Immediately hit with blackcurrant and dark fruit. Very smooth at this point. Didn’t over analyze this wine but it was impressive as always. Decanted for about an hour which was sufficient
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Ripe BlackBerry and blueberry notes abound with cedar notes on the palate. Needs more time but this won’t become a complex wine, just a more delicious one. But it’s pretty good right now
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Opened up rather tight. Wood aromas first , followed by tart red fruit. Pepper n the palate is prominent and a “ coffee like” bitterness lingers. Over the the next hour of decant, similar notes but less disjointed. A pleasure with a Christmas filet. Definitely life left in this.
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Initially out of Coravin then opened bottle. Good cork. Much better with air once bottle open. Dark fruits, spice, lick of vanilla from oak, very fine tannin (mostly integrated) with earthy notes and long finish. In a really great spot, suspect drink over next 5 or so years, possibly longer if you only want tertiary flavours.
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Decanted 1 hour, however this bottle took about three hours to start showing it’s stuff, last bottle of six, paired with filet, asparagus and crusty baguette. Tons of typical dark Barossa fruit, integrated secondary notes of pepper, cloves, cinnamon, even a bit earthy. Pretty good Shiraz and a pleasure to drink!
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Coravin it multiple times. Love it. Elegant Shiraz that has mellowed and integrated over the years. Typical aus eucalyptus nose wrapping the dark fruits. Expected more complexity and length. Medium finish with a touch of heat.
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Our friends also brought Tri-tip to cook on the Green Egg. Not just any Tri-tip. This is the Cardiff. On the packaging, it refers to a website called CardiffCrack.com and can be ordered from https://order.seasidemarket.com/
You should try this without question or hesitation and have some older Shiraz with it.
This is the most tender & flavorful Tri-tip I’ve had...all of us. For me, most are too seasoned/salty and not all that tender. You could almost cut it with a fork. I’ll be making this again & again. This is Goldilocks third porridge...just right.
I find Two Hands to be in the conversation of upper echelon Barossa producers.
I thought this would be a good classic pairing for Tri-tip. This slid into the perfect pairing for the style of the Cardiff. They hugged each other nicely. Really good.
For me as it is with may other big red wine regions, this wine needs 10 years plus to start showing how incredible they can be and has another 7 plus years of good drinking ahead of it.
This was smooth, elegant with round supple tannins. Broad spectrum of ripe, black, purple & blue fruits. It’s core dark with sweet tarriness, expresso roast, pepper, fresh tobacco, dark spices & limestone minerals. Dark; red, purple, blue florals framed in a field of violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent and the wine wire to wire is supple, has great balance, elegance with long staying power & persistence.
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Single-blind Syrah from Anywhere (Virtual): Single blind served covid style, so a 1/4 bottle in a glass jar that had been poured and sealed an hour previous. A whiff of eucalyptus on the nose spotted it as the Australian wine. It also has that suave elegant profile that some of the better Two Hands wines have had. Eucalyptus, dark chocolate, berries, very layered. I did not find this jammy at all. It is quite rich and with a liveliness, such that it doesn't come across as heavy.
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Single Blind Tasting, with the following wines: - 1998 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 1999 P. Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2009 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label 2010 Two Hands Shiraz Bellas Garden 2017 Boom Boom Syrah - The wines were poured in separate sealed glasses at 5:00 pm and consumed between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. The old world and new world wines were easy enough to figure out, this was due to the different styles of the wines and aided by the fact that the two old world wines were 10 years older. Likewise, the Boom Boom was easy to pick out due to its youthfulness and simplicity. The Bella's Garden was also relatively easy to identify due to its style and (as one taster mentioned) a hint of eucalyptus in the flavor profile. That made the Lillian easy to identify too (as the only new world wine remaining. It was more difficult discerning the between the two old world wines (in fact, I had them backwards, as did others). That is not to say they were similar (not even close), but both wines were older and definitely old world.
2010 - Bella's Garden - Drinking very well right now, but still has quite a bit of life left in it. Nose was slightly perfumed with red and black fruit, some toast, earth and a hint of cedar and eucalyptus. On the Palate, the fruit, tannins and acidity were very well balanced with the fruit, oak, and earthiness all integrated into a beautiful wine that is mouth-coating with layers of flavors that last throughout a medium-long finish. I am partial to Aussie Shiraz, because I enjoy the balance and the fruit in these wines. 93+ with some upside potential.
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Cellared 7.4 years, 5th bottle of six, tremendous showing rich, yes jammy but in a good way. Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, very long finish, in fact timed at over two minutes, yes I get some sweetness but not over the top. Paired with rare filet and roasted vegetables.
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Dark as midnight out in the country. Dark fruit, underbrush and touch of iron ore gracefully cross the palate. Wonderful texture and depth. Layers of complexity give this the “x” factor. Everything is in balance. Great juice!
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Decanted for 2 hours. The wine really opened up with air. Black and blue fruit on the nose and palate. Moderate tannins with a medium body and medium silky finish. This wine is really drinking nicely now.
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Opaque, dark purple to black cheery red. I can’t even begin to properly describe the smell other that dried blueberries or blueberry jam, a spicy anise flavour and some type of dried sausage. Mouth flavours are Cherry Vick’s lozenges with coffee and chocolate. Some alcohol heat. Nicely complex and well balanced for what it is, an in your face spicy Shiraz. This could sit for another 5years at least. A Wine Spectator number 1 if I recall correctly. I wish I had bought more than one bottle but it was the last one available.
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Pooped and poured. Took a couple of hours to come around. Dark berries and jam with notes of black pepper and cedar. Silky smooth mouth feel with long finish.
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Blue and black fruit, garrigue and that distinct Aussie terrior comes through in spades. The nose has that wild component but the palate discovers nothing but layers of goodness. Vibrant but not too bold. Everything is in balance. Great juice!
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Not as much of a blockbuster as I had hoped. Still a very good Aussie Shiraz--good fruits and a little spice. Muted nose and an average finish. I have '12s that I hope will give me more.
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NobleRottersSydney - Two Hands + specials (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 15%} [Gordon] Rich strawberry fruit, liquorice, sweet US oak. I can see why it’s popular. The palate adds vanilla & chocolate to the strawberry, making it almost a dessert in a glass, although it stops short of obviously sweet. At eight years it’s developing a raisiny quality with plums; it’s generous but verging on crude and bumptious rather than smooth and seductive. A crowd-pleaser then, but in a slutty kind of way.
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Very dark. Opaque. Intriguing nose but somewhat subdued. Huge in the mouth. Blue and blick fruit dominate with a tiuch of cedsr and silky smooth tannins. This bottle still has a nice level of acidity. Good long finish.
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Decanted in glass about 1.5hrs and drank over another 1.5. Still kicking with black and blue fruit within a fine cedar frame. Soft edged, juicy and delicious. Still wanting a bit more acidity but good balance nonetheless. I think I like my Shiraz on the relatively younger side with more vibrancy, but this is not a knock on this particular bottle. Very well made with quality fruit for certain.
