eitherbut a fake attempt to add something to a less than stellar cab. It's a good wine to drink. Dark, brooding, with bitter cocoa on the palate. Not a fruit bomb but deep fruit with a ton of structure and drying on the finish. I was hoping for more from these.
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3/14/2010 - johnnywebs wrote: 90 Points
I love this bottle for its QPR. All the traits of a really solid bordeaux, (I like the reference to the 2001 Smith Haut Lafite) and none of the "over-ness" these Aussie cuvees. Unfortunately, it's just starting to fall apart.
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12/22/2009 - thelostverse wrote: 91 Points
Time has been kind to this bottle since my last one in early '06. Similar notes as previous bottle with exception that the tannins have receded to a tolerable level for me. No hurry to open my last bottle.
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11/28/2009 - thalver wrote: 92 Points
This wine did not show as well as I had anticipated....after 45 minutes in the decanter, it was very tight, and tannic....as we neared the end of the bottle, about 3 hours after opening, the nose had come to the fore....though that tannins were certainly ample. Could use more time
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10/24/2009 - rrw wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding complexity. Sadly my last bottle.
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10/10/2009 - krmcgrath wrote: 91 Points
A very nice, complex nose with cocoa, liquorice, raspberries and smoke. The same flavors follow coupled with lots of muted cedar and well integrated tannins. I imagine this was somewhat clumsy in it's youth, but it's beautifully made and drinking well right now. The heavy handed oak remains it's only big distraction.
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9/9/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 91 Points
The oak has finally integrated a bit and takes on a smoky burnt pencil note... The acidity is now matched by the complex array of deep blueberry and licorice.
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7/25/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 94 Points
Just Like the Old Days (Bowling Green, OH): Pencil lead and black fruit nose. High-toned acidity, medium tannins, medium body. Good structure. Lots of blueberry! Juicy. Great age. Lightly sweet, but balanced. Reminds me a bit of the 2001 Smith Haut Lafitte.
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3/22/2009 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
First impression of the licorice with minty vanilla notes on the nose: Now&Later candies. But this is not a candied, simple wine. It also has nice coffee and tobacco notes, and some nice complex earthy notes, too. For the most part, the fruit profile is dominated by the cabernet component: currant, black cherry, but it strays slightly into the delights of shiraz, too, with some blackberry, as well. The wine still has ample structure framing all this, but the tannins are clearly integrating beautifully, and I'd say I caught this bottle drinking at its peak. I'd set the drink by date at 2012-2013.
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10/17/2008 - hutch wrote: 87 Points
Extremely disapointed. Have had this twice before, a couple years ago, but at tastings. I really hope this is in a dumb period. but it is really... boring. Not much going on at all. A medicore wine with too much oak. Good luck if you have some.
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8/13/2008 - maverickdrinker wrote: 93 Points
This wine has really come together; beautiful colour and a nice aroma with a hint of sweetness in both smell and taste; tannins have integrated and wonderful hints of bing cherry, mint, and a little smokiness at the finish
very smooth and quite enjoyable
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8/7/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 89 Points
Deep blackberries and chocolate fragrances. The oak is subsiding a bit, revealing a better integration than eight months ago. Still not enough finesse to warrant any higher score for now.
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5/25/2008 - knelsfk wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple with hint of red; aromas of smoke, cherries and oak; medium body with sweet tannins; cabernet tames the typical over the top Australian shiraz; palate shows tobacco, vanilla, and balckberries; long finish; no signs of oxidation after being open for 24 hours; this wine has really come together and become much more integrated and balanced from when I last tasted it a year ago.
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5/5/2008 - tonsta wrote:
Reckon this bottle was a little off. Did not open up after long sit in Riedel! No rating
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5/3/2008 - ed-d wrote: 92 Points
Not overtly oaky as most Australians on the nose with some nice cassis & pepper. Juicy black currant & plum with a nice dose of acidity. A restrained style for down under & still could use a few more years in the cellar. From magnum.
