I was worried as the last drink date was stated 2015. I wanted to keep this for a special occasion and well, Easter counts and with friends… delicious mature Shiraz! I would say secondary notes but not tertiary… deep ruby red, raisins, plums, slight spices, oak, eucalyptus…medium bodied and finishing medium long…. What can I say…. 25-26yr old wine from Fox Creek Aussie….. luckily I have one more!
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Celebrating of Poland's Independece Day - 11th of November. Color is dark dark burgundy turning to black, there is no evidence of over extraction. In smell baked blueberry/black currants pie with fresh baking spices, raisins and broth, nuanced and ccomplex. On palate is soft with a texture reminiscent of luxurious wines from another Australian producer - Penfolds, but not as massive and concentrated as many shiraz wines from the neighboring Barossa. I would say rather medium body, and at the same time rich, complex (intellectually satisfying) with an 30 seconds aftertaste without the feeling of high alcohol or bitterness. Elegant, complex wine with a plush texture, without a feeling of heaviness, massiveness or excessive extraction. Great balance of very good acidity, fruity sweetness, a tannic backbone and perfectly hidden alcohol (14.5%). There is no feeling of any exaggeration, heaviness, clumsiness or, on the other hand, some watery or acidity. If you can imagine a perfectly mature wine in which all the elements fit together and put together in the best possible way, then we will get such a wine as perfectly mature Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve 1998.
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Brown spices, raisins and dates, decayed leaves, wet oak, smoke, cured ham beef broth. On the downslope, still godd though, due to its impressive midpalate and balance.
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Stored at 10-11°C since release. Purple to the rim. From the start and getting complex faster with a decant, explosive nose of bramble, black currants, incense, cedar, raspberries, licorice. On the palate light on its feet with no heat or noticeable alcohol (at least if you don't exceed 18-19°C), but still a backbone of smooth tannin. This is really drinking great now and I believe it is not likely to improve, maybe shed some of its tannin, but also loosing some fruit intensity furthermore. Great lenght, fruit driven finish. This is extraordinary balanced with refreshing animating acidity. 5/14/19/10. 98 points from Parker 2000, 96 from Parker 2009 and from a european point of view with an emphasis on balance and elegance for me 98 again. A bit more nuances and shades and it would be perfect.
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From 75cl, short but excellent cork (it IS possible!) decanted 1 hour. I'd never have guessed this as a pure Shiraz. It smells and tastes more of super-ripe blackcurrant than blackberry, and indeed has the acidic backbone I'd associate more with Cabernet Sauvignon than Shiraz. Even the unctuous, glycerine-laden texture seems a bit slimmer than I'd expect, but there is some dark bramble character towards the finish which make it more plausible, and of course quite some alcoholic heat (only 14,5% alc according to the label, but I'm not quite sure that's the whole story). Not had a disappointing 1998 from SA yet, and this is no exception. The ratings here seem a bit too high nevertheless, given what the likes of d'Arenberg (Coppermine Road CS, Dead Arm Shiraz), Bowen Estate (CS) and probably also the top Penfolds wines cited in other CT TNs (alas, out of my budget range) delivered in this magnificent vintage. Probably fine for another few years, given good storage. 90-91P
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(YC) Second and the last bottle. Last tasted this wine in 2017 and it has barely aged since then. PNP - blackcurrant, spices and a whiff of eucalyptus on the nose. Rich and powerful, supported by grainy tannins. This is a big wine with good potential. I left the table too soon, and now wish to taste it again. 91+
(~2300 bottles produced)
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Still going strong after all these years, contradicting the Aussie doubters who said these fruit bombs wouldn't last. As an unknown, we thought it was a mature Grange. Typical Aussie shiraz aromas of black raspberries, blackberries, and toasty American oak, complex. Very smooth and balanced flavors to match, full-bodied but definitely more integrated and balanced than years earlier. A touch of sweetness but no prune notes to suggest t's too old. Wonderful long aftertaste. Rated 98 when first released, and still just as great now. Our last bottle, signed by Sparky Marquis. Drink up if you have any. Ric
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Second bottle, much the same as the first, though no hint of VA on this one. Fully resolved, tannins do approach harsh but never quite got there on this bottle. Still, drink em if ya got em!
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Ready to go. Still has really good fruit though the tannins get a bit harsh. Just a hint of VA poking out, but not enough to reject the wine. Drink-em-if-ya-got-em.
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I went looking for this after liking the 97. I cant say that this better, just different. Theres more exciting fruit and mineral left in the 98 but is not as elegant as the 97.
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While decanting, it did not smell great. Left in the decanter and then in the glass the evolution of the wine was mesmerizing. #1 of the flight of 3. Better after an hr.
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The colour of this wine is bright red at the rim and deep burgundy in the core, still very youthful looking. Bouquet is sophisticated and refined with notes of smoky plums, toasty oak, earthy clove and nutmeg when first opened. Palate is rich and layered, dense and refined at the same time. There are fresh blue berries with peppermint, graphite and hints of fragrant sandal wood. Balanced structure, every elements is in harmony yet with the right burst of energy at the finish that lingers. At its peak now, don’t have to wait any longer. Definitely better vintage than the 1996 and 1997.
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For a 20 year old wine it tasted like it was made yesterday. The cork and fill level were perfect. At first I thought somebody glued the 1998 label on a new bottle of Aussie Shiraz. But a thick level of sediment poured out with the last glass. Drank over three days, and it was declining on the 3rd day. I remember it tasted fresher and more balanced when I first drank it upon release almost 20 years ago. It is still very good with a long finish and tannins that are not overpowering. But the fruit levels tasted somewhat flat. Certainly not worth the $75 I paid, and I'm glad I bought just one bottle.
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this wine won all of our Aussie tastings in early 2000 when it was acquired - has aged into a beautifully balanced shiraz, but not as exciting as in its youth - decidedly eucalyptus nose mingled with blackberries and hints of dark chocolate - full mouth but not quite as rich as other 98 shirazes - velvety medium length finish - love this wine, but I had hoped for more complexity with age - probably too hopeful!
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Opened to breathe for 30 min with lunch. Great chiseled nose, restrained red fruit, excellent balance; consistent with my previous note. Still in its drinking window.
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Stored under ideal conditions since release. Cork is not soaked, but as if it was corked yesterday. Purple with no sign of age. The nose is lovely, intense even without swirling, black currant, flowers, thyme, incense and minerals. On the palate concentrated but without any heaviness. Significant amounts of tannin on the palate and a long long finish. This is still on the very young side and should age beautiful for some decades. -2040
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Subtle herb and mint notes with macerated plum, black currant and dark fruit. Develops a lovely rose petal/floral quality as well as a savory meaty note. Great meaty iron flavor with wonderful red plum, dark fruit and pepper. Velvety texture, fully integrated tannin; long finish.
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A San Diego Birthday Bash (San Diego, California): Tasted semi-blind. SD-Wineaux told us the vintage, region, and varietal, but not the producer. Decanted and re-bottled two hours before tasting. Clear inky garnet color. Glorious bouquet leaping from the glass: black fruit and liqueurs, baking spices, forest floor. Bursting with juicy acidity on the palate, impeccable balance, invigorating, clean and fresh, full body but not fatiguing. My #1 and group's #2 among three 1998 Aussies, easily beating 1998 Grange!
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From a case acquired at auction. Opened to breathe for 1-2h. Cork was intact and came out with no issues. Immediately accessible after opening (this would be a good wine to bring to a restaurant). Beautiful shiraz. Earthy woodsy nose. Round, full, and mature; cranberry, spice, oak and tannins. Lovely, lasting finish. Tonight with turkey breast and salmon sashimi. At peak with plenty of life left.
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Beautifully aged Modern Classic. Bacon fat, smoke and black pepper prevail. Black fruit and banana skin still present, lurkin' in the background, like a testimony of winemaking in the late nineties. Not at all heavy or obtrusive, great balance. Pure pleasure. Drank the bottle over 5 days... Was holding up great.
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Perfect to be consumed now. The nose was still alive and kicking with loads of dark sweet berries, oak, coffee, cocoa, spice, vanilla and slight dried fruit lurking in the corners. Though seemingly in the style of being big and fruity, it was also at the same time rounded and balanced with slightly pronounced fruits and sweetness but at a very moderate acceptable un-fruit bomb-ish level. The palate was extremely smooth and velvety with slightly subdued levels of intensity in the earthy fruit compared to the nose. The tannins had just about integrated with the fruit and acid to create a very silky mouthfeel with no resistance whatsoever. The finish followed down the sides of the mouth with flavours of burnt caramel sauce covered berries which very slowly faded away. One of the most memorable Australian Shirazes i have ever tasted. If I could find anything wrong, it would be that the wine might have been slightly better if tasted a year before as the fruit on the palate seem to be a mite unfocused and bracing for the drop over the curve. But that really depends on bottle variation and your luck. So drink up and enjoy.
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Certainly not the best bottle I have had of this wine and I would say drink up. Blackberries, minerals, menthol and coffee beans. Medium to long finish and complex wine. Third best wine tonight.
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High Scoring Aussies (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): very dark red color with subtle hints of bricking. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Two years since last tasting this and it is apparent that it is on the decline. Still really a nice wine, complete, balanced and complex with red fruit and leather on the nose, menthol, and spices. On the plate, probably the most resolved wine of the evening, blackberry liqueur, hints of cassis. still some firm tannins, and some red fruit that finishes. I'd finish thee rather soon.
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Aussie's at Edina Country Club (Edina): Inky all thru. Bacon fat, full, sweet, incredibly compelling aromas and a sweet core of a palate. High alcohol in the long finish (we don't believe the 14.5% on the label) but it works well.
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Red currants and floral notes on the nose intermixed with some tar and toast. Crispy yet slightly subdued red currant fruits attack the front palate. The mid palate is filled with creamy vanilla, chocolate, sweet melted tannins with gentle spices in the background. Very well balanced wine and finishes with slight heat. Good quality per price ratio. Impressive. Drink now.