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From the land down under - Q4 Wine Club (The Apt): Wine #5: Very pretty and floral and almost sweet in nature. It's a more intense wine than the few before it, but a well done version of that style and I found myself liking it. (5 pennies)
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Decated 1.5 hours, big, rich, sweet, jammy, dark fruit, spicey notes, paired with charcoal grilled 1" thigh porterhouse, plus a prime filet and mushroom risotto. Tonight this bottle was singinging, outstanding example of Barossa Shiraz. Bravo!
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Update from my 4/1 note, after a week corked in the fridge enough for two glasses.
The blackberry fruit is dominate, soft, smooth and rich with plenty of oak notes. I was surprised at how well this held up over the week suggesting this bottle has room for improvement with some short term cellaring.
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Last tasted 4years ago, still youthful and powerful, smokey nose, blackberry, ripe plum, sweet blueberry pie, big acidity and spicey tannins make up the palate. I think this needs another couple years to fully integrate.
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Very nice, fruity Shiraz. Blackberry, current. Moderate tannins -- wonderful with strip steak. Medium body and pleasant, silky finish. A hit with everyone at the dinner table!
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Notes consistent with last. A really nice bottle of Aussie Shiraz. I opened this bottle of 2010 Bella's back-to-back with a 2011 Bella's. The 2010 was more intense and complex, and had a far longer finish. Despite being "younger", the 2011 appears to be near the end of its drinking window. Glad this was my last bottle of 2011.
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Aromas and flavors consistent with previous bottles though more integrated and better balanced; seems to be emerging from that shutdown phase that the Garden series seems to go into for a while
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The score is the same as last tasting, but 2 1/2 years later, the wine has developed in wonderful ways. Still inky dark blackberry juice color, with hardly any fading on the edges -- looks remarkable young. Glass coating, with long, slow legs -- as you'd expect from a 15.5% ABV wine. The nose is all dark fruit, with very little smoke/cedar. The wine opened up with only 20 to 30 minutes of air to reveal bramble fruits, and a jammy hint of fleeting sweetness that never goes over the top. Finishes with red licorice and baking spices. Drinking beautifully now.
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2010 Two Hands Garden Series plus a lot more (Colonial Beverage, Chesterland Ohio): First bottle was badly corked. Luckily, they had a replacement. My favorite of the group. Inky purple in color. Its really tight and really concentrated but kept opening up. A last taste at the 3 hour mark showed it sill has a way to go. The nose has coffee, slight dill and black raspberries. Also a bit of char. Plenty of oak especially on the palate at this point. Even more tannins. even more fruit. Slight heat on the finish. Really a special wine but needs three to five more years minimum.
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One hour decant. Nose of mulberry, leather, tar with a hint of mint. Dried bing cherry, red currant, leather, Worcestershire and eucalyptus on the palate. Fully integrated tannins, vibrant acidity. On the youthful side of it's aging curve, this Bella's will definitely go for another ten years but will likely go for ten after that. Delightful.
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Served with smoked ribs while enjoying the Bronco & New England game.
This vintage is prefect at the moment. Nose of rich black fruits, plum and raisins. Spicy notes with hints of black pepper.
On the palate it is lush and soft. Black fruits, slight sweet prune oak spices and pepper. Medium body and acids and balanced with the alcohol. This was great alone or with food and is not to be missed!
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This was a second wine of the night that was opened too early. Everything is there, but it needs time to integrate. Tons of fruit and an amazing, yes jammy, nose, but all in a great way. I'll sit on my other bottles for at least five years.
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agreed with most others, drinking extremely well right now. 3 hour decant really helped it open up. still has some life in it, holding last bottle for a while
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Based on other TNs I seem to be in the minority as I found this wine to be a chore to drink. Heavy body, chewy dark fruit, a lot of heat evident, did not pair well with a rack of Ribs. Pretty nose but the overall taste was disjointed and tired my palate quickly. This may just not be my style.
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As usual, and I have tried many vintages, this wine kicks some serious ass. We had it with hearty Italian food and it was worth the wait and ready to drink. I tasted cherry, chocolate, berries, and red licorice. This lives up to its rating and pedigree.
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Totally awesome bottle of wine! Incredibly smooth. Long long finish. Huge power but so easy to drink. Blueberries, blackberry, a hint of vanilla. This wine rocked!
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Pop-n-pour. Deep plum color preludes a leggy, unctuous, mouth-coating, chewy wine. Camphor with some bitterness mid-palate. Wishing she had more acid for better balance, but maybe she just needs a decant or more time in the cellar.
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After careful cellaring for 3 years, we broke this out for Christmas dinner. Definitely did not disappoint, very complex and full of fruit with some tannins. Definitely needs decanting for an hour or so to really open it up. Just wondering what more time may do for it! Nice Christmas present.
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Massive nose full of ripe blackberries and dark red fruits but lurking behind it all are the old world notes of smoke / bacon fat but the fruit really dominates here. Palette obviously very fruit driven but surprisingly plenty of acidity that can let this be laid down for several years. I would've score this higher (93?) but found this to come apart on the finish. I think a couple more years to allow the tannins to fully integrate will help.
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Dark so dark. Cork deeply stained at base. Deep deep purple. Maybe I am drinking too much Sangiovese lately. Borderline hedonistic Shiraz. Another solid offering from Two Hands' heralded label.
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A big, dark brooding Australian Shiraz. Nose is somewhat muted with alcohol yet on the tongue the wine is bold yet smooth. Probably needs a few more years in the bottle to mellow out the tannins and alcohol levels. Very nice wine
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Probably a year or 2 away from peak and still magnificent. Awash with blackberry, chambord, sour cherry, herb, licorice, and a touch of tar. Sappy, long, and hedonistic, this is a wine to drink without food, as it is a meal unto itself.
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Double decanted for 2 hours. Nose of eucalyptus & tar. Very medicinal upon initial taste. Black cherry, black currant, fresh tar with sharp, heavy tannins. Finally opened up after 4 + hours. Tannins mellowed, smooth, integrated and complex layers. Suggest laying down for at least 2 more years, just too concentrated at this point.
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Brief decant, but needed much longer. The color of ink, intense nose and palate, brooding, not jammy, gritty tannins on the finish. Good with a bite of chocolate. I didn't experience what the professional tasters obviously did. Good wine at a good price, but I don't think it is upper echelon. Drink (with a long decant) or hold for up to a decade.
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Great wine as usual although we opened a 2009 that was slightly corked yet it seemed a bit more vibrant. Nonetheless the 2010 was fantastic and we celebrated our closing of a new house with this tonight!
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Deep, dark purple in color, opaque like ink. A rich, opulent wine but not in an overpowering way. Decanted for only about two hours but would have been even better with further decanting. Absolutely delicious, looking forward to enjoying the rest of these over several years.
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Dark almost purple in color, cherry and lime fragrance, medium viscosity. Opened up beautifully albeit still relatively young. Full berry taste with hint of citrus and stone. Quite tannic with a finish that went on for a while. Ill hold my other bottles for a few more years. I understand why WS rated this in the top 3 for 2012. All in all about the best value for money I tasted for a while.
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Popped and poured. Very dark purple garnet colored, full-bodied wine. Very viscous, with tears staining the sides of the glass for a minute or more after a vigorous swirl.