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4/20/2008 - mimik wrote: 94 Points
Smokey, plums, black cherries, blackberries and sweet tobacco and licorice on the nose. Without decanting, the wine was excellent with good fruiit(not at all jammy) and the tannins are fully integrated and it was pretty smooth going down. I think this wine is pretty much ready and will stay the course for another 2 years. I agree with the winemaker's cellar until 2011 prediction for this wine. Steinman got the rating wrong but the drinking window(until 2012) right. Parker got the rating closer to what I tasted but his range(2020) is WAY off, unless you like to drink over-the-hill wines. Medium blackberry finish. This is good to go.
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4/8/2008 - signotim wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine. not what I expected. Cabernet element comes thru stronger than Shiraz. Sour cherry up front on the palate. medium finish.
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2/16/2008 - ggtirevite wrote: 91 Points
Favorite wine from Australia. Pairs with anything. Medium body, great fruit and nose.
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12/25/2007 - lkatz wrote: 90 Points
Great wine. Decanted for about an hour but don't think it was necesaary. Very smooth with just the right amount of fruit, decent finish. The last of my 01's. Will await awhile for the 02's
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12/14/2007 - Squeeze wrote: 90 Points
Seemed to have lost a lot of its fruitiness in somewhat heavy sediment; still good and fairly complex
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11/29/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 89 Points
Heavily oaked with currant and a whif of chocolate on the largely shut-down nose. Blackberries and sweet tobacco palate, but lacking that something that should boost the score on this. Perhaps in a few years it will be better - perhaps not.
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10/28/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 88 Points
very nice but didn't compete well against less expensive wines that week.
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9/12/2007 - acheng wrote: 87 Points
More restraint nose of blackberry, oak and violet. Gentle spice, acidity with toasty oak in the palate. Palpable tannin. After 20 minutes, a more generous and round nose of licorice also made an appearance. Very good. Pretty consistent with the 1999.
Not sure if worth the money though. Compared to the 2001 Kilikanoon Block road I had the other day, this is less appealing for I believe 1.5 times the price.
On day 3, the nose has blossomed out even more than first day. The acidity becomes more prominent but pleasant. Tannin is still there. Probably drank too early. Potentially 90 points wine.
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7/18/2007 - futronic wrote: 88 Points
Steve8 Birthday Dinner (Niagara Street Cafe, Toronto, Canada): Dark ruby colour. Aromas of currant and black licorice. Medium-full bodied with nice texture, but simple red berry/tart fruit with some mint. Short-moderate finish, 20-25s, with red fruit.
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7/18/2007 - ews3 wrote: 87 Points
Red Cherry and other red berry flavors. Very fruity, not too complex. Disappointing, though pleasant for sure.
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7/10/2007 - LarryF wrote: 89 Points
oaky but still not loving it
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6/18/2007 - ggtirevite wrote: 93 Points
Great spice, dark color, wonderful cab/Shiraz blend. One of my favorites these days. Highly recommended.
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6/17/2007 - vijayk416 wrote: 88 Points
A well made wine but not my style.
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5/28/2007 - ecnemergut wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Wonderful nose of blackberry and currant. More ripe berries in the mouth with a smooth finish. Perfect with my grilled steak.
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5/4/2007 - lkatz wrote: 95 Points
Delicious wine....had with great choclate bar after dinner!
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1/15/2007 - ColinR wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet/black; intense black currants, blackberries, smoked meat, vanilla; concentrated ripe berry, creamy, full body, good acidity, ripe tannins, long finish.
Decanted 2 hrs. Ripe fruit soaked in oak with good complexity and balance. A red that could only come from Oz.
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1/13/2007 - pontac wrote: 87 Points
VWTC - Australia, with Julia Jenkins (Verulam Wine Tasting Club - St Albans www.vwtc.org): Dense and glass staining, flavours of dark chocolate, smoke and spices and high acidity. 13.5% £21.99
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12/29/2006 - mfkidd wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for three hours for impromptu dinner with Dave and Melanie. Cherry, furity nose. Syrupy, tart - a sure shiraz, but the tannins from the cab come through as well here. A nice, but short finish. I would give this another couple years before venturing back in. Very good now with room to grow...
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11/13/2006 - MTC wrote: 94 Points
Meris wedding. Snuck glasses from under the table.