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Game dinner with friends (@ t Jachthuis): Beautiful and mature bouquet with dark forest fruits, chocolate, sweet spices and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate the same impressions, mild acidity and tannin. Beautiful and mature wine. No real hurry.
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Deep red color. Aromas of blueberries, mocha, licorice and wood spices. Ripe, beautifully structured, complex fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and a long, sweet finish. Very integrated, suave and persistent on the palate. This bottle has been in my cellar for over 15 years and was still very fresh and showing no signs of fatigue. Though having lost the baby fat of its youth, this beautifully balanced and elegant wine was still richly extracted and quietly powerful. This outstanding 17 year old Aussie Shiraz was the WOTN and delicious with the compelling food at Laurel Restaurant.
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Lacks the awesomeness of previous bottles. Getting a little too much secondary character and lacks the fruit of others. Graphite, pepper, spices and red fruits. While not a powerful finish it still lingers for 25 seconds. Recommend drinking these up.
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I think the flavor profile was very much as it was when I had this wine 15 years ago. While it might have mellowed a bit, this is far from a shrinking violet it still drinks quite young and quite Shiraz. Given its current plateau, I don't see it changing in the short or mid term. Drink now unless you have the courage to hold for a long time to see if anything changes.
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Much preferred this wine as a young fruit bomb. wine has well integrated tannins, not that they were prominent in its youth. Not a lot of noce going on here. Much preferred a '99 JSM we had a month ago.
Pop and pour, then followed over about 2 hours. Rich cocoa, blueberry and vanilla. We had this alongside the 1997 and it was significantly better. Definitely more balanced than most Aussie wines, but still obviously Australian.
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I didn't mind it. Very fruit forward, mostly red fruits. Not much in the way of tannins left. Oh, and the fruit forwardness is personified by sweetness. Would be great with chocolate.
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Interesting. Coravined this bottle 6 weeks ago after drinking a glass, which was great. six weeks later the wine had aged and slipped a bit with the flavor. Not bad but noticeably different.
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2013 Family Xmas; 12/24/2013-12/25/2013 (Alicante): Still a dark colour with brick edges. Lovely nose of eucalyptus, very mineral. Meaty on the palate, little tannic and absolutely savoury. An outstanding bottle at the beastie side more than at the elegant one. Matched with a lamb leg for Xmas lunch. Something different.
Todavía un color oscuro con bordes anaranjados. Bella nariz a eucaliptos, muy mineral. Cárnica en boca, un poco tánica y totalmente sabrosa. Una botella fuera de lo común del lado bestia más que del elegante. Acompañó una paletilla de cordero lechal. Algo realmente diferente.
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wow. wonderful nose of cranberry, black olives, earth, sage, and tons of gamey meat. The nose follows through the start of the palate, medium+ body, finishing in blue fruits, white pepper, licorice and dark chocolate.
A wonderful example of what aussie shiraz can be without being some over-oaked, spoofy 'hedonistic fruit bomb'.
drinking great now. could age a while longer to trade off fruit for more secondary characteristics if that's your thing.
A 2 hour decant. This was better than some early-2000 vintage bottles I've had previously that were still nice. Lots of blackberry, a little cloying at first but quickly settles into a nuanced feminine drink. Licorice, black pepper, prefume, a little annoying new world blueberry vanilla oak, a very long finish. This is the kind of Aussie shiraz I like to drink.
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High Scoring Australian Shiraz (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. 1.5hr decant, 2oz pour followed for an hour. This has a lovely nose that kept improving in the glass. Ultimately there is a sweet perfume, earthy, red fruits, cherry, berries, ripe, spices (eucalyptus that blows off). The palate is elegant and feminine, with lovely red fruits, red cherry, medium body, tart fruit, an undercurrent of darker fruit, briar, oak, black pepper. Medium plus finish. There is some sign of heat at times, but this largely resolves. This wine really improved in glass and had there been a larger pour or opportunity to revisit this may have bumped a point or so. This what I love to find in Aussie shiraz. 93+pts to 94pts.
Australia Big Guns Shiraz Tasting (Kevin's (Minneapolis)): Outstanding wine and a real benchmark wine for anyone drinking Aussie Shiraz from mid 90s to present. Black licorice, black pepper, mild fruits, chocolate notes and wood. Soft tannins and fine sediment. Balanced and long finish with more secondary notes on this tasting than the last 3 plus years ago. This wine for $50 (purchased recently) is my QPR of the year and should be enjoyed within the next few years.
I carried a few of these beauties back from the cellar door, via China - part of 18 bottles stashed in my luggage. This weekend seemed like the right time to rip the scab off a bottle and give it a look. And what a delightful bottle of Shiraz it has become.
Color: Deep crimson Nose: Raspberries, blackberries, cocoa and anise
The mouthfeel is superb, velvety and mouth-coating without the cloying, syrupy texture of so many over-done Shiraz. The palate is more floral than spicy - it wouldn't be a stretch to describe this wine as "pretty." Mind you, it's no lightweight - there's plenty of fruit here, balanced with solid tannins.
I wouldn't speculate as to how long this might last, but it's damn good right now.
Double-decanted for 30mins and cooled down, which seemed about right. A full-bodied but balanced shiraz with real elegance despite its size. This is not a fruit bomb. Lovely nose of mint, anise and smoke. Rich and velvety in the mouth with a wonderful entry, slightly acidic but smooth mid-palate and wonderful long finish with a very gentle white pepper element. Very food friendly. Drinking wonderfully now, but will surely last until at least 2020.
This is a grand wine at its zenith! A huge, elegant, inviting nose of anise seeds, industrial rubber, spice, scorched earth, smoke and blood. Browning colors. In the mouth this is simply FANTASTIC. Elegant, elevated, majestic... Enters distinctly with the mid-palate like a fireworks display of a large number of aromas, exiting with mature M+ tannins and a plethora of tastes that revolve and evolve. We counted (in no particular order) lingonberry jam, quince, tar, mint, eucalyptus, dragon, rosemary, new tires, crushed anise, coumarin and fennel seeds "kryddost" and wet grass... Every sip was a new experience. Married especially tonight's wagyu beef plate. This is a refined Aussie Shiraz that drank perfectly tonight. Only botle, perfect timing. Still very much alive, but no more climbing up the hill. QPR like yauwsa! @Restaurant Tani in Gaienmae, Tokyo. W/UlfJulie.
Fading gracefully but still fading. More floral than fruity now. Enjoyable but quite light tasting despite the very dark color of the wine. I can't see this wine improving from here so my advice is to drink up. This was my last bottle.
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Still showing that amazing deep purple color with very little signs of lightening. Still good fruit showing, but the big primary sweetness is all gone. Fruit, eucalyptus, earth. WOW
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Very nice and smooth but fading a bit. I would drink up now as this wine might just fade away. Ate with lamb and I don't think this was the right pairing given where this wine is right now. This wine has evolved nicely but, in my opinion, should have been consumed a couple of years ago when it had a bit more punch.
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Bill's Monthly Lunch - December 2012 (Le Gavroche): New world sweet nose, very dark with roasted and ripe fruits. The roasted and ripe character carries onto the palate. A good cheese wine. Others who like this style really enjoyed this but it’s not for me. Too sweet, too ripe, too roasted.
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Looking for a big, Parkerized Shiraz? Look elsewhere. I forgot that, and was initially a bit disappointed when I opened this bottle. Where's the kick? Where's the full throttle? It isn't here. Instead, well behaved, smooth, elegant. Seems fully resolved and at peak....I don't see any need to hold these any longer. This bottle seems a bit softer than others. Still very nice, but lacks that something extra. Food pairing - I'm not quite sure....a steak without a lot of additional spicing (e.g. no Paul Prudhomme spicing) is probably the ticket.
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Drank w. FBM. No detailed notes, but a stunning effort. Nicely balanced, with accent notes of eucalyptus. Seemingly made in a "pre-Parker" style, with none of the "over the top" character in some of the more recent Shiraz. This could be a ringer in a Penfolds Grange tasting.
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Mega-Pointer Dinner (Yuan Wei Deep-Sea Garoupa, Serangoon Road): This was an objectively an excellently crafted wine that will give aficionados of a particular style of wine great pleasure, but I think most of us around the table having started on a diet of these bir, rich, muscular Aussie Shirazes have moved some way away in recent years. Still though, this was a nice wine. It had a lovely nose that could only have come from Australia, with deep layers of sweet plums, blueberries and blackcherries, dark chocolate and wood spice, eucalyptus and smoke. The palate was rich, thick, almost viscous, with huge depth to its black fruited flavours of plums and blackberries laced with citrus acidity and fine, slightly powdery tannins stretching into a long, eucalyptus-spiked finish. Beneath all that fruit, there was an intriguingly salty, savoury undercurrant almost like salted caramel, dried earth, roasted meats and black chocolates rolled into a smoky whole under the riper fruit tones in a beautiful long finish. Very delicious. We decanted this for half an hour before serving and I got a feeling that this was barely enough - all these little complexities were just starting to show. This was the oldest of the reds represented by some distance and the highest scoring wine on the table (It was a massive RP98 points on release), yet I somehow felt that we caught it way too young. It was well-structured and beautifully balanced though, and should age for a long, long time yet. Indeed, it was far better when we had the leftovers on day two, with the big fruit calming down a bit, and the lovely balance on the wine showing more. At the moment though, it is still rather a big bruiser of a wine, not without its own sense of elegance amidst the weight, but not quite my style any more. It sure would be interesting to try it a decade down the road though.
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Compared to some other bold wines consumed tonight ('06 Carlisle Cardiac Syrah, '05 Turley Ueberroth) this initially seemed tired. But....between a few minutes of air, and a palate recalibration....wow! Yes, this is subtle in comparison. On the nose, subtle but intoxicating perfumed aromatics. More delicate than many, with a hint of floral lift. On the palate, very balanced, very resolved. Rich mouthfeel without being overpowering. Trends more towards Grange than to the more overblown examples of Oz.
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Dark fruit, eucalyptus and a hint of brown sugar on a very fragrant nose. More of the same on the a surprisingly balance palate. Aussie flavor profile with an unusual level of elegance. Finish hangs on impressively. Still young enough to need a few minutes in the glass or decanter to open up.