The nose is thick and jammy, like a fruits of the forest potpourri of blackberries, strawberries, vanilla and hints of toasty oak. Full-bodied, ripe and concentrated, with a smooth mouth feel, reasonably well balanced despite the high ABV, and only a hint of alcohol on the finish. Long-finish.
Can say it's really my style of wine, but the wife likes it so that earns the wall an extra point!
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Big, Big , fruit, lots of Red Berries, vanilla, and some desert pie like notes, but not over the top. As always, Two Hands manages to maintain a balance with the Alcohol and actually paired well with a sweet read sauce and pasta.There's something amazing in the profile here that's note matched by other auzzie producers, and sets them apart. well worth the price of entry!
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Poured through Vinturi into decanter. Deep dark purple colour. Initially muted nose and tight on the palate. Poured back into bottle and Vinturied one more time into decanter. After about 30 minutes, the nose opened up beautifully. Mildly sweet floral scents. I was quite disappointed by the palate though. Expected a lot more since this was ranked 3rd in the Wine Spectator Top 100 wines of 2012. Rather straightforward nice sweet blueberries on the tongue. Smooth body and a medium finish. In summary, a nice Aussie Shiraz, but no 'wow' factors like Clarendon Hills or Elderton Command.
Muted nose of dark fruit, plums, dates, and concrete dust. This isn't your typical fruit forward Aussie Shiraz. It is well balanced and moderately complex, with a medium to long finish. I was having trouble placing one of the major components of the palate until reading another review and seeing a mention of olives, which was exactly right. To be specific, brine cured amfissa olives with dark fruit, fennel and spice. Very nice with dinner (lamb chops and roasted brussel sprouts w/ dates), and on its own later in the evening as it developed a more velvety texture.
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To my delight, this was nicely balanced without the extreme sweetness of many Shiraz wines. This immediately reminded me of what Denner and Epoch are currently turning out in Paso Robles. This wine was extremely floral on the nose backed up by black fruits and olive. The midpalate was thickly textured and the finish is immense blueberry, salty olive and the finish just goes on and on. Can't wait to try again.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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I did enjoy this; may of the nice concentrated savory flavors of a great Aussie Syrah - but - it is not Clarendon Hills or Elderton. A very good wine nonetheless.
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I was just trying to have a little bitty shiraz.....wow....this is a knockout. This one was uncorked to a BLACK stain on the cork. No bleed anywhere. The wine was decanted for about 30 minutes. I think it was enough. There was no metallic smell and when it poured into the glass it was a dark, deep red, almost port in nature. On the nose this was a deep mixture of blackberry, boysenberry, mint, and some kind of spice (nutmeg? I could have sworn I was getting some ginger or something like that too). The entry of this wine on the palate is ridiculous. It is FULL BODIED....a monster. This had so much fuel in it that it probably could have started the car. Black fruit in your face, very elegant at first but thorny and a little coarse in the middle. This wine finished with a lot of heat, juicy fruit, earth, and black pepper spice. Needless to say it lasted maybe all of 30 minutes at dinner. For those who like a milder shiraz.....and you have THIS one?......open it around 2018...it just MIGHT be more your style by then.
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Juicy berries, sweet jam, cured meat and tobacco aromas and flavors all meld nicely with mild oak and vanilla undertones. Still silky as ever on the palate. Long, concentrated finish. Definitely one of our favorite Bella vintages. So good.
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Deep, dark and impenetrable colour. Aromas of rich and concentrated cassis, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and vanillin oak. Big, dense, rich, full body palate of dark, blue and red fruits with big American oak, long length, smooth tannins. Smooth mouth feel - one of those wines you just want to have another mouthfull. A gem of a wine that can be cellared for another decade.
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We put this wine against a 2009 Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz, 2009 Two Hands Samantha's Garden, 2005 Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Ghalabert Crozes Hermitage, and a 2009 St. Hallet Old Block Shiraz. Hands down, this was the winner. Dark garnet/purple color with a dense nose of dark berries and lavender. The palate is very rich and a high-flyer with intense flavors of dark cherry, plum, licorice, milk chocolate and cardamom on the long, lingering finish that lasts for 45 seconds with hints of clove. This is very seductive and supple - a classic expression of Barossa, and one that I haven't encountered from this wine in any vintage. Drink now with 45 minutes decanting until 2023.
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Power and elegance. This shiraz is all about blackberries. A word I dislike, but seems very appropriate to describe this wine: 'smooth.' One of my favourites amongst many 2010 shirazes.
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Every once in awhile I feel the need for a big deep Aussie Shiraz and Two Hands always delivers. While I don't think I could drink this every day, it is a hedonistic treat to be enjoyed for what it is. What I like about their wines is they drink so-o-o good when young full of fresh ripe fruit yet smooth on the palate. At the end of the night, the last glass was almost port-like.
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better than last time... all around very good, but not amazing... has potential to get much better in a few years.. ranks as one of best shiraz I have tasted
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Nice wine, good QP. A ton of sentiment in this bad boy. Decanted for 40 minutes at a killer steak joint. Nice dark color to it. Nose was very good heavy candy raspberries, caramel, some oak. Well rounded flavor a little bit edgy, but good. Taste was black currant with raisins. Overall a well made syrah. Would like to try again.
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Popped and poured. The color is very dark, almost black. The nose expresses the meaty side of Syrah in a very focused fashion, but with time it opens to include raspberry, licorice, and a bit of wood. In the mouth, this is very fruity, albeit with a nice, surprisingly balanced structure. The finish is long and lingers for roughly 30 seconds, with a bit of a mineral edge – it prompts one to head back for another sip. Overall, this is a moderate, not overblown, Syrah. It is a good but not amazing wine; I’m dubious that it deserves the high placement given to it in Wine Spectator’s 2012 rankings. 93 points.
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Great structure to last a few years, terrific black fruit and balance too. Bella's always delivers. Omadobs wishes he could be the contrarian here, but truth is wine and this one is absolutely delicious. No seams, no weaknesses, all pleasure. Yes, we all wish it were $40 instead of $70, but I've paid more for less, and you have too. I'm presuming.
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Decanted for about an hour before having over the next 5 hours. The nose really didn't give much, just some plum. Taste is really enjoyable with some plum flavor, but there is not much going on with this outside of the fruit. It's just kinda like tasty juice. I was pleased that is wasn't some heavy, syrupy wine, but it should've had more to it.
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Big, bold, "in your face" plum and dark fruit. There is some clove and pepper as well. Also a note of Dr. Pepper on the nose. Smooth and very drinkable, it was enjoyed by many, but a couple members of the group could not "tame" this huge wine, in their opinion.
This wine was ranked as the No. 3 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 95 points by Wine Spectator.
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A very nice wine but not worth the money. Starts off with a slightly sweet tast and thick texture. Very smooth throughout. Leaves a sour taste in the mouth but not unpleasant. I could definitely tell that the wine is 15.5% ABV.
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Full, well balanced classic modern Aussie Shiraz with no hint of heat even at 15.5% etoh. Drank next to an '02 Samantha's which sadly hadn't developed like I'd hoped. My conclusion - drink Aussies young. A year or two of age.
Used Brookstone aerator initially which helped drive off some of the baby fat. Drank over the course of 2 hours. Opened up nicely. Aromas and flavors consistent with previous tasting notes.
