Brick red but starting to push into the more brown end of that spectrum. This was a hot, dry year, so it is not surprising that it is starting to look like it may be fading.
With Shiraz-Cabernet blends one needs to make a call on which glass shape to go with - Shiraz or Cabernet. In this case there is less difference than usual but I prefer the greater intensity that the Shiraz shape seems to give.
On the nose there are high toned polished leather, earth and mushroom, spices (cloves, aniseed, a hint of cinnamon) and lurking in the deeps of these secondary characters, ripe, dark plum and some blackberry. You may get the fruits more from the Cabernet shape glass.
The palate delivers as per the hooter. There are buckets of fine tannins and characteristic Coonawarra acidity to keep this wine more alive on the palate than one might expect and it is now a superb food wine. Match it with strong flavoured meat dishes and revel in what you get for a very cheap price. This wine should be much more expensive - but I am glad it isn't. I would be cautious about this beyond the next five years - I see it as fully mature and from here there is only likely to be downside as all elements are beautifully balanced. A wonderful wine. Early Santana is the musical accompaniment for this.
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dark cherry, hints of purple. drinks like a generic dry red, lacking any regional character. All that said it is still a satisfying wine that is maybe in mid-life hole and waiting to gain a bit more complexity
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Raspberry color, light shone through. Berry pie nose, cream and alcohol. Clove and menthol palate. Fruit has mostly melted away. Medium acidity, medium tannin. Still drinking pretty well but In its decline, drink up.
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Dark ruby with brick red hues. It shows a developed nose with dried plum, dried cherry blackberry, violet & spice. Light to medium bodied, this wines is beautifully balance, supple and elegant. While not too complex, it exhibit dried fruits, plum and kirsch fruits on palate. Nice acidity backbone keeping it fresh. Medium finish with a touch of herbal and fine tannins. Drinking nicely now but not really impress and it is maturing fast. Drink up.
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I was not particularly impressed by this wine, but for $12-13 it wasn't bad; it did open up some after an hour, but it paled in comparison to a 1999 Genders McLaren Park. If under $15, it's a decent every day wine, but at its regular price it has a poor qpr.
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8/12/2020 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brick red but starting to push into the more brown end of that spectrum. This was a hot, dry year, so it is not surprising that it is starting to look like it may be fading.
With Shiraz-Cabernet blends one needs to make a call on which glass shape to go with - Shiraz or Cabernet. In this case there is less difference than usual but I prefer the greater intensity that the Shiraz shape seems to give.
On the nose there are high toned polished leather, earth and mushroom, spices (cloves, aniseed, a hint of cinnamon) and lurking in the deeps of these secondary characters, ripe, dark plum and some blackberry. You may get the fruits more from the Cabernet shape glass.
The palate delivers as per the hooter. There are buckets of fine tannins and characteristic Coonawarra acidity to keep this wine more alive on the palate than one might expect and it is now a superb food wine. Match it with strong flavoured meat dishes and revel in what you get for a very cheap price. This wine should be much more expensive - but I am glad it isn't. I would be cautious about this beyond the next five years - I see it as fully mature and from here there is only likely to be downside as all elements are beautifully balanced. A wonderful wine. Early Santana is the musical accompaniment for this.
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6/24/2018 - phill mz Likes this wine:
dark cherry, hints of purple. drinks like a generic dry red, lacking any regional character. All that said it is still a satisfying wine that is maybe in mid-life hole and waiting to gain a bit more complexity
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5/14/2017 - ephorn wrote: 89 Points
Raspberry color, light shone through. Berry pie nose, cream and alcohol. Clove and menthol palate. Fruit has mostly melted away. Medium acidity, medium tannin. Still drinking pretty well but In its decline, drink up.
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7/6/2014 - surfection wrote:
Dark, rich, smooth, plenty of deep berries with a smokey taste. Devine.
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9/5/2012 - SarahAlexander wrote: 95 Points
Phenomenal initially thought we may have left it to long but left it to open for two hours it was amazing!
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2/26/2012 - Gazonator wrote: 87 Points
Not the best year....missing some of those red earth characters....
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12/6/2011 - hkm520240 wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby with brick red hues. It shows a developed nose with dried plum, dried cherry blackberry, violet & spice. Light to medium bodied, this wines is beautifully balance, supple and elegant. While not too complex, it exhibit dried fruits, plum and kirsch fruits on palate. Nice acidity backbone keeping it fresh. Medium finish with a touch of herbal and fine tannins. Drinking nicely now but not really impress and it is maturing fast. Drink up.
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12/16/2007 - Fozziedoggie wrote: 86 Points
Nice wine for the price...beware, lots of sediment in this one. Spicy shiraz notes with good blackberry and cherry notes on the cab side.
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8/20/2006 - Squeeze wrote: 85 Points
I was not particularly impressed by this wine, but for $12-13 it wasn't bad; it did open up some after an hour, but it paled in comparison to a 1999 Genders McLaren Park. If under $15, it's a decent every day wine, but at its regular price it has a poor qpr.
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