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Dark purple and small bit of sediment. This wine was substantial, yet light compared to most Aussie Shiraz. It was rather complex and interesting with beautiful flavors.
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- Violet color with fast forming legs and aromas of raspberry, blackberry and black pepper. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and black pepper with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - One of only two wines, of eight(8),that passed muster at the 8/26/2011 Wine Watch Shiraz tasting. The other the 99 Run Rig. Delicious still. I last had this probably ten years ago.
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Blind Syrah Tasting w/ Ryan Johnson, Dick Boushey, Eric LeVine, and MrBigJ (Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. (Group's #2 (my #1)) – 3 first place votes, 7 second place vote, 2 third place votes, no fourth place votes – The nose of this wine was loaded with eucalyptus and herbs. Even before tasting this wine, I was thinking this was a Thackrey Orion right away. The palate had flavors of plums, berries, licorice, eucalyptus and spice. Big mouthfeel and a nice, long finish. When this was revealed as one of Sparky's wines, I was quite surprised. This was very different than I would have expected it to taste like. I've had other Fox Creek wines and other wines that Sparky Marquis made, but none of them ever tasted like this... Great stuff!
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Barossa Shiraz Tasting (Mike and Chris' Place in Evanston): Aromatically challenged. Elegant aromas. Black, blue, coal. A little sea breeze. Some age showing on the nose and palate. Okay but not very exciting. Palate shows better than the nose for once.
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Deep garnet. Nose of plums, eucalyptus, smooth and perfumy. The nose was easily smelled across the table from the glass. Taste was smooth, black fruits,plums, mint. This is one of the best Oz Shiraz I have had in a long time.
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Compared to the last bottle I drank in March this bottle seemed closed. I decanted but not long enough. By the end it had started to open up. While smooth the flavors were hidden at the beginning. I think this wine will still improve. If you drink now give it some time in the decanter.
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One of my favorite Aussie wines from the great '98 vintage. I've read some negative reviews of this wine but I've loved every bottle I've consumed. A monumental effort that should last at least another five years perhaps longer.
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12 years old..still dk red...totally opaque... no brown at edges...loads of white pepper, some licorice..coffee..dark plum on the nose...smooth palate..tannins well integrated with abundant fruit remaining..30 second finish..IMO this will cellar for another 3-5 years at least..a wonderful wine...and with BBQ Flannery’s hanger steak..it was..... like...WOW !!!
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Medium purple. Lots of white pepper on the nose, with plum and a bit of spice underneath. Dominant pepper note with a creamy plum / dark fruit underneath. Quite nice and a bit subtler than I was expecting. Seems to be aging quite well.
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This was a very pleasant surprise. Much, much better than the one I had a couple years ago. Deep purple, good nose of dark fruit and pepper. Surprisingly medium bodied on the palate, with lip smacking, but in control, fruit, and a slathering of spice. Nice finish. So yes Santa, these can age well.
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This was opened, decanted and gone in less than two hours. Creamy oak with a dark blue/black fruit bouquet that continues to get deeper. This has a massive palate that is superbly balanced and remarkably light on its toes. Some hints at a couple different fruit profiles in the mid-palate. The finish, similar to the bouquet, continued to develop complexity and length with each sip. It's a delicious wine.
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Northern Fanatic Friday: Definitely an Aussie shiraz, with mint and dill (American oak, I suspect) on the nose. Nicer on the palate, with lovely texture, but still a fair bit of dill and (less so) mint. Plums, licorice and pepper too. Very nice, but I'm never a fan of dill note in Aussie shiraz, so that bumped it down for me (B+).
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Still fairly full-bodied but not overwhelming in it's dark fruit weight at all anymore. The fruit center has fanned out to involve some brighter tangier flavors, meanwhile the oak seems to be adding a dilly herb component rather than the creamy weight of it's youth. A different animal than the younger FB to be sure... not sure exactly how I feel about it.
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Black fruits, cassis and green apple (?) flavors. Nice earthiness. Really opens up with time. Seemed to be at its best about 3 hours after opening. Full bodied. Not as long of a finish as expected. But an excellent wine overall.
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Another great bottle. I loved this wine when it was young but it's also evolved into a very nice wine with 11 years of age but should hold for at least 5 more years. Definitely happy to have 3 bottles left.
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Dark purple core with slight red hue on the rim. Nose displays juicy blueberry and candied blackberries with amazing depth that just goes on and on. It is so enticing it actually made me giggle out loud. The fruit profile develops intensity and is complimented by spice and menthol. Initially, the liquid appears thick and heavy as one would expect from an Australian shiraz but over time high levels of glycerin emerge giving this a cabernet-like appearance. This wine reminds me of an elephant wearing a ballerina costume. Nice balance from the beginning which becomes more symmetrical and fine-tuned over time. The lovely fruit I smell in the nose is displayed in the front palate followed by chocolate and coffee on the back. The finish is a marriage of both profiles that lasts 30+ seconds. A remarkable wine that has many years ahead of it.
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VERY NICE NOW BUT SHOULD CONTINUE IMPROVING. DEEP COLOR WITH INCREDIBLE PURPLE LEGS IN THE GLASS. HUGE RICH FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR AND A LONG FINISH.
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Color: Dark purple Nose: Rich and opulent. Blackberry, oak, plum, black pepper Taste: Violets, oak, black pepper, spice, blackberries, raspberries, vanilla, and integrated tannins. Finish: Oak, spice, black pepper, blackberries, vanilla, and a buttery finish that lasts for over 3 minutes. Super complex wine and balanced! One of the best Aussie wines I have ever tasted.
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WineFlock - 98 Aussies (Chris' Place): Soaring, unbelievable nose has killer fruits --- black, ripe, rich, candied ... you name it. Layered aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, toast, vanilla and christmas spices. Palate is thick, full-bodied and rich. Showing terrific balance with well-integrated oak, fine tannins and pure black fruits. Finish goes on and on. A superb wine. My #2, Group #2.
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Hard to say on the first night. Pitch purple, lots of pepper, good dark fruit, dry finish. Sort of muted, but great potential, will leave open for a while and report back if it opens up. Next Day... just never gained the structure I was hoping for. Dry finish, dark fruit with good flavor, licorice, enjoyable, just did not meet expectations. Tons of sediment.
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rode kleur, veel neus, vanille rijp fruit, licht wat motorolie, smaak is zoet in de aanvang, rijp en warm, heel aanwezig, romig. wel goed drinkbaar met de maaltijd
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diep rood, uitbundige neus met veel vanille en warmte, eucalyptus, leer pruim , smaak is vol en warm met zoetje en zachte tannines, mist iets verfijning
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Fresh, vigorous, immediately appealing. The primary fruit is still abundant: blueberries, blackberries, cedar, and coffee pour out of the glass. Fragrant while still in the glass. On the palate, beautifully balanced. Velvety, but still with plenty of structure. Still comes across as youthful with years yet to go. Delicious.
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Quite a masculine wine. Explosive flavors. Long finish. Purple concentrated ink. Soft tannins. It is a wine that has a lot of things going for it. However, it is not that much fun to drink. It does not taste that great.
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Wow, this wine has sure improved over the last bottle I consumed. Amazingly it is still a baby and has many years ahead of it. It has successfully emerged from a difficult adolescent and hopefully will only improve from here. Be sure to decant for at least 3 hours as a previous poster wisely advised.
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Starting to wake up after a long sleep. It still tastes incredibly young but the tannin is begining to integrate. Finishes just a little hot. Ok right out of the bottle but you'll be much happier if you give it 2 hours to open up.
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Holy cow, was this bottled yesterday? This is a big wine with tons of personality with flavor intensity to spare. However this is light of its feet and comes across very tight. I look forward to this uncoiling in another decade. A great showing.
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Welll balanced and pleasant but faint on the nose....could not really identify the tastes as clearly as i would have liked.....enjoyable...but not memorable...nicely paired with the marinated turkey we were eating....
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Not quite as good a bottle as the last, likely because I did not decant. This wine continues to surprise with it bright, energetic profile. Certainly not one of those thick, ponderous Shiraz. The nose shows black fruits, almost stony in nature, peach schnaps and a pleasing dollop of buttery oak with a touch of coconut. Crisp, clean blackberry fruit, a hint of minerals and flowers on the medium-bodied palate. Surprisingly fresh and acid driven on the finish. The acid does have a citrus edge to it. Seems to have the legs to go another few years and I recommend decanted for a couple of hours if consumed now.
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Last bottle was in 2004 and I recall it didn’t have the vibrancy when I tried this last back in 2001 (I still remember this wine on release, it was stunning). Although the fruit has settled down a lot, this was still a great bottle of wine. Very slow improvement over sixty minutes, it held for another 2 hours. Some chocolate and spice, some blueberry and a hit of eucalyptus. Overall, the nose was a little depressed, and the finish shorter than I recall in 2004. While I think this bottle was better than the one I tried in 2004, it’s still a shallow example of what it was back in 2001.
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Dinner with Mom at Wild Orchid. Purple in color and very muscular, this wine seems to have integrated since I last had it a few years ago and is drinking well, although still in an in your face style. Blueberries, chocolate and eucalyptus mix with mild coconut that is clearly from the new oak aging, but not obtrusive. 50+13+12+8+8 = 91
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90;78. Tasted blind after 1.5 hours in decanter. Gorgeous looking wine; color all the way to the rim, starting to turn towards brown. Thick looking with slow, small legs on side of glass. Nose has spicy, dark black currant, anis and Asian spices. It is opening up more and getting even richer after another hour. It is rich and fat but still some liveliness to it. Big structure with lots of acidity, very sweet and with a tight tannic structure. On the palate it has fresh cherry fruit, some herbs (thyme) but not that much secndary, darker flavors. Very tight finish. Long aftertaste that is getting longer after an hour more. Cherries, anis, thyme and sweet cola and bubbelgum. I guessed this was a good 97 Cali Cab because of the structure. It was not as focused and intense sweet black currant as previous bottles. (We’ve had approx 10 bottles over the past few years.)