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Excellent wine. Completely agree with my review of the 2009 vintage. Very nice layers and lots of complexity with a medium long finish. I could easily see this handling another couple of years in the cellar. I knocked it down a point because it costs $70.00 per bottle. A bit steep. I've had similar quality for 20.00 less.
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Tasting at Two Hands (Two Hands Winery, Barossa Valley): Raspberry, a bit sweet, nice barossa shiraz but definitely not spectacular, but what is interesting is tasting this next to the other 'gardens' which means shiraz grown in other regions of Australia and you can clearly taste the difference, which is always nice to see. It was nice for me to reconfirm that I really like Barossa fruit best.
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Really nice wine. Although I don't agree w/ WS score of 95. Very dark, almost black. Huge wine but still has some balance and its smooth for being so heavy. Tannins are fine and mellow considering the young age. I was surprised that the nose was subtle with only hints of what was in the glass. Also surprised at the modest finish. If you're reading this considering a purchase, then I advise you buy. Just don't expect 95 pts like WS scored. I'm betting this wine will really improve over the next 2-3 years.
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A very nice wine, but not the "religious experience" it seems to be for others. Classic Australian shiraz, wonderful nose, lots of cherry. Very smooth and well-balanced.
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Decanted for an hour. Big, dense, fruit forward with subtle notes of black cherry, black pepper, earth and cigar tobacco. Super silky mouth feel and long, long finish.
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Mind-blowing to say the least. So dense, rich and savory with notes of black fruit, au jus, pepper, spice, loam and hints of chocolate. This has a full body with polished tannins and pumps out tons of concentrated dark fruits. The structure and balance are impeccable, keeping this monster in control and harmonious straight through the ultra-long chewy finish. Wow, this is some seriously good juice! (Drink 2012-2023)
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Popped and poured, this wine might as well be any other Australian Shiraz, but given the time to breathe, this wine is superb. Very, very nice. Highly recommended--even for people who don't gravitate towards Shiraz.
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From Two Hands website: Colour: Black to the core, magenta rim. Aroma: Notes of cherries plus chocolate, cedar, spice and scorched earth. Very seductive. Palate: Dense plums explode onto the palate with spice, subtle chocolate and tar. The fine tannin backbone rolls on and on from the mid palate, surrounded by fresh juiciness, dark fruit and subtle oak.
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4/25/2024 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
An incredible wine
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6/4/2023 - Wine Sparty wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour before having with ribeyes. In a nice spot now.
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5/14/2023 - Winiac wrote: 94 Points
Black berries and currant focused flavors, with impressive acidity. Well structured and balanced.
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5/7/2023 - ChateauGerald wrote:
Immediately hit with blackcurrant and dark fruit.
Very smooth at this point.
Didn’t over analyze this wine but it was impressive as always. Decanted for about an hour which was sufficient
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1/14/2023 - mimik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe BlackBerry and blueberry notes abound with cedar notes on the palate. Needs more time but this won’t become a complex wine, just a more delicious one. But it’s pretty good right now
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12/25/2022 - cheetadad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened up rather tight. Wood aromas first , followed by tart red fruit. Pepper n the palate is prominent and a “ coffee like” bitterness lingers. Over the the next hour of decant, similar notes but less disjointed. A pleasure with a Christmas filet. Definitely life left in this.
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12/23/2022 - Wall_Bangers wrote: 94 Points
Initially out of Coravin then opened bottle. Good cork.
Much better with air once bottle open.
Dark fruits, spice, lick of vanilla from oak, very fine tannin (mostly integrated) with earthy notes and long finish.
In a really great spot, suspect drink over next 5 or so years, possibly longer if you only want tertiary flavours.
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1/15/2022 - pinotpounder Likes this wine: 92 Points
92 points
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12/18/2021 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour, however this bottle took about three hours to start showing it’s stuff, last bottle of six, paired with filet, asparagus and crusty baguette. Tons of typical dark Barossa fruit, integrated secondary notes of pepper, cloves, cinnamon, even a bit earthy. Pretty good Shiraz and a pleasure to drink!
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9/3/2021 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice Shiraz. Dark fruit with mocha and a little smoke. Tamed tannins and smooth finish. It is drinking very well right now.
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3/13/2021 - rrNYC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened a day earlier, let most of the bottle sit for a day. After a day, just a big, jammy and fruity Syrah. Fantastic.
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12/30/2020 - MarioD wrote: 90 Points
Good bottle of wine, but clearly past its prime. I will drink my last bottle soon.
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11/23/2020 - rustyRudy wrote: flawed
Sadly it was mildly corked
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8/3/2020 - Alan MacDonald wrote:
So awesome
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7/22/2020 - Lousyfreak wrote: 92 Points
Coravin it multiple times. Love it. Elegant Shiraz that has mellowed and integrated over the years. Typical aus eucalyptus nose wrapping the dark fruits. Expected more complexity and length. Medium finish with a touch of heat.
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6/20/2020 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 94 Points
Our friends also brought Tri-tip to cook on the Green Egg. Not just any Tri-tip. This is the Cardiff. On the packaging, it refers to a website called CardiffCrack.com and can be ordered from https://order.seasidemarket.com/
You should try this without question or hesitation and have some older Shiraz with it.
This is the most tender & flavorful Tri-tip I’ve had...all of us. For me, most are too seasoned/salty and not all that tender. You could almost cut it with a fork. I’ll be making this again & again. This is Goldilocks third porridge...just right.
I find Two Hands to be in the conversation of upper echelon Barossa producers.
I thought this would be a good classic pairing for Tri-tip. This slid into the perfect pairing for the style of the Cardiff. They hugged each other nicely. Really good.
For me as it is with may other big red wine regions, this wine needs 10 years plus to start showing how incredible they can be and has another 7 plus years of good drinking ahead of it.
This was smooth, elegant with round supple tannins. Broad spectrum of ripe, black, purple & blue fruits. It’s core dark with sweet tarriness, expresso roast, pepper, fresh tobacco, dark spices & limestone minerals. Dark; red, purple, blue florals framed in a field of violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent and the wine wire to wire is supple, has great balance, elegance with long staying power & persistence.
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5/9/2020 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Single-blind Syrah from Anywhere (Virtual): Single blind served covid style, so a 1/4 bottle in a glass jar that had been poured and sealed an hour previous. A whiff of eucalyptus on the nose spotted it as the Australian wine. It also has that suave elegant profile that some of the better Two Hands wines have had. Eucalyptus, dark chocolate, berries, very layered. I did not find this jammy at all. It is quite rich and with a liveliness, such that it doesn't come across as heavy.
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5/8/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Single Blind Tasting, with the following wines:
-
1998 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée
1999 P. Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle
2009 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label
2010 Two Hands Shiraz Bellas Garden
2017 Boom Boom Syrah
-
The wines were poured in separate sealed glasses at 5:00 pm and consumed between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. The old world and new world wines were easy enough to figure out, this was due to the different styles of the wines and aided by the fact that the two old world wines were 10 years older. Likewise, the Boom Boom was easy to pick out due to its youthfulness and simplicity. The Bella's Garden was also relatively easy to identify due to its style and (as one taster mentioned) a hint of eucalyptus in the flavor profile. That made the Lillian easy to identify too (as the only new world wine remaining. It was more difficult discerning the between the two old world wines (in fact, I had them backwards, as did others). That is not to say they were similar (not even close), but both wines were older and definitely old world.