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11/10/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 94 Points
Vegas Vacation Wines; 11/6/2006-11/11/2006 (Las Vegas, NV): Excellent effort on this wine. Aromas of incense, blackberry, black cherry, red raspberry, currant, earth, and vanilla. In the mouth this deep purple wine explodes with flavors of black and red fruit, with well integrated, dusty tannins. This wine has a beautiful 40+ second finish. At $30 from Costco this wine is a steal. Should last for 10+ years.
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10/30/2006 - tonsta wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hrs prior to drinking. The wine was still very closed when I had my first glass but certainly started to open up about half way through the bottle. Very elegant and good concentration, definately not over the top when it came to fruit, oak was present but not overpowering. Yalumba certainly got the blend right this vintage. All roand a stunning wine. I'd give it till 2010 before having another bottle.
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10/10/2006 - rothdog wrote: 90 Points
What a difference a day makes with this wine. After tasting it last night I was very disappointed. On day one I found the cabernet and the shiraz to be juxtaposed and almost fighting each other. I wasn't getting a nice blend. It was like taking a sip from two different glasses at the same time. I was also getting way too much oak, lots of menthol, and little fruit. After pumping the bottle with 2/3 remaining and storing overnight at 57 degrees the wine is fantastic tonight. Seamless and smooth with a long finish.
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8/12/2006 - Mark wrote: 93 Points
No tasting note. Opened it up over a very late night dinner with Rob Parker. Impression was very full big and tight. I managed to open up a bit after about an hour and drank very well for the next three, but I’ll give the next bottle some time before opening it up.
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7/15/2006 - rothdog wrote: flawed
I like sushi, and I also like ice cream, but not in the same bite.
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5/31/2006 - vinaigre wrote: 93 Points
Had this wine over two nights:
The first night I said WOW.. I hadn't had a nice wine like this for a few weeks, then I had supper and it did not pair well, so I decided to way for the next night to post a note.
Second night it was just a nice, less wow, but more finesse the tannins that were more present had time to flesh out, nice deep ruby, with a edge of purple. Nose of blackberries, pepper, a hint of vanilla and oak. Mouth coating fruits (Raspberries, blackberries) and a nice peppery bite, medium length, (The acidity is still very present, but not overwhelming).
I think this will get better in a few years, but I agree with some that it will not have a very long life.
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5/27/2006 - mimik wrote: 95 Points
What a nice wine. Nose of earth, cherries, and pure blackcurrant with some sweet oaky notes. More blackcurrent on the peppery palate with well integrated acidity and tight focused tannins on the long, mouth filling finish. Parker is on the money with this one, 95 points for me too, maybe a 96 with future development. At 44$ Cdn, it is a great value.
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5/19/2006 - ajjar wrote: 91 Points
Agree with my CT buddies. Seems like it will be worthy of its predecessors, yet I recall the 99 drinking far more robustly at a similar age to the 01. Very tight, an hour in the glass didn't budge it. Loads of berries, tight focused tanins. A few years in the cellar could earn the Parker 95.
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5/19/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
Still tightly wrapped. Could be another three or four years before this opens. In the meantime, it is a formidable, well balanced, flavorful (pepper and chocolates) dynamo.
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4/29/2006 - thelostverse wrote: 90 Points
Black fruits and pepper on the nose and palate. This needs either decanting time or some age in the cellar. I won't open another for a couple of years.
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3/24/2006 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 86 Points
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, crushed rock, Lots of Earth
Taste: Chewy wine with spice, earth, crushed rock, cinnamon
Finish: Spice, fruit, and earth dominate. Very short finish for an Aussie High End Wine.
Evaluation: Not a good value for the money as this is the second time trying this in the last six months. 86 points
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3/24/2006 - wynnewood500 wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied with balanced fruit and tannin. Dense, opaque color. Excellent wine that should last for years.
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1/28/2006 - pwarms wrote: 93 Points
Excellent mouth of blackberry, mild earth and tobacco smell (but limited taste of it). Very interesting and a great wine for $30 as a PA Chairman selection.
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11/16/2005 - 97mjr wrote:
[PWJGT] Oak soaked fruit. Had good structure will develop hold for 5 years **
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