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Big, super-ripe and aromatic. Plummy, spicey and charry. A bit too much char this time around... a bit less would have garnered a higher score. Plump middle and quite a persistent spicy finish. Drinking well but not everyones cup of tea.
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Tasted blind with 3 other syrahs. This came in third place. Dark color. Coconut, caramel and chocolate milk on the nose. A smooth marble-like texture, with concentrated plummy fruit and a spicy black pepper note. Most of the action is on the front end of this wine, as the finish was rather clipped. Seems to have lost the flamboyance that resulted in Parker's 98P rating. Still a very good bottle, though. Drink now.
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Rich, ripe, spicy and smooth. Not the blockbuster this wine once was, but still a big ball of fun fruit. Noticable oak, but but overbearing. Tannins are very well resolved.
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Deep black olive in colour. A room filling nose of plum, vanilla oak, liquorice, blackberry, olive and chocolate with a touch of florality and smoked meat in the background. The palate is unmistakably primary and filled with concentrated, rich fruit flavour. Has great balance and structure which should allow this wine to develop complexity and interest over the next 7-9 years.
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Massively extracted but starting to calm down a bit finally. Still jammy with a very dense texture, but picking up a little secondary character with a long finish. Just a little on the hot side to detract from the overall impression.
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The nose on this wine is human cat-nip - a glorious butter popcorn and berry fruit. There is an intense blast of blackberry on the mid palate and finish. Surprisingly elegant and civilized. Drink soon (and carefully decant) as slightly drying tannins started to emerge at the end of the bottle.
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We still differ in our opinion. We tasted this one blind. I still love it but Lynn gets too harsh tannins and not enough fruit until the very end. I think this bottle is not as much “over the top” as the last one but it is still massive. It has magnificent structure, with big tannins and lots of acidity, but it also has a core of sweetness and lots of fruit, albeit mostly on the finish and aftertaste. It is like they tried to hold the fruit in with a tight corset of tannins and acidity but the corset burst right in the end and the finnish and aftertaste has an enormous burst of black currents, plums and violets.
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Lynn and I differ in our opinions (very rerely do we do that) on this wine. It is a very dark and thick wine. It is an enormously intense, powerful, rich and fat wine. The taste is explosive from entry to finish. I find it fantastic but Lynn finds it too much over the top. I get very intense, pure and clear black currant fruit, but Lynn gets more of a powdery, sweet orange syrup flavor and almost port like. It has a very sweet fruit but the acidity is there to support it and the tannins are also there but very sweet and supple. It has a lot of Asian spices on nose and palate. Long, lingering after-taste. I would give it 98 points but Lynn “only” 94. It is certainly a remarkable wine and how much you like it depends on your preference of styles. This is not for the faint-hearted.
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Wow, wow & wow. This wine pretty much stole the show when we drank it after one of our "Fight Night" wine taste-offs. A different wine than the last bottle of this I tried. Last time the wine was about structure and restrained power. This time, the wine was an in-your-face, kick-butt Shiraz. Not one bit hot or over-the-top. The most you could say is that the blueberry smoothie profile could be too sweet for some...but not me! This was just smokin' and most of the 10 guys at the tasting loved this. The few who had some cellared were particularly jubilant. To those (and there are many) who say this wine is past prime, I have absolutely no idea what you could mean. I wish I had a lot more than the pair of bottles I have left.
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Tasted 2000 Henry's Drive Resv. and a 1998 Fox Creek Resv. Shiraz. Tonight the HD was a better. The FC was much better than the one I had a couple of years ago but still seemed a little out of balance, flat and nothing like it was on release. Hopefully it continues to improve.
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Dark, deep purple black. Hints of violets, berries on the nose. On the palate, awash with fine, grainy tannins, a touch of oak, blue and black berries. This is a big, well integrated wine with no hint of decay.
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Deep purple color. Forward aroma of black fruit. Rich great black fruits, but well integrated. Drinking well. 11/03 Deep purple/black. Medium aroma. Big black fruit. Acutally showing decent balance. Showing pretty well. 12/04
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Opened at cellar temperature and warmed up over the evening. Not decanted as Emile Peynaud says decanting young wines is stupid and Emile is very smart. On opening, an effusive nose of plums and violets with a little medicinal heat. On the palate, full-bodied but, dare I say, refined wine with fantastic acidity that keeps the wine dancing in the mouth. The wine is smooth with a velvety mouthfeel - plush, but not the least bit flabby. Has a hint of Rhonish urine stink, but this adds complexity. Nice plums and fresh blackberries roll across the tongue. A hint of beef blood too. Powdery (bordering on mineral) tannins on the finish. Not a bit "jammy". Exceptional grip and concentration. This wine is not over the hill - this wine is so far from the hill it cannot see it. A tribute to the winemaking abilities of the controversial Sparky Marquis.
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Dinner with Gary in Seattle. The last I tried the 98 Fox Creek Reserve was four years ago. It was a stunning wine then, and I was hoping for the same experience. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Out of the bottle, nose was closed down but it was very big and full in the mouth. it took about 30 minutes before the nost opened up to reveal rich black berries, but it never opened up as much as I would have expected, at about the same time, it started to lose it's velvety texture and the finish hollowed out, was short, and harsh. After two hours, the wine had shut down. I originally thought it merited a 92 but that window was rather brief.
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Although I know many others have been trashing this wine for awhile now, saying it's rapidly going down the tubes, I'd had only good experiences with this wine for the past few years. This bottle, however, finally started to suggest to me that it's high time to drink the rest up. Good opaque purple still, with moderate plummy, berryish fruit on the nose, but somewhat stunted. The palate was also a bit simplistic, with straightforward black fruit and moderate alcohol on the finish.
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sampled over the course of 4 hours, still dark purple to black, nose is still bursting with fruit and sweet vanillin, on the palate it attacks with waves of luscious fruit, but on the back palate and finish the fruit lacks a bit of the intensity that just
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dark inky color, intense nose of fruit and American oak, incredible concentration, very oaky at first, despite decanting 2 hours in advance, but integrated in the glass, still tight but opening
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Inky, opaque purple in color. Loaded with tons of ripe black fruits, fruitcake, spice and hints of coconut. Wonderful "confectionary" quality to the fruit that clings to the palate long after you taste. A bit of a pepper on the finish. Drinking great now, but I have no idea how it will age. A fun drink.
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3/31/2024 - Philckw Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was worried as the last drink date was stated 2015. I wanted to keep this for a special occasion and well, Easter counts and with friends… delicious mature Shiraz! I would say secondary notes but not tertiary… deep ruby red, raisins, plums, slight spices, oak, eucalyptus…medium bodied and finishing medium long…. What can I say…. 25-26yr old wine from Fox Creek Aussie….. luckily I have one more!
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1/28/2024 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Still very much alive. Fresh, balanced, distinguished. Love it.
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11/11/2022 - Joealex Likes this wine: 96 Points
Celebrating of Poland's Independece Day - 11th of November.
Color is dark dark burgundy turning to black, there is no evidence of over extraction.
In smell baked blueberry/black currants pie with fresh baking spices, raisins and broth, nuanced and ccomplex.
On palate is soft with a texture reminiscent of luxurious wines from another Australian producer - Penfolds, but not as massive and concentrated as many shiraz wines from the neighboring Barossa.
I would say rather medium body, and at the same time rich, complex (intellectually satisfying) with an 30 seconds aftertaste without the feeling of high alcohol or bitterness.
Elegant, complex wine with a plush texture, without a feeling of heaviness, massiveness or excessive extraction. Great balance of very good acidity, fruity sweetness, a tannic backbone and perfectly hidden alcohol (14.5%). There is no feeling of any exaggeration, heaviness, clumsiness or, on the other hand, some watery or acidity. If you can imagine a perfectly mature wine in which all the elements fit together and put together in the best possible way, then we will get such a wine as perfectly mature Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve 1998.
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12/19/2021 - Wijnamateur Likes this wine: 98 Points
Peaking now. brilliantly stylish and seductive. This wine shows depth freshness and sweet ripe tannins. Pure bliss
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12/11/2021 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Brown spices, raisins and dates, decayed leaves, wet oak, smoke, cured ham beef broth.
On the downslope, still godd though, due to its impressive midpalate and balance.
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2/8/2021 - Al’s Cellar wrote:
At its peak
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12/26/2020 - Caruso Likes this wine: 98 Points
Stored at 10-11°C since release. Purple to the rim. From the start and getting complex faster with a decant, explosive nose of bramble, black currants, incense, cedar, raspberries, licorice. On the palate light on its feet with no heat or noticeable alcohol (at least if you don't exceed 18-19°C), but still a backbone of smooth tannin. This is really drinking great now and I believe it is not likely to improve, maybe shed some of its tannin, but also loosing some fruit intensity furthermore. Great lenght, fruit driven finish. This is extraordinary balanced with refreshing animating acidity. 5/14/19/10. 98 points from Parker 2000, 96 from Parker 2009 and from a european point of view with an emphasis on balance and elegance for me 98 again. A bit more nuances and shades and it would be perfect.
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7/19/2020 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 75cl, short but excellent cork (it IS possible!) decanted 1 hour. I'd never have guessed this as a pure Shiraz. It smells and tastes more of super-ripe blackcurrant than blackberry, and indeed has the acidic backbone I'd associate more with Cabernet Sauvignon than Shiraz. Even the unctuous, glycerine-laden texture seems a bit slimmer than I'd expect, but there is some dark bramble character towards the finish which make it more plausible, and of course quite some alcoholic heat (only 14,5% alc according to the label, but I'm not quite sure that's the whole story). Not had a disappointing 1998 from SA yet, and this is no exception. The ratings here seem a bit too high nevertheless, given what the likes of d'Arenberg (Coppermine Road CS, Dead Arm Shiraz), Bowen Estate (CS) and probably also the top Penfolds wines cited in other CT TNs (alas, out of my budget range) delivered in this magnificent vintage. Probably fine for another few years, given good storage. 90-91P
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7/8/2020 - LTTC wrote: 91 Points
(YC) Second and the last bottle. Last tasted this wine in 2017 and it has barely aged since then. PNP - blackcurrant, spices and a whiff of eucalyptus on the nose. Rich and powerful, supported by grainy tannins. This is a big wine with good potential. I left the table too soon, and now wish to taste it again. 91+
(~2300 bottles produced)
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10/4/2019 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 98 Points
Still going strong after all these years, contradicting the Aussie doubters who said these fruit bombs wouldn't last. As an unknown, we thought it was a mature Grange. Typical Aussie shiraz aromas of black raspberries, blackberries, and toasty American oak, complex. Very smooth and balanced flavors to match, full-bodied but definitely more integrated and balanced than years earlier. A touch of sweetness but no prune notes to suggest t's too old. Wonderful long aftertaste. Rated 98 when first released, and still just as great now. Our last bottle, signed by Sparky Marquis. Drink up if you have any.