2010 - Bella's Garden - Drinking very well right now, but still has quite a bit of life left in it. Nose was slightly perfumed with red and black fruit, some toast, earth and a hint of cedar and eucalyptus. On the Palate, the fruit, tannins and acidity were very well balanced with the fruit, oak, and earthiness all integrated into a beautiful wine that is mouth-coating with layers of flavors that last throughout a medium-long finish. I am partial to Aussie Shiraz, because I enjoy the balance and the fruit in these wines. 93+ with some upside potential.
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4/10/2020 - Shapnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning
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1/11/2020 - wineshaman wrote: 94 Points
Cellared 7.4 years, 5th bottle of six, tremendous showing rich, yes jammy but in a good way. Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, very long finish, in fact timed at over two minutes, yes I get some sweetness but not over the top. Paired with rare filet and roasted vegetables.
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10/12/2019 - ChateauGerald wrote:
Very full bodied. Rich and powerful. Had with a steak and salad.
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7/24/2019 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark as midnight out in the country. Dark fruit, underbrush and touch of iron ore gracefully cross the palate. Wonderful texture and depth. Layers of complexity give this the “x” factor. Everything is in balance. Great juice!
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5/31/2019 - norsktorsk wrote: 95 Points
awesome
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5/27/2019 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Same notes as last time still apply. The wine continues to evolve nicely. Great juice!
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5/27/2019 - SeaSmoke wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. The wine really opened up with air. Black and blue fruit on the nose and palate. Moderate tannins with a medium body and medium silky finish. This wine is really drinking nicely now.
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2/10/2019 - om42 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque, dark purple to black cheery red. I can’t even begin to properly describe the smell other that dried blueberries or blueberry jam, a spicy anise flavour and some type of dried sausage. Mouth flavours are Cherry Vick’s lozenges with coffee and chocolate. Some alcohol heat. Nicely complex and well balanced for what it is, an in your face spicy Shiraz. This could sit for another 5years at least. A Wine Spectator number 1 if I recall correctly.
I wish I had bought more than one bottle but it was the last one available.
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11/24/2018 - jwolf99 wrote: 93 Points
Pooped and poured. Took a couple of hours to come around. Dark berries and jam with notes of black pepper and cedar. Silky smooth mouth feel with long finish.
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10/26/2018 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blue and black fruit, garrigue and that distinct Aussie terrior comes through in spades. The nose has that wild component but the palate discovers nothing but layers of goodness. Vibrant but not too bold. Everything is in balance. Great juice!
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9/11/2018 - K&J Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very enjoyable juice! Made Wine Spectator's #3 in 2012 for good reason.
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7/4/2018 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Muted nose with some dark rough tree bark which is enticing.
Smooth and integrated on the palate N5 F7 B6 T6 F6
This is 91+ and was most enjoyable pnp.
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5/31/2018 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice wine and still drinking well.
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3/8/2018 - gew71walsh wrote: 91 Points
Not as much of a blockbuster as I had hoped. Still a very good Aussie Shiraz--good fruits and a little spice. Muted nose and an average finish. I have '12s that I hope will give me more.
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3/5/2018 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Two Hands + specials (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 15%} [Gordon] Rich strawberry fruit, liquorice, sweet US oak. I can see why it’s popular. The palate adds vanilla & chocolate to the strawberry, making it almost a dessert in a glass, although it stops short of obviously sweet. At eight years it’s developing a raisiny quality with plums; it’s generous but verging on crude and bumptious rather than smooth and seductive. A crowd-pleaser then, but in a slutty kind of way.
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3/1/2018 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dark. Opaque. Intriguing nose but somewhat subdued. Huge in the mouth. Blue and blick fruit dominate with a tiuch of cedsr and silky smooth tannins. This bottle still has a nice level of acidity. Good long finish.
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1/20/2018 - joet626 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding. Not much nose but great dark fruits
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12/9/2017 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted in glass about 1.5hrs and drank over another 1.5. Still kicking with black and blue fruit within a fine cedar frame. Soft edged, juicy and delicious. Still wanting a bit more acidity but good balance nonetheless. I think I like my Shiraz on the relatively younger side with more vibrancy, but this is not a knock on this particular bottle. Very well made with quality fruit for certain.
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11/20/2017 - haluyoung Likes this wine: 94 Points
香气扑鼻，酒体浓稠甜美，浓郁的黑果香气之外还散发出香甜的巧克力味。非常不错的酒，喜欢重口味的人一定会喜欢。
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11/18/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
From the land down under - Q4 Wine Club (The Apt): Wine #5: Very pretty and floral and almost sweet in nature. It's a more intense wine than the few before it, but a well done version of that style and I found myself liking it. (5 pennies)
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9/16/2017 - WhitbyWino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours and paired with wild boar ragù over pappardelle. Divine!!
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7/7/2017 - Bobc7had Likes this wine: 88 Points
Too a very long time to open up. Need a 2+ hr decant. No longer fruit forward. Still a big wine
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6/24/2017 - wineshaman wrote: 93 Points
Decated 1.5 hours, big, rich, sweet, jammy, dark fruit, spicey notes, paired with charcoal grilled 1" thigh porterhouse, plus a prime filet and mushroom risotto. Tonight this bottle was singinging, outstanding example of Barossa Shiraz. Bravo!
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4/30/2017 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big, beautiful Syrah. Enjoyed so much more than the last one I had 5 years ago. Lush, vibrant red fruit but not over the top. Great bottle of wine.
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4/8/2017 - wineshaman wrote:
Update from my 4/1 note, after a week corked in the fridge enough for two glasses.
The blackberry fruit is dominate, soft, smooth and rich with plenty of oak notes. I was surprised at how well this held up over the week suggesting this bottle has room for improvement with some short term cellaring.
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4/1/2017 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
Last tasted 4years ago, still youthful and powerful, smokey nose, blackberry, ripe plum, sweet blueberry pie, big acidity and spicey tannins make up the palate. I think this needs another couple years to fully integrate.
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1/22/2017 - Pop7 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice, fruity Shiraz. Blackberry, current. Moderate tannins -- wonderful with strip steak. Medium body and pleasant, silky finish. A hit with everyone at the dinner table!
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1/22/2017 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes consistent with last. A really nice bottle of Aussie Shiraz. I opened this bottle of 2010 Bella's back-to-back with a 2011 Bella's. The 2010 was more intense and complex, and had a far longer finish. Despite being "younger", the 2011 appears to be near the end of its drinking window. Glad this was my last bottle of 2011.
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12/29/2016 - Twinkles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big Aussie wine, but nothing overdone. Fresh fruit explosion followed by mellow finish. Superb choice for Christmas dinner!
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12/15/2016 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
glad I kept my hands off this for a few years
in a good spot with down under sweetness and tannins integrating
dark fruit is delicious
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10/22/2016 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aromas and flavors consistent with previous bottles though more integrated and better balanced; seems to be emerging from that shutdown phase that the Garden series seems to go into for a while
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9/24/2016 - Nyrican wrote: 93 Points
Very nice with nice silky tannins, pepper, currant, overall a very good wine. Big yet not over powering came together well Could use a longer finish.
