Much like three years ago. Still dense and rich. Perhaps getting less multidimensional rather than more. Still good but I’m not sure it’s going anywhere.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow after reading some of the negative reviews I decided to open one of these There is definitely still fruit on the forward and lots of blackberry and beautiful dark brooding fruits. maybe they got a bad bottle?? This is lovely velvety and easy on the pallet. Good drinking window right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bigger and more full than it was a few years ago. Solid up front but not amazing depth for a quality Barossa shiraz but enjoyable for sure. A pleasure to swirl around and probably needs a couple more years still to shed the green acid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
After a long decant the bottle started a 'little slowly' However, by the last glass it was on point.
Dark burgundy in color. Light dark berry notes, hint of driftwood Round and full bodied, some grip, Much more intense dark berry notes. Longish finish. Well structured wine that should continue to age well.
Very much enjoyed my last two glasses of this bottle. I think the QPR is high for this bottle. Worth buying it at 30%+ discount.
Smoked a Camacho Ecuador Blue Label Toro
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
89-90. My first time trying this wine. Solid, drinkable, balanced, but not particularly special. I don't foresee development of complexities or secondary notes that would make this worth aging for longer, but I could be wrong!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fairly typical Dead Arm, though lacks the depth needed to be long lived. Had a taste of this a couple of weeks ago with a friend - that bottle was on the flawed side. This bottle was much better. Its not a great wine, but certainly worth more attention than some would give it credit for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My 2nd bottle of this year. Acquired from Willow's Market in Menlo Park. It was their last 2011. Excellent wine. Hit my palate as perfect for what I love in wine with aromas of fallen maple and oak leaves that hit dry dirt that had a day's soaking in autumn rain which then we're trodden under quarter horse hooves. Bouquet of wet cigar and sweet barrel laid hidden to be discovered after an hour of decant. On the palate was black fruit of boysenberry and olialleberry with blackberry whose sugar had been over ripened out. Tobacco and asphalt were big. Crushed granite showed up too. After some time prune and dried cherries showed up. The finish lasted a good 30 seconds. Solid 8/10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
For a tough vintage this wine is drinking good now. Not syrupy, but good weight and texture - some dried boysenberry and grainy tannin. Not sure how long this will last but good now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pours deep ruby. Red fruit and dates on the nose. Bit of a general "overcooked" feeling too. Full bodied with currants, candied fruit and charred wood.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
{screwcap, 14.6%} I wouldn't normally broach a wine of this pedigree (or price!) at this early stage, but I was spooked by the vintage reputation. The nose is gorgeous; ripe, lifted blackberry, chocolate, with a touch of coconut oak. Inevitably, perhaps, the palate stuggles to keep up. It's quite peppery, and if not unripe (at 14.6% you wouldn't expect it to be green), it's still hollow and compromised. Shades of the aromas flit across the palate, but they're all very transitory. Thin but raisined; it's spotty in its palate presence, and fairly short for finish. Lacks density and power, which is really why you buy it, I guess. Falls a fair way shy of top-notch McLaren Vale shiraz, even if objectively it's an acceptable enough wine. Until you consider the price...
1/16/2023 - Doblk wrote: 89 Points
Much like three years ago. Still dense and rich. Perhaps getting less multidimensional rather than more. Still good but I’m not sure it’s going anywhere.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2022 - shereen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wow after reading some of the negative reviews I decided to open one of these
There is definitely still fruit on the forward and lots of blackberry and beautiful dark brooding fruits. maybe they got a bad bottle?? This is lovely velvety and easy on the pallet. Good drinking window right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2022 - 007cellar wrote: flawed
Wine had no fruit, fine tannins, no bouquet, and the next day was vinegar. Purchased by me in 2020, stored at 50-55 degrees.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2021 - SlimShaney Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Too herbaceous not bodacious
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2021 - Likawine wrote: 90 Points
Prefectly matured.
Black fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2020 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bigger and more full than it was a few years ago. Solid up front but not amazing depth for a quality Barossa shiraz but enjoyable for sure. A pleasure to swirl around and probably needs a couple more years still to shed the green acid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2020 - Livonietisr wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby color. Muted nose of black berries and tobaco. Juicy, black berries, cassis, some bitterness from oak. Need long decanting time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2020 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 90 Points
After a long decant the bottle started a 'little slowly' However, by the last glass it was on point.
Dark burgundy in color.
Light dark berry notes, hint of driftwood
Round and full bodied, some grip, Much more intense dark berry notes. Longish finish. Well structured wine that should continue to age well.
Very much enjoyed my last two glasses of this bottle. I think the QPR is high for this bottle. Worth buying it at 30%+ discount.
Smoked a Camacho Ecuador Blue Label Toro
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2020 - Doblk wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very well. Light cassis nose. Soft, tart fruit still prominent with more cassis and pepper notes. Little to no tannin. Time to consume.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/14/2019 - Dar3 wrote: 90 Points
89-90. My first time trying this wine. Solid, drinkable, balanced, but not particularly special. I don't foresee development of complexities or secondary notes that would make this worth aging for longer, but I could be wrong!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2019 - Jonny616 Likes this wine: 88 Points
A nice fruity wine, but not the depth or wow factor of other vintages we have had. Maybe needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2018 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly typical Dead Arm, though lacks the depth needed to be long lived. Had a taste of this a couple of weeks ago with a friend - that bottle was on the flawed side. This bottle was much better. Its not a great wine, but certainly worth more attention than some would give it credit for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2017 - Fractalage Likes this wine: 93 Points
My 2nd bottle of this year. Acquired from Willow's Market in Menlo Park. It was their last 2011.
Excellent wine. Hit my palate as perfect for what I love in wine with aromas of fallen maple and oak leaves that hit dry dirt that had a day's soaking in autumn rain which then we're trodden under quarter horse hooves. Bouquet of wet cigar and sweet barrel laid hidden to be discovered after an hour of decant.
On the palate was black fruit of boysenberry and olialleberry with blackberry whose sugar had been over ripened out. Tobacco and asphalt were big. Crushed granite showed up too.
After some time prune and dried cherries showed up.
The finish lasted a good 30 seconds.
Solid 8/10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2017 - ppearson9 wrote: 88 Points
Not great right now. Don’t know if it’s in an awkward period or if it’s just not that good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2016 - jmcmchi wrote: 89 Points
Dense tar on nose and palate. Lacking true mouth appeal, not green but not ripe either.
Difficult vintage, not a bad effort
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2016 - Thirsty1 wrote:
For a tough vintage this wine is drinking good now. Not syrupy, but good weight and texture - some dried boysenberry and grainy tannin. Not sure how long this will last but good now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2016 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 87 Points
Pours deep ruby. Red fruit and dates on the nose. Bit of a general "overcooked" feeling too. Full bodied with currants, candied fruit and charred wood.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2016 - Mistythebeagle wrote: 90 Points
Awesome wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2015 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 14.6%} I wouldn't normally broach a wine of this pedigree (or price!) at this early stage, but I was spooked by the vintage reputation. The nose is gorgeous; ripe, lifted blackberry, chocolate, with a touch of coconut oak. Inevitably, perhaps, the palate stuggles to keep up. It's quite peppery, and if not unripe (at 14.6% you wouldn't expect it to be green), it's still hollow and compromised. Shades of the aromas flit across the palate, but they're all very transitory. Thin but raisined; it's spotty in its palate presence, and fairly short for finish. Lacks density and power, which is really why you buy it, I guess. Falls a fair way shy of top-notch McLaren Vale shiraz, even if objectively it's an acceptable enough wine. Until you consider the price...
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)