Ric
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7/21/2019 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fairly intense for a 98 Shiraz, but elegant and balanced; quintessential Shiraz nose, great finish, after a while alcohol is very visible.
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3/2/2019 - Barnaby33 wrote:
Second bottle, much the same as the first, though no hint of VA on this one. Fully resolved, tannins do approach harsh but never quite got there on this bottle. Still, drink em if ya got em!
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12/23/2018 - Barnaby33 wrote:
Ready to go. Still has really good fruit though the tannins get a bit harsh. Just a hint of VA poking out, but not enough to reject the wine. Drink-em-if-ya-got-em.
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12/9/2018 - Gen NY Likes this wine: 92 Points
I went looking for this after liking the 97. I cant say that this better, just different. Theres more exciting fruit and mineral left in the 98 but is not as elegant as the 97.
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9/30/2018 - peterk wrote:
Popped and poured - should have decanted and left. Still young and intense.
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9/30/2018 - Rigden Likes this wine: 98 Points
Elegant, velvety, gentle finsih, joyful, seductively sublime, earthy.
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9/6/2018 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 93 Points
I love these 1998 Aussies. Sweet expressive fruit right our of the bottle. Smooth and soft but flavorful.
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5/30/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
While decanting, it did not smell great. Left in the decanter and then in the glass the evolution of the wine was mesmerizing. #1 of the flight of 3. Better after an hr.
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5/13/2018 - Psdycp Likes this wine: 93 Points
The colour of this wine is bright red at the rim and deep burgundy in the core, still very youthful looking. Bouquet is sophisticated and refined with notes of smoky plums, toasty oak, earthy clove and nutmeg when first opened. Palate is rich and layered, dense and refined at the same time. There are fresh blue berries with peppermint, graphite and hints of fragrant sandal wood. Balanced structure, every elements is in harmony yet with the right burst of energy at the finish that lingers. At its peak now, don’t have to wait any longer. Definitely better vintage than the 1996 and 1997.
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3/29/2018 - wcf1946 Likes this wine: 92 Points
For a 20 year old wine it tasted like it was made yesterday. The cork and fill level were perfect. At first I thought somebody glued the 1998 label on a new bottle of Aussie Shiraz. But a thick level of sediment poured out with the last glass. Drank over three days, and it was declining on the 3rd day. I remember it tasted fresher and more balanced when I first drank it upon release almost 20 years ago. It is still very good with a long finish and tannins that are not overpowering. But the fruit levels tasted somewhat flat. Certainly not worth the $75 I paid, and I'm glad I bought just one bottle.
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8/12/2017 - Verb wrote: 92 Points
this wine won all of our Aussie tastings in early 2000 when it was acquired - has aged into a beautifully balanced shiraz, but not as exciting as in its youth - decidedly eucalyptus nose mingled with blackberries and hints of dark chocolate - full mouth but not quite as rich as other 98 shirazes - velvety medium length finish - love this wine, but I had hoped for more complexity with age - probably too hopeful!
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4/8/2017 - sambrose wrote:
Vanilla top note, lots of oak
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12/14/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened to breathe for 30 min with lunch. Great chiseled nose, restrained red fruit, excellent balance; consistent with my previous note. Still in its drinking window.
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11/1/2016 - Caruso Likes this wine: 97 Points
Stored under ideal conditions since release. Cork is not soaked, but as if it was corked yesterday. Purple with no sign of age. The nose is lovely, intense even without swirling, black currant, flowers, thyme, incense and minerals. On the palate concentrated but without any heaviness. Significant amounts of tannin on the palate and a long long finish. This is still on the very young side and should age beautiful for some decades. -2040
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10/15/2016 - Loekkeboe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good shiraz. Fresh and only just maturing now.
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10/1/2016 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
Subtle herb and mint notes with macerated plum, black currant and dark fruit. Develops a lovely rose petal/floral quality as well as a savory meaty note. Great meaty iron flavor with wonderful red plum, dark fruit and pepper. Velvety texture, fully integrated tannin; long finish.
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8/24/2016 - Lousyfreak wrote: 92 Points
Awesome. So sad when it finished. Nicely evolved.
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8/6/2016 - Javachip wrote: 96 Points
A San Diego Birthday Bash (San Diego, California): Tasted semi-blind. SD-Wineaux told us the vintage, region, and varietal, but not the producer. Decanted and re-bottled two hours before tasting. Clear inky garnet color. Glorious bouquet leaping from the glass: black fruit and liqueurs, baking spices, forest floor. Bursting with juicy acidity on the palate, impeccable balance, invigorating, clean and fresh, full body but not fatiguing. My #1 and group's #2 among three 1998 Aussies, easily beating 1998 Grange!
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3/9/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a case acquired at auction. Opened to breathe for 1-2h. Cork was intact and came out with no issues. Immediately accessible after opening (this would be a good wine to bring to a restaurant). Beautiful shiraz. Earthy woodsy nose. Round, full, and mature; cranberry, spice, oak and tannins. Lovely, lasting finish. Tonight with turkey breast and salmon sashimi. At peak with plenty of life left.
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12/15/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully aged Modern Classic. Bacon fat, smoke and black pepper prevail. Black fruit and banana skin still present, lurkin' in the background, like a testimony of winemaking in the late nineties. Not at all heavy or obtrusive, great balance. Pure pleasure. Drank the bottle over 5 days... Was holding up great.
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11/17/2015 - Nicholas81 wrote: 93 Points
Perfect to be consumed now. The nose was still alive and kicking with loads of dark sweet berries, oak, coffee, cocoa, spice, vanilla and slight dried fruit lurking in the corners. Though seemingly in the style of being big and fruity, it was also at the same time rounded and balanced with slightly pronounced fruits and sweetness but at a very moderate acceptable un-fruit bomb-ish level. The palate was extremely smooth and velvety with slightly subdued levels of intensity in the earthy fruit compared to the nose. The tannins had just about integrated with the fruit and acid to create a very silky mouthfeel with no resistance whatsoever. The finish followed down the sides of the mouth with flavours of burnt caramel sauce covered berries which very slowly faded away. One of the most memorable Australian Shirazes i have ever tasted. If I could find anything wrong, it would be that the wine might have been slightly better if tasted a year before as the fruit on the palate seem to be a mite unfocused and bracing for the drop over the curve. But that really depends on bottle variation and your luck. So drink up and enjoy.
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10/20/2015 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
prachtig, maak het wel waar, heerlijk drinkbaar, soepel, met veel inhoud, lekker gerijpt fruit, balans is helemaal goed
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9/21/2015 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Aussie Shiraz (Edina Country Club): Consistent with previous notes. Rich and big, yet it has balance.
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9/20/2015 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Certainly not the best bottle I have had of this wine and I would say drink up. Blackberries, minerals, menthol and coffee beans. Medium to long finish and complex wine. Third best wine tonight.
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9/20/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
High Scoring Aussies (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): very dark red color with subtle hints of bricking. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Two years since last tasting this and it is apparent that it is on the decline. Still really a nice wine, complete, balanced and complex with red fruit and leather on the nose, menthol, and spices. On the plate, probably the most resolved wine of the evening, blackberry liqueur, hints of cassis. still some firm tannins, and some red fruit that finishes. I'd finish thee rather soon.
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9/20/2015 - mzimberg wrote: 93 Points
Aussie's at Edina Country Club (Edina): Inky all thru. Bacon fat, full, sweet, incredibly compelling aromas and a sweet core of a palate. High alcohol in the long finish (we don't believe the 14.5% on the label) but it works well.
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7/4/2015 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark brooding color, sweet palate taste, long finish, good mouth feel. Delightful.
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7/2/2015 - Wardyn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red currants and floral notes on the nose intermixed with some tar and toast. Crispy yet slightly subdued red currant fruits attack the front palate. The mid palate is filled with creamy vanilla, chocolate, sweet melted tannins with gentle spices in the background. Very well balanced wine and finishes with slight heat. Good quality per price ratio. Impressive. Drink now.
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6/26/2015 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Game dinner with friends (@ t Jachthuis): Beautiful and mature bouquet with dark forest fruits, chocolate, sweet spices and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate the same impressions, mild acidity and tannin. Beautiful and mature wine. No real hurry.
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6/16/2015 - hsacks Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of blueberries, mocha, licorice and wood spices. Ripe, beautifully structured, complex fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and a long, sweet finish. Very integrated, suave and persistent on the palate. This bottle has been in my cellar for over 15 years and was still very fresh and showing no signs of fatigue. Though having lost the baby fat of its youth, this beautifully balanced and elegant wine was still richly extracted and quietly powerful. This outstanding 17 year old Aussie Shiraz was the WOTN and delicious with the compelling food at Laurel Restaurant.
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4/11/2015 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Lacks the awesomeness of previous bottles. Getting a little too much secondary character and lacks the fruit of others. Graphite, pepper, spices and red fruits. While not a powerful finish it still lingers for 25 seconds. Recommend drinking these up.
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3/1/2015 - thalver wrote:
I think the flavor profile was very much as it was when I had this wine 15 years ago. While it might have mellowed a bit, this is far from a shrinking violet it still drinks quite young and quite Shiraz. Given its current plateau, I don't see it changing in the short or mid term. Drink now unless you have the courage to hold for a long time to see if anything changes.