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8/5/2016 - Igor_58 wrote:
Kokkari dinner
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5/8/2016 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 92 Points
The score is the same as last tasting, but 2 1/2 years later, the wine has developed in wonderful ways. Still inky dark blackberry juice color, with hardly any fading on the edges -- looks remarkable young. Glass coating, with long, slow legs -- as you'd expect from a 15.5% ABV wine. The nose is all dark fruit, with very little smoke/cedar. The wine opened up with only 20 to 30 minutes of air to reveal bramble fruits, and a jammy hint of fleeting sweetness that never goes over the top. Finishes with red licorice and baking spices. Drinking beautifully now.
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4/21/2016 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
consistent with notes of 6/17/2014 - opened this after the prior one was corked...restored my faith
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4/21/2016 - danielbleier wrote: flawed
shame, this one clearly corked.
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4/10/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
2010 Two Hands Garden Series plus a lot more (Colonial Beverage, Chesterland Ohio): First bottle was badly corked. Luckily, they had a replacement. My favorite of the group. Inky purple in color. Its really tight and really concentrated but kept opening up. A last taste at the 3 hour mark showed it sill has a way to go. The nose has coffee, slight dill and black raspberries. Also a bit of char. Plenty of oak especially on the palate at this point. Even more tannins. even more fruit. Slight heat on the finish. Really a special wine but needs three to five more years minimum.
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3/31/2016 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
perfect
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3/26/2016 - Winefeld wrote: 92 Points
One hour decant. Nose of mulberry, leather, tar with a hint of mint. Dried bing cherry, red currant, leather, Worcestershire and eucalyptus on the palate. Fully integrated tannins, vibrant acidity. On the youthful side of it's aging curve, this Bella's will definitely go for another ten years but will likely go for ten after that. Delightful.
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1/24/2016 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Served with smoked ribs while enjoying the Bronco & New England game.
This vintage is prefect at the moment. Nose of rich black fruits, plum and raisins. Spicy notes with hints of black pepper.
On the palate it is lush and soft. Black fruits, slight sweet prune oak spices and pepper. Medium body and acids and balanced with the alcohol. This was great alone or with food and is not to be missed!
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1/23/2016 - Fuzzy Squash Likes this wine: 95 Points
Clearly the best between the 2006, 2010 and 2013. Not overly jammy and balanced.
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12/6/2015 - slpottsie Likes this wine: 98 Points
Nose 15
Palate 23
Finish 5
Balance 5
Total 98
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12/6/2015 - geppetto Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a second wine of the night that was opened too early. Everything is there, but it needs time to integrate. Tons of fruit and an amazing, yes jammy, nose, but all in a great way. I'll sit on my other bottles for at least five years.
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11/6/2015 - joet626 Likes this wine: 92 Points
very nice and rich with a nice spicy finish
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9/10/2015 - Celts86 Likes this wine: 92 Points
agreed with most others, drinking extremely well right now. 3 hour decant really helped it open up. still has some life in it, holding last bottle for a while
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9/8/2015 - BradFraser wrote: 85 Points
Based on other TNs I seem to be in the minority as I found this wine to be a chore to drink. Heavy body, chewy dark fruit, a lot of heat evident, did not pair well with a rack of Ribs. Pretty nose but the overall taste was disjointed and tired my palate quickly. This may just not be my style.
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9/7/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 93 Points
in good shape and ready to go
rich fruit forward of sweet blackberries
but a nice backbone too
elegant and delicious
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8/23/2015 - Squilber Likes this wine: 94 Points
As usual, and I have tried many vintages, this wine kicks some serious ass. We had it with hearty Italian food and it was worth the wait and ready to drink. I tasted cherry, chocolate, berries, and red licorice. This lives up to its rating and pedigree.
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8/3/2015 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
4 hour decant. Huge wine. Loads of dark fruits. Reasonable balance for a big wine. Not too tannic. Drinking well now. 93-95 range.
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7/26/2015 - jcasey555 wrote: 93 Points
Fresh clean fruit. Nicely balanced.
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7/12/2015 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes consistent with last tasting; drinking really lovely now without a long decant.
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5/25/2015 - King JR wrote: 96 Points
Totally awesome bottle of wine! Incredibly smooth. Long long finish. Huge power but so easy to drink. Blueberries, blackberry, a hint of vanilla. This wine rocked!
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5/23/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sharp edges go away after 2 hours decant, vanilla, oaky in a nice way. Med+ body and med+ finish.
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4/2/2015 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pop-n-pour. Deep plum color preludes a leggy, unctuous, mouth-coating, chewy wine. Camphor with some bitterness mid-palate. Wishing she had more acid for better balance, but maybe she just needs a decant or more time in the cellar.
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2/7/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
consistent with notes of 6/17/2014
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12/27/2014 - wrmccall wrote: 95 Points
After careful cellaring for 3 years, we broke this out for Christmas dinner. Definitely did not disappoint, very complex and full of fruit with some tannins. Definitely needs decanting for an hour or so to really open it up. Just wondering what more time may do for it! Nice Christmas present.
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11/23/2014 - redsonly wrote: 93 Points
WOTN for all four of us; compared to Gramercy this wine is more fruit flavored, well balanced
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10/22/2014 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Cellar Clearing.. Drank Months ago. Loved it. See prior TN;s. Continues to impress!
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10/11/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
consistent with notes of 6/17/2014
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10/6/2014 - Houng wrote: 90 Points
Massive nose full of ripe blackberries and dark red fruits but lurking behind it all are the old world notes of smoke / bacon fat but the fruit really dominates here. Palette obviously very fruit driven but surprisingly plenty of acidity that can let this be laid down for several years. I would've score this higher (93?) but found this to come apart on the finish. I think a couple more years to allow the tannins to fully integrate will help.
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10/5/2014 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark so dark. Cork deeply stained at base. Deep deep purple. Maybe I am drinking too much Sangiovese lately. Borderline hedonistic Shiraz. Another solid offering from Two Hands' heralded label.
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8/18/2014 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 93 Points
A big, dark brooding Australian Shiraz. Nose is somewhat muted with alcohol yet on the tongue the wine is bold yet smooth. Probably needs a few more years in the bottle to mellow out the tannins and alcohol levels. Very nice wine
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6/17/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Probably a year or 2 away from peak and still magnificent. Awash with blackberry, chambord, sour cherry, herb, licorice, and a touch of tar. Sappy, long, and hedonistic, this is a wine to drink without food, as it is a meal unto itself.
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6/8/2014 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Double decanted for 2 hours. Nose of eucalyptus & tar. Very medicinal upon initial taste. Black cherry, black currant, fresh tar with sharp, heavy tannins. Finally opened up after 4 + hours. Tannins mellowed, smooth, integrated and complex layers. Suggest laying down for at least 2 more years, just too concentrated at this point.
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6/3/2014 - cjohnson2960 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent wine. Multi-layered, tremendous finish. Mazel tov Two Hands!
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5/13/2014 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Rich, full mid palate. Great wine.
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5/11/2014 - JimN wrote: 91 Points
Brief decant, but needed much longer. The color of ink, intense nose and palate, brooding, not jammy, gritty tannins on the finish. Good with a bite of chocolate. I didn't experience what the professional tasters obviously did. Good wine at a good price, but I don't think it is upper echelon. Drink (with a long decant) or hold for up to a decade.
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5/2/2014 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine as usual although we opened a 2009 that was slightly corked yet it seemed a bit more vibrant. Nonetheless the 2010 was fantastic and we celebrated our closing of a new house with this tonight!
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4/19/2014 - rrNYC Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep, dark purple in color, opaque like ink. A rich, opulent wine but not in an overpowering way. Decanted for only about two hours but would have been even better with further decanting. Absolutely delicious, looking forward to enjoying the rest of these over several years.
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3/30/2014 - Dlgreenstein Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark almost purple in color, cherry and lime fragrance, medium viscosity. Opened up beautifully albeit still relatively young. Full berry taste with hint of citrus and stone. Quite tannic with a finish that went on for a while. Ill hold my other bottles for a few more years. I understand why WS rated this in the top 3 for 2012. All in all about the best value for money I tasted for a while.
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1/25/2014 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
no formal notes, WOTN, deep, needed air, but you could tell, was amazing
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1/4/2014 - Jmanz2000 wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color - Maybe too early for this one. Lacked the punch if normal Aussie Shiraz.
Seemed to need more time to develop.
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1/1/2014 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Took a long time to come around but consistent with previous bottles.
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11/15/2013 - jchua123 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Very dark purple garnet colored, full-bodied wine. Very viscous, with tears staining the sides of the glass for a minute or more after a vigorous swirl.
The nose is thick and jammy, like a fruits of the forest potpourri of blackberries, strawberries, vanilla and hints of toasty oak. Full-bodied, ripe and concentrated, with a smooth mouth feel, reasonably well balanced despite the high ABV, and only a hint of alcohol on the finish. Long-finish.
Can say it's really my style of wine, but the wife likes it so that earns the wall an extra point!
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11/7/2013 - Boom Baby! wrote: 91 Points
Yes, this wine is big and jammy... 15+ alc means this wine is not meant to age. Drink now or within the next two years.
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11/3/2013 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Big, Big , fruit, lots of Red Berries, vanilla, and some desert pie like notes, but not over the top. As always, Two Hands manages to maintain a balance with the Alcohol and actually paired well with a sweet read sauce and pasta.There's something amazing in the profile here that's note matched by other auzzie producers, and sets them apart. well worth the price of entry!
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10/30/2013 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 89 Points
Poured through Vinturi into decanter. Deep dark purple colour.
Initially muted nose and tight on the palate. Poured back into bottle and Vinturied one more time into decanter.
After about 30 minutes, the nose opened up beautifully. Mildly sweet floral scents. I was quite disappointed by the palate though. Expected a lot more since this was ranked 3rd in the Wine Spectator Top 100 wines of 2012. Rather straightforward nice sweet blueberries on the tongue. Smooth body and a medium finish. In summary, a nice Aussie Shiraz, but no 'wow' factors like Clarendon Hills or Elderton Command.
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10/30/2013 - Bandreas wrote:
Tasted at the 2013 New York Wine Experience
No score, this wine was fat, overblown and jammy to my taste
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10/26/2013 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Muted nose of dark fruit, plums, dates, and concrete dust. This isn't your typical fruit forward Aussie Shiraz. It is well balanced and moderately complex, with a medium to long finish. I was having trouble placing one of the major components of the palate until reading another review and seeing a mention of olives, which was exactly right. To be specific, brine cured amfissa olives with dark fruit, fennel and spice. Very nice with dinner (lamb chops and roasted brussel sprouts w/ dates), and on its own later in the evening as it developed a more velvety texture.
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10/15/2013 - nevmeijers wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle
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10/8/2013 - Gestalted Likes this wine: 94 Points
To my delight, this was nicely balanced without the extreme sweetness of many Shiraz wines. This immediately reminded me of what Denner and Epoch are currently turning out in Paso Robles. This wine was extremely floral on the nose backed up by black fruits and olive. The midpalate was thickly textured and the finish is immense blueberry, salty olive and the finish just goes on and on. Can't wait to try again.
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Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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10/1/2013 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
I did enjoy this; may of the nice concentrated savory flavors of a great Aussie Syrah - but - it is not Clarendon Hills or Elderton. A very good wine nonetheless.
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9/17/2013 - prenaud wrote: 95 Points
Should have bought more...
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9/1/2013 - mflesh Likes this wine: 93 Points
I was just trying to have a little bitty shiraz.....wow....this is a knockout. This one was uncorked to a BLACK stain on the cork. No bleed anywhere. The wine was decanted for about 30 minutes. I think it was enough. There was no metallic smell and when it poured into the glass it was a dark, deep red, almost port in nature. On the nose this was a deep mixture of blackberry, boysenberry, mint, and some kind of spice (nutmeg? I could have sworn I was getting some ginger or something like that too). The entry of this wine on the palate is ridiculous. It is FULL BODIED....a monster. This had so much fuel in it that it probably could have started the car. Black fruit in your face, very elegant at first but thorny and a little coarse in the middle. This wine finished with a lot of heat, juicy fruit, earth, and black pepper spice. Needless to say it lasted maybe all of 30 minutes at dinner. For those who like a milder shiraz.....and you have THIS one?......open it around 2018...it just MIGHT be more your style by then.
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8/4/2013 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Juicy berries, sweet jam, cured meat and tobacco aromas and flavors all meld nicely with mild oak and vanilla undertones. Still silky as ever on the palate. Long, concentrated finish. Definitely one of our favorite Bella vintages. So good.
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7/16/2013 - ericmca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious dark full-bodied power house, a bit hot.
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6/22/2013 - Pinot luva Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, dark and impenetrable colour.
Aromas of rich and concentrated cassis, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and vanillin oak.
Big, dense, rich, full body palate of dark, blue and red fruits with big American oak, long length, smooth tannins.
Smooth mouth feel - one of those wines you just want to have another mouthfull. A gem of a wine that can be cellared for another decade.
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5/22/2013 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thick purple color, viscous on the tongue, rich, long finish, blueberry and raspberry throughout. Slight oak but not your typical heat.
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5/6/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
We put this wine against a 2009 Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz, 2009 Two Hands Samantha's Garden, 2005 Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Ghalabert Crozes Hermitage, and a 2009 St. Hallet Old Block Shiraz. Hands down, this was the winner. Dark garnet/purple color with a dense nose of dark berries and lavender. The palate is very rich and a high-flyer with intense flavors of dark cherry, plum, licorice, milk chocolate and cardamom on the long, lingering finish that lasts for 45 seconds with hints of clove. This is very seductive and supple - a classic expression of Barossa, and one that I haven't encountered from this wine in any vintage. Drink now with 45 minutes decanting until 2023.
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4/27/2013 - startinoz wrote: 94 Points
Power and elegance. This shiraz is all about blackberries. A word I dislike, but seems very appropriate to describe this wine: 'smooth.' One of my favourites amongst many 2010 shirazes.