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1/20/2015 - calgarywino wrote: 89 Points
Much preferred this wine as a young fruit bomb. wine has well integrated tannins, not that they were prominent in its youth. Not a lot of noce going on here. Much preferred a '99 JSM we had a month ago.
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1/4/2015 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour, then followed over about 2 hours. Rich cocoa, blueberry and vanilla. We had this alongside the 1997 and it was significantly better. Definitely more balanced than most Aussie wines, but still obviously Australian.
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11/19/2014 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 85 Points
I didn't mind it. Very fruit forward, mostly red fruits. Not much in the way of tannins left. Oh, and the fruit forwardness is personified by sweetness. Would be great with chocolate.
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10/16/2014 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting. Coravined this bottle 6 weeks ago after drinking a glass, which was great. six weeks later the wine had aged and slipped a bit with the flavor. Not bad but noticeably different.
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9/13/2014 - MarcS wrote: 89 Points
A solid wine, smoothed out well by time, still nice and fruity and reasonably well balanced. But lacks subtlety/complexity.
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9/10/2014 - Mlermontov wrote: 90 Points
Blind Tasting in Astoria: see the note for 97. ripe, black fruit. oak is present but does not (or cannot?) overpower the fruit... not my cup of jam
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4/22/2014 - calodo2011 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful, but last bottle v
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2/28/2014 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: flawed
Corked! Damm
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12/25/2013 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
2013 Family Xmas; 12/24/2013-12/25/2013 (Alicante): Still a dark colour with brick edges.
Lovely nose of eucalyptus, very mineral.
Meaty on the palate, little tannic and absolutely savoury.
An outstanding bottle at the beastie side more than at the elegant one.
Matched with a lamb leg for Xmas lunch. Something different.
Todavía un color oscuro con bordes anaranjados.
Bella nariz a eucaliptos, muy mineral.
Cárnica en boca, un poco tánica y totalmente sabrosa.
Una botella fuera de lo común del lado bestia más que del elegante.
Acompañó una paletilla de cordero lechal. Algo realmente diferente.
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12/6/2013 - Vinoevelo wrote: 94 Points
wow. wonderful nose of cranberry, black olives, earth, sage, and tons of gamey meat. The nose follows through the start of the palate, medium+ body, finishing in blue fruits, white pepper, licorice and dark chocolate.
A wonderful example of what aussie shiraz can be without being some over-oaked, spoofy 'hedonistic fruit bomb'.
drinking great now. could age a while longer to trade off fruit for more secondary characteristics if that's your thing.
Will seek out more.
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11/11/2013 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
A 2 hour decant. This was better than some early-2000 vintage bottles I've had previously that were still nice. Lots of blackberry, a little cloying at first but quickly settles into a nuanced feminine drink. Licorice, black pepper, prefume, a little annoying new world blueberry vanilla oak, a very long finish. This is the kind of Aussie shiraz I like to drink.
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11/9/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
High Scoring Australian Shiraz (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. 1.5hr decant, 2oz pour followed for an hour. This has a lovely nose that kept improving in the glass. Ultimately there is a sweet perfume, earthy, red fruits, cherry, berries, ripe, spices (eucalyptus that blows off). The palate is elegant and feminine, with lovely red fruits, red cherry, medium body, tart fruit, an undercurrent of darker fruit, briar, oak, black pepper. Medium plus finish. There is some sign of heat at times, but this largely resolves. This wine really improved in glass and had there been a larger pour or opportunity to revisit this may have bumped a point or so. This what I love to find in Aussie shiraz. 93+pts to 94pts.
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11/9/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 96 Points
Australia Big Guns Shiraz Tasting (Kevin's (Minneapolis)): Outstanding wine and a real benchmark wine for anyone drinking Aussie Shiraz from mid 90s to present. Black licorice, black pepper, mild fruits, chocolate notes and wood. Soft tannins and fine sediment. Balanced and long finish with more secondary notes on this tasting than the last 3 plus years ago. This wine for $50 (purchased recently) is my QPR of the year and should be enjoyed within the next few years.
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8/17/2013 - Double J Likes this wine: 92 Points
I carried a few of these beauties back from the cellar door, via China - part of 18 bottles stashed in my luggage. This weekend seemed like the right time to rip the scab off a bottle and give it a look. And what a delightful bottle of Shiraz it has become.
Color: Deep crimson
Nose: Raspberries, blackberries, cocoa and anise
The mouthfeel is superb, velvety and mouth-coating without the cloying, syrupy texture of so many over-done Shiraz. The palate is more floral than spicy - it wouldn't be a stretch to describe this wine as "pretty." Mind you, it's no lightweight - there's plenty of fruit here, balanced with solid tannins.
I wouldn't speculate as to how long this might last, but it's damn good right now.
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7/14/2013 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double-decanted for 30mins and cooled down, which seemed about right. A full-bodied but balanced shiraz with real elegance despite its size. This is not a fruit bomb. Lovely nose of mint, anise and smoke. Rich and velvety in the mouth with a wonderful entry, slightly acidic but smooth mid-palate and wonderful long finish with a very gentle white pepper element. Very food friendly. Drinking wonderfully now, but will surely last until at least 2020.
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4/2/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 97 Points
This is a grand wine at its zenith!
A huge, elegant, inviting nose of anise seeds, industrial rubber, spice, scorched earth, smoke and blood. Browning colors. In the mouth this is simply FANTASTIC. Elegant, elevated, majestic... Enters distinctly with the mid-palate like a fireworks display of a large number of aromas, exiting with mature M+ tannins and a plethora of tastes that revolve and evolve. We counted (in no particular order) lingonberry jam, quince, tar, mint, eucalyptus, dragon, rosemary, new tires, crushed anise, coumarin and fennel seeds "kryddost" and wet grass... Every sip was a new experience. Married especially tonight's wagyu beef plate.
This is a refined Aussie Shiraz that drank perfectly tonight. Only botle, perfect timing. Still very much alive, but no more climbing up the hill. QPR like yauwsa!
@Restaurant Tani in Gaienmae, Tokyo. W/UlfJulie.
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2/18/2013 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fading gracefully but still fading. More floral than fruity now. Enjoyable but quite light tasting despite the very dark color of the wine. I can't see this wine improving from here so my advice is to drink up. This was my last bottle.
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12/25/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:
Still showing that amazing deep purple color with very little signs of lightening. Still good fruit showing, but the big primary sweetness is all gone. Fruit, eucalyptus, earth. WOW
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12/23/2012 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice and smooth but fading a bit. I would drink up now as this wine might just fade away. Ate with lamb and I don't think this was the right pairing given where this wine is right now. This wine has evolved nicely but, in my opinion, should have been consumed a couple of years ago when it had a bit more punch.
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12/7/2012 - godx wrote:
Bill's Monthly Lunch - December 2012 (Le Gavroche): New world sweet nose, very dark with roasted and ripe fruits. The roasted and ripe character carries onto the palate. A good cheese wine. Others who like this style really enjoyed this but it’s not for me. Too sweet, too ripe, too roasted.
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11/14/2012 - Jack wrote: 97 Points
Wow. Really smooth and really good. the opposite of in your face Aussie Shiraz.
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10/23/2012 - dtscbs wrote: flawed
Corked! Dammit!
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10/5/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Looking for a big, Parkerized Shiraz? Look elsewhere. I forgot that, and was initially a bit disappointed when I opened this bottle. Where's the kick? Where's the full throttle? It isn't here. Instead, well behaved, smooth, elegant. Seems fully resolved and at peak....I don't see any need to hold these any longer. This bottle seems a bit softer than others. Still very nice, but lacks that something extra. Food pairing - I'm not quite sure....a steak without a lot of additional spicing (e.g. no Paul Prudhomme spicing) is probably the ticket.
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9/23/2012 - hkm520240 wrote: 94 Points
Dark garnet with crimson hue. Big & Powerful nose.
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8/23/2012 - Dave Herzig Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very smooth wine with lots of fruity aroma's and flavors.
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7/22/2012 - dtirsell wrote: 92 Points
Luxious, rich, still bright, high octane red fruit, slightly tart, have always loved this wine! Holding up well, no sign of age.
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6/23/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 95 Points
Drank w. FBM. No detailed notes, but a stunning effort. Nicely balanced, with accent notes of eucalyptus. Seemingly made in a "pre-Parker" style, with none of the "over the top" character in some of the more recent Shiraz. This could be a ringer in a Penfolds Grange tasting.
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3/17/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Mega-Pointer Dinner (Yuan Wei Deep-Sea Garoupa, Serangoon Road): This was an objectively an excellently crafted wine that will give aficionados of a particular style of wine great pleasure, but I think most of us around the table having started on a diet of these bir, rich, muscular Aussie Shirazes have moved some way away in recent years. Still though, this was a nice wine. It had a lovely nose that could only have come from Australia, with deep layers of sweet plums, blueberries and blackcherries, dark chocolate and wood spice, eucalyptus and smoke. The palate was rich, thick, almost viscous, with huge depth to its black fruited flavours of plums and blackberries laced with citrus acidity and fine, slightly powdery tannins stretching into a long, eucalyptus-spiked finish. Beneath all that fruit, there was an intriguingly salty, savoury undercurrant almost like salted caramel, dried earth, roasted meats and black chocolates rolled into a smoky whole under the riper fruit tones in a beautiful long finish. Very delicious. We decanted this for half an hour before serving and I got a feeling that this was barely enough - all these little complexities were just starting to show. This was the oldest of the reds represented by some distance and the highest scoring wine on the table (It was a massive RP98 points on release), yet I somehow felt that we caught it way too young. It was well-structured and beautifully balanced though, and should age for a long, long time yet. Indeed, it was far better when we had the leftovers on day two, with the big fruit calming down a bit, and the lovely balance on the wine showing more. At the moment though, it is still rather a big bruiser of a wine, not without its own sense of elegance amidst the weight, but not quite my style any more. It sure would be interesting to try it a decade down the road though.
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3/17/2012 - Alex H wrote: 87 Points
Black cherries, some sweet choc and dark fruits. Big juicy but not without control. Still controllable
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2/6/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 95 Points
Compared to some other bold wines consumed tonight ('06 Carlisle Cardiac Syrah, '05 Turley Ueberroth) this initially seemed tired. But....between a few minutes of air, and a palate recalibration....wow! Yes, this is subtle in comparison. On the nose, subtle but intoxicating perfumed aromatics. More delicate than many, with a hint of floral lift. On the palate, very balanced, very resolved. Rich mouthfeel without being overpowering. Trends more towards Grange than to the more overblown examples of Oz.
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12/19/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 95 Points
Dark fruit, eucalyptus and a hint of brown sugar on a very fragrant nose. More of the same on the a surprisingly balance palate. Aussie flavor profile with an unusual level of elegance. Finish hangs on impressively. Still young enough to need a few minutes in the glass or decanter to open up.
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10/25/2011 - gondrik wrote: 95 Points
Dark purple and small bit of sediment. This wine was substantial, yet light compared to most Aussie Shiraz. It was rather complex and interesting with beautiful flavors.
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8/31/2011 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
- Violet color with fast forming legs and aromas of raspberry, blackberry and black pepper. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and black pepper with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - One of only two wines, of eight(8),that passed muster at the 8/26/2011 Wine Watch Shiraz tasting. The other the 99 Run Rig. Delicious still. I last had this probably ten years ago.
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8/26/2011 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote:
Wine Watch
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6/5/2011 - last chance wrote: 95 Points
Blind Syrah Tasting w/ Ryan Johnson, Dick Boushey, Eric LeVine, and MrBigJ (Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. (Group's #2 (my #1)) – 3 first place votes, 7 second place vote, 2 third place votes, no fourth place votes – The nose of this wine was loaded with eucalyptus and herbs. Even before tasting this wine, I was thinking this was a Thackrey Orion right away. The palate had flavors of plums, berries, licorice, eucalyptus and spice. Big mouthfeel and a nice, long finish. When this was revealed as one of Sparky's wines, I was quite surprised. This was very different than I would have expected it to taste like. I've had other Fox Creek wines and other wines that Sparky Marquis made, but none of them ever tasted like this... Great stuff!
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5/31/2011 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Same as last couple of notes. Really in a good place.
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3/9/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Barossa Shiraz Tasting (Mike and Chris' Place in Evanston): Aromatically challenged. Elegant aromas. Black, blue, coal. A little sea breeze.
Some age showing on the nose and palate. Okay but not very exciting. Palate shows better than the nose for once.
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1/22/2011 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 95 Points
Deep garnet. Nose of plums, eucalyptus, smooth and perfumy. The nose was easily smelled across the table from the glass. Taste was smooth, black fruits,plums, mint. This is one of the best Oz Shiraz I have had in a long time.
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12/22/2010 - 309VEB wrote: 89 Points
Compared to the last bottle I drank in March this bottle seemed closed. I decanted but not long enough. By the end it had started to open up. While smooth the flavors were hidden at the beginning. I think this wine will still improve. If you drink now give it some time in the decanter.
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9/4/2010 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
One of my favorite Aussie wines from the great '98 vintage. I've read some negative reviews of this wine but I've loved every bottle I've consumed. A monumental effort that should last at least another five years perhaps longer.
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8/21/2010 - michaelgor wrote: 95 Points
12 years old..still dk red...totally opaque... no brown at edges...loads of white pepper, some licorice..coffee..dark plum on the nose...smooth palate..tannins well integrated with abundant fruit remaining..30 second finish..IMO this will cellar for another 3-5 years at least..a wonderful wine...and with BBQ Flannery’s hanger steak..it was..... like...WOW !!!
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4/25/2010 - nvandyk wrote: 93 Points
Medium purple. Lots of white pepper on the nose, with plum and a bit of spice underneath. Dominant pepper note with a creamy plum / dark fruit underneath. Quite nice and a bit subtler than I was expecting. Seems to be aging quite well.
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3/20/2010 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
This was a very pleasant surprise. Much, much better than the one I had a couple years ago. Deep purple, good nose of dark fruit and pepper. Surprisingly medium bodied on the palate, with lip smacking, but in control, fruit, and a slathering of spice. Nice finish. So yes Santa, these can age well.
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3/6/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Dense and dark colour. Black fruit, cassis.
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1/29/2010 - Kevin_C wrote: 95 Points
This was opened, decanted and gone in less than two hours. Creamy oak with a dark blue/black fruit bouquet that continues to get deeper. This has a massive palate that is superbly balanced and remarkably light on its toes. Some hints at a couple different fruit profiles in the mid-palate. The finish, similar to the bouquet, continued to develop complexity and length with each sip. It's a delicious wine.
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1/6/2010 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Same a last note.
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12/6/2009 - InVinoVeritas01 wrote: flawed
Corked.
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11/20/2009 - JohnSh wrote: 89 Points
Northern Fanatic Friday: Definitely an Aussie shiraz, with mint and dill (American oak, I suspect) on the nose. Nicer on the palate, with lovely texture, but still a fair bit of dill and (less so) mint. Plums, licorice and pepper too. Very nice, but I'm never a fan of dill note in Aussie shiraz, so that bumped it down for me (B+).
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7/9/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 91 Points
Still fairly full-bodied but not overwhelming in it's dark fruit weight at all anymore. The fruit center has fanned out to involve some brighter tangier flavors, meanwhile the oak seems to be adding a dilly herb component rather than the creamy weight of it's youth. A different animal than the younger FB to be sure... not sure exactly how I feel about it.
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7/7/2009 - mwhitmoe wrote: 91 Points
Black fruits, cassis and green apple (?) flavors. Nice earthiness. Really opens up with time. Seemed to be at its best about 3 hours after opening. Full bodied. Not as long of a finish as expected. But an excellent wine overall.
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5/27/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Another great bottle. I loved this wine when it was young but it's also evolved into a very nice wine with 11 years of age but should hold for at least 5 more years. Definitely happy to have 3 bottles left.
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3/9/2009 - 309VEB wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well now. Classic Aussie shiraz. This wine has mellowed out nicely and is not a fruit bomb.
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2/21/2009 - Senior wrote: 95 Points
This is a terrific wine. Now at it's peak it is full bodied, fruity, powerful, etc.
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8/14/2008 - Kevin_C wrote: 96 Points
Dark purple core with slight red hue on the rim. Nose displays juicy blueberry and candied blackberries with amazing depth that just goes on and on. It is so enticing it actually made me giggle out loud. The fruit profile develops intensity and is complimented by spice and menthol. Initially, the liquid appears thick and heavy as one would expect from an Australian shiraz but over time high levels of glycerin emerge giving this a cabernet-like appearance. This wine reminds me of an elephant wearing a ballerina costume. Nice balance from the beginning which becomes more symmetrical and fine-tuned over time. The lovely fruit I smell in the nose is displayed in the front palate followed by chocolate and coffee on the back. The finish is a marriage of both profiles that lasts 30+ seconds. A remarkable wine that has many years ahead of it.
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8/12/2008 - dbg wrote:
excellent
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7/25/2008 - buckeye76 wrote: 96 Points
VERY NICE NOW BUT SHOULD CONTINUE IMPROVING. DEEP COLOR WITH INCREDIBLE PURPLE LEGS IN THE GLASS. HUGE RICH FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR AND A LONG FINISH.
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5/1/2008 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Very enjoyable. Smooth tannin and the in your face fruit has integrated but is still rich. No heat.
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4/28/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
G7 (Jock): Blackberry, blueberry and earth with lots of liquorice. Chewy tannins. Some heat peeks through on the long finish.
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4/28/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 89 Points
decent performance, integrated tannin, but i was put off by some heat on the finish, and a very strong/overwhelming licorice taste.
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4/22/2008 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 97 Points
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Rich and opulent. Blackberry, oak, plum, black pepper
Taste: Violets, oak, black pepper, spice, blackberries, raspberries, vanilla, and integrated tannins.
Finish: Oak, spice, black pepper, blackberries, vanilla, and a buttery finish that lasts for over 3 minutes. Super complex wine and balanced!
One of the best Aussie wines I have ever tasted.
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4/3/2008 - Nanda wrote: 97 Points
WineFlock - 98 Aussies (Chris' Place): Soaring, unbelievable nose has killer fruits --- black, ripe, rich, candied ... you name it. Layered aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, toast, vanilla and christmas spices. Palate is thick, full-bodied and rich. Showing terrific balance with well-integrated oak, fine tannins and pure black fruits. Finish goes on and on. A superb wine. My #2, Group #2.
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3/18/2008 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Bold blackcurrant, chocolate, pepper and spices on the nose. Very youthful palate, thick and weighty but still balanced. Lots of potential.
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3/1/2008 - cadamson wrote: 88 Points
Hard to say on the first night. Pitch purple, lots of pepper, good dark fruit, dry finish. Sort of muted, but great potential, will leave open for a while and report back if it opens up. Next Day... just never gained the structure I was hoping for. Dry finish, dark fruit with good flavor, licorice, enjoyable, just did not meet expectations. Tons of sediment.
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1/3/2008 - Biglama wrote: 89 Points
rode kleur, veel neus, vanille rijp fruit, licht wat motorolie, smaak is zoet in de aanvang, rijp en warm, heel aanwezig, romig. wel goed drinkbaar met de maaltijd
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12/20/2007 - Biglama wrote: 90 Points
diep rood, uitbundige neus met veel vanille en warmte, eucalyptus, leer pruim , smaak is vol en warm met zoetje en zachte tannines, mist iets verfijning
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12/12/2007 - yogi wrote: 95 Points
Fresh, vigorous, immediately appealing. The primary fruit is still abundant: blueberries, blackberries, cedar, and coffee pour out of the glass. Fragrant while still in the glass. On the palate, beautifully balanced. Velvety, but still with plenty of structure. Still comes across as youthful with years yet to go. Delicious.