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4/20/2013 - wineshaman wrote: 94 Points
Arch hit the nail on the head, when you are in the mood, these hit the spot. Nice to have variety in one's cellar!
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4/19/2013 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Every once in awhile I feel the need for a big deep Aussie Shiraz and Two Hands always delivers. While I don't think I could drink this every day, it is a hedonistic treat to be enjoyed for what it is. What I like about their wines is they drink so-o-o good when young full of fresh ripe fruit yet smooth on the palate. At the end of the night, the last glass was almost port-like.
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4/14/2013 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
better than last time... all around very good, but not amazing... has potential to get much better in a few years.. ranks as one of best shiraz I have tasted
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4/9/2013 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine, good QP. A ton of sentiment in this bad boy. Decanted for 40 minutes at a killer steak joint. Nice dark color to it. Nose was very good heavy candy raspberries, caramel, some oak. Well rounded flavor a little bit edgy, but good. Taste was black currant with raisins. Overall a well made syrah. Would like to try again.
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4/1/2013 - jmcmchi wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly gentle; nose of dark fruit with a hint of tar. Smooth, subtle tannins, beautiful balance - maybe I'll give it 93.
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2/23/2013 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. The color is very dark, almost black. The nose expresses the meaty side of Syrah in a very focused fashion, but with time it opens to include raspberry, licorice, and a bit of wood. In the mouth, this is very fruity, albeit with a nice, surprisingly balanced structure. The finish is long and lingers for roughly 30 seconds, with a bit of a mineral edge – it prompts one to head back for another sip. Overall, this is a moderate, not overblown, Syrah. It is a good but not amazing wine; I’m dubious that it deserves the high placement given to it in Wine Spectator’s 2012 rankings. 93 points.
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2/14/2013 - Omadobs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great structure to last a few years, terrific black fruit and balance too. Bella's always delivers. Omadobs wishes he could be the contrarian here, but truth is wine and this one is absolutely delicious. No seams, no weaknesses, all pleasure. Yes, we all wish it were $40 instead of $70, but I've paid more for less, and you have too. I'm presuming.
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2/9/2013 - Wine Sparty wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about an hour before having over the next 5 hours. The nose really didn't give much, just some plum. Taste is really enjoyable with some plum flavor, but there is not much going on with this outside of the fruit. It's just kinda like tasty juice. I was pleased that is wasn't some heavy, syrupy wine, but it should've had more to it.
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1/19/2013 - The13thGryphon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, bold, "in your face" plum and dark fruit. There is some clove and pepper as well. Also a note of Dr. Pepper on the nose. Smooth and very drinkable, it was enjoyed by many, but a couple members of the group could not "tame" this huge wine, in their opinion.
This wine was ranked as the No. 3 wine of the Top 100 for 2012, and given 95 points by Wine Spectator.
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1/14/2013 - mmccull Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice wine but not worth the money. Starts off with a slightly sweet tast and thick texture. Very smooth throughout. Leaves a sour taste in the mouth but not unpleasant. I could definitely tell that the wine is 15.5% ABV.
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1/12/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 93 Points
Full, well balanced classic modern Aussie Shiraz with no hint of heat even at 15.5% etoh. Drank next to an '02 Samantha's which sadly hadn't developed like I'd hoped. My conclusion - drink Aussies young. A year or two of age.
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1/11/2013 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
A berry beautiful wine with a long lasting finished. Big fruit on the nose
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12/31/2012 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Used Brookstone aerator initially which helped drive off some of the baby fat. Drank over the course of 2 hours. Opened up nicely. Aromas and flavors consistent with previous tasting notes.
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12/29/2012 - StageOneRacing Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding Shiraz, great fruit and a beautiful opaque dark garnet.
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12/21/2012 - WaWineFan in TX Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Completely agree with my review of the 2009 vintage. Very nice layers and lots of complexity with a medium long finish. I could easily see this handling another couple of years in the cellar. I knocked it down a point because it costs $70.00 per bottle. A bit steep. I've had similar quality for 20.00 less.
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12/11/2012 - The Vinsider Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great Wine. No notes.
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12/8/2012 - RobbieC wrote: 93 Points
Huge dark fruit. The balance and fine tannins make this wine!
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11/11/2012 - G_H Likes this wine: 87 Points
Tasting at Two Hands (Two Hands Winery, Barossa Valley): Raspberry, a bit sweet, nice barossa shiraz but definitely not spectacular, but what is interesting is tasting this next to the other 'gardens' which means shiraz grown in other regions of Australia and you can clearly taste the difference, which is always nice to see. It was nice for me to reconfirm that I really like Barossa fruit best.
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11/6/2012 - Vandi wrote: 94 Points
The perfect bottle to drown sorrows or celebrate on election night. Going to hold the other one for 4 years
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11/6/2012 - cupoverflowing1 wrote: 91 Points
very good shiraz; but finish is not as good as I would hope... needs time
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11/3/2012 - FlyPig wrote: 90 Points
I keep wanting to like this as much as everyone else, but I guess I just don't get it. Well made but boring - limited finish, no pop.
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11/2/2012 - RobbieC wrote: 93 Points
Really nice wine. Although I don't agree w/ WS score of 95. Very dark, almost black. Huge wine but still has some balance and its smooth for being so heavy. Tannins are fine and mellow considering the young age. I was surprised that the nose was subtle with only hints of what was in the glass. Also surprised at the modest finish. If you're reading this considering a purchase, then I advise you buy. Just don't expect 95 pts like WS scored. I'm betting this wine will really improve over the next 2-3 years.
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10/6/2012 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
A wow wine. Smooth, classy,elegant. Not much for Australian Shiraz but this is outstanding!
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9/15/2012 - bgreenak wrote: 91 Points
A very nice wine, but not the "religious experience" it seems to be for others. Classic Australian shiraz, wonderful nose, lots of cherry. Very smooth and well-balanced.
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9/9/2012 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Big, dense, fruit forward with subtle notes of black cherry, black pepper, earth and cigar tobacco. Super silky mouth feel and long, long finish.
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7/18/2012 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 96 Points
Mind-blowing to say the least. So dense, rich and savory with notes of black fruit, au jus, pepper, spice, loam and hints of chocolate. This has a full body with polished tannins and pumps out tons of concentrated dark fruits. The structure and balance are impeccable, keeping this monster in control and harmonious straight through the ultra-long chewy finish. Wow, this is some seriously good juice! (Drink 2012-2023)
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7/2/2012 - bgreenak wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding, but young. Classic cherry and fruit forward.
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6/2/2012 - ChinonRouge wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured, this wine might as well be any other Australian Shiraz, but given the time to breathe, this wine is superb. Very, very nice. Highly recommended--even for people who don't gravitate towards Shiraz.
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3/31/2012 - wrmccall wrote: 95 Points
From Two Hands website:
Colour: Black to the core, magenta rim.
Aroma: Notes of cherries plus chocolate, cedar, spice and scorched earth. Very seductive.
Palate: Dense plums explode onto the palate with spice, subtle chocolate and tar. The fine tannin backbone rolls on and on from the mid palate, surrounded by fresh juiciness, dark fruit and subtle oak.
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