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11/17/2007 - djdaqm wrote: 90 Points
Quite a masculine wine. Explosive flavors. Long finish. Purple concentrated ink. Soft tannins. It is a wine that has a lot of things going for it. However, it is not that much fun to drink. It does not taste that great.
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9/28/2007 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
These are ready to go with a 2 hour decant. The in your face, jammy sweet fruit has toned down a notch but they are still very rich.
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9/3/2007 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 93 Points
This big boy finally settled down to become a beautiful shiraz.
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4/15/2007 - Screameagle wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this wine has sure improved over the last bottle I consumed. Amazingly it is still a baby and has many years ahead of it. It has successfully emerged from a difficult adolescent and hopefully will only improve from here. Be sure to decant for at least 3 hours as a previous poster wisely advised.
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4/12/2007 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
Starting to wake up after a long sleep. It still tastes incredibly young but the tannin is begining to integrate. Finishes just a little hot. Ok right out of the bottle but you'll be much happier if you give it 2 hours to open up.
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4/9/2007 - simpsonr wrote: 95 Points
Holy cow, was this bottled yesterday? This is a big wine with tons of personality with flavor intensity to spare. However this is light of its feet and comes across very tight. I look forward to this uncoiling in another decade. A great showing.
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3/7/2007 - pnuszen wrote: 91 Points
Welll balanced and pleasant but faint on the nose....could not really identify the tastes as clearly as i would have liked.....enjoyable...but not memorable...nicely paired with the marinated turkey we were eating....
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2/15/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Not quite as good a bottle as the last, likely because I did not decant. This wine continues to surprise with it bright, energetic profile. Certainly not one of those thick, ponderous Shiraz. The nose shows black fruits, almost stony in nature, peach schnaps and a pleasing dollop of buttery oak with a touch of coconut. Crisp, clean blackberry fruit, a hint of minerals and flowers on the medium-bodied palate. Surprisingly fresh and acid driven on the finish. The acid does have a citrus edge to it. Seems to have the legs to go another few years and I recommend decanted for a couple of hours if consumed now.
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1/26/2007 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle was in 2004 and I recall it didn’t have the vibrancy when I tried this last back in 2001 (I still remember this wine on release, it was stunning). Although the fruit has settled down a lot, this was still a great bottle of wine. Very slow improvement over sixty minutes, it held for another 2 hours. Some chocolate and spice, some blueberry and a hit of eucalyptus. Overall, the nose was a little depressed, and the finish shorter than I recall in 2004. While I think this bottle was better than the one I tried in 2004, it’s still a shallow example of what it was back in 2001.
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12/23/2006 - JeffGMorris wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Mom at Wild Orchid. Purple in color and very muscular, this wine seems to have integrated since I last had it a few years ago and is drinking well, although still in an in your face style. Blueberries, chocolate and eucalyptus mix with mild coconut that is clearly from the new oak aging, but not obtrusive. 50+13+12+8+8 = 91
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12/22/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
90;78. Tasted blind after 1.5 hours in decanter. Gorgeous looking wine; color all the way to the rim, starting to turn towards brown. Thick looking with slow, small legs on side of glass. Nose has spicy, dark black currant, anis and Asian spices. It is opening up more and getting even richer after another hour. It is rich and fat but still some liveliness to it. Big structure with lots of acidity, very sweet and with a tight tannic structure. On the palate it has fresh cherry fruit, some herbs (thyme) but not that much secndary, darker flavors. Very tight finish. Long aftertaste that is getting longer after an hour more. Cherries, anis, thyme and sweet cola and bubbelgum. I guessed this was a good 97 Cali Cab because of the structure. It was not as focused and intense sweet black currant as previous bottles. (We’ve had approx 10 bottles over the past few years.)
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11/13/2006 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
Big, super-ripe and aromatic. Plummy, spicey and charry. A bit too much char this time around... a bit less would have garnered a higher score. Plump middle and quite a persistent spicy finish. Drinking well but not everyones cup of tea.
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10/26/2006 - otisabdul wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind with 3 other syrahs. This came in third place. Dark color. Coconut, caramel and chocolate milk on the nose. A smooth marble-like texture, with concentrated plummy fruit and a spicy black pepper note. Most of the action is on the front end of this wine, as the finish was rather clipped. Seems to have lost the flamboyance that resulted in Parker's 98P rating. Still a very good bottle, though. Drink now.
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10/1/2006 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
Rich, ripe, spicy and smooth. Not the blockbuster this wine once was, but still a big ball of fun fruit. Noticable oak, but but overbearing. Tannins are very well resolved.
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6/5/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Deep black olive in colour. A room filling nose of plum, vanilla oak, liquorice, blackberry, olive and chocolate with a touch of florality and smoked meat in the background. The palate is unmistakably primary and filled with concentrated, rich fruit flavour. Has great balance and structure which should allow this wine to develop complexity and interest over the next 7-9 years.
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3/17/2006 - JLeader wrote: 91 Points
Massively extracted but starting to calm down a bit finally. Still jammy with a very dense texture, but picking up a little secondary character with a long finish. Just a little on the hot side to detract from the overall impression.
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3/5/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 95 Points
The nose on this wine is human cat-nip - a glorious butter popcorn and berry fruit. There is an intense blast of blackberry on the mid palate and finish. Surprisingly elegant and civilized. Drink soon (and carefully decant) as slightly drying tannins started to emerge at the end of the bottle.
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3/4/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
We still differ in our opinion. We tasted this one blind. I still love it but Lynn gets too harsh tannins and not enough fruit until the very end. I think this bottle is not as much “over the top” as the last one but it is still massive. It has magnificent structure, with big tannins and lots of acidity, but it also has a core of sweetness and lots of fruit, albeit mostly on the finish and aftertaste. It is like they tried to hold the fruit in with a tight corset of tannins and acidity but the corset burst right in the end and the finnish and aftertaste has an enormous burst of black currents, plums and violets.
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11/27/2005 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Rich, decadant and sweet fruit. Lots of spiced plums. Abit more elegant than before, with good structure. Aging surprisingly well.
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11/3/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
Lynn and I differ in our opinions (very rerely do we do that) on this wine. It is a very dark and thick wine. It is an enormously intense, powerful, rich and fat wine. The taste is explosive from entry to finish. I find it fantastic but Lynn finds it too much over the top. I get very intense, pure and clear black currant fruit, but Lynn gets more of a powdery, sweet orange syrup flavor and almost port like. It has a very sweet fruit but the acidity is there to support it and the tannins are also there but very sweet and supple. It has a lot of Asian spices on nose and palate. Long, lingering after-taste. I would give it 98 points but Lynn “only” 94. It is certainly a remarkable wine and how much you like it depends on your preference of styles. This is not for the faint-hearted.
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10/17/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote: 96 Points
Wow, wow & wow. This wine pretty much stole the show when we drank it after one of our "Fight Night" wine taste-offs. A different wine than the last bottle of this I tried. Last time the wine was about structure and restrained power. This time, the wine was an in-your-face, kick-butt Shiraz. Not one bit hot or over-the-top. The most you could say is that the blueberry smoothie profile could be too sweet for some...but not me! This was just smokin' and most of the 10 guys at the tasting loved this. The few who had some cellared were particularly jubilant. To those (and there are many) who say this wine is past prime, I have absolutely no idea what you could mean. I wish I had a lot more than the pair of bottles I have left.
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7/3/2005 - Jack wrote: 88 Points
Tasted 2000 Henry's Drive Resv. and a 1998 Fox Creek Resv. Shiraz. Tonight the HD was a better. The FC was much better than the one I had a couple of years ago but still seemed a little out of balance, flat and nothing like it was on release. Hopefully it continues to improve.
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4/6/2005 - onholiday wrote: 93 Points
Dark, deep purple black. Hints of violets, berries on the nose. On the palate, awash with fine, grainy tannins, a touch of oak, blue and black berries. This is a big, well integrated wine with no hint of decay.
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12/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple color. Forward aroma of black fruit. Rich great black fruits, but well integrated. Drinking well. 11/03
Deep purple/black. Medium aroma. Big black fruit. Acutally showing decent balance. Showing pretty well. 12/04
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8/17/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 96 Points
Opened at cellar temperature and warmed up over the evening. Not decanted as Emile Peynaud says decanting young wines is stupid and Emile is very smart. On opening, an effusive nose of plums and violets with a little medicinal heat. On the palate, full-bodied but, dare I say, refined wine with fantastic acidity that keeps the wine dancing in the mouth. The wine is smooth with a velvety mouthfeel - plush, but not the least bit flabby. Has a hint of Rhonish urine stink, but this adds complexity. Nice plums and fresh blackberries roll across the tongue. A hint of beef blood too. Powdery (bordering on mineral) tannins on the finish. Not a bit "jammy". Exceptional grip and concentration. This wine is not over the hill - this wine is so far from the hill it cannot see it. A tribute to the winemaking abilities of the controversial Sparky Marquis.
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8/6/2004 - Mark wrote: 89 Points
Dinner with Gary in Seattle. The last I tried the 98 Fox Creek Reserve was four years ago. It was a stunning wine then, and I was hoping for the same experience. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Out of the bottle, nose was closed down but it was very big and full in the mouth. it took about 30 minutes before the nost opened up to reveal rich black berries, but it never opened up as much as I would have expected, at about the same time, it started to lose it's velvety texture and the finish hollowed out, was short, and harsh. After two hours, the wine had shut down. I originally thought it merited a 92 but that window was rather brief.
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7/13/2004 - secession wrote: 87 Points
Although I know many others have been trashing this wine for awhile now, saying it's rapidly going down the tubes, I'd had only good experiences with this wine for the past few years. This bottle, however, finally started to suggest to me that it's high time to drink the rest up. Good opaque purple still, with moderate plummy, berryish fruit on the nose, but somewhat stunted. The palate was also a bit simplistic, with straightforward black fruit and moderate alcohol on the finish.
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1/10/2004 - dbg wrote:
sampled over the course of 4 hours, still dark purple to black, nose
is still bursting with fruit and sweet vanillin, on the palate it
attacks with waves of luscious fruit, but on the back palate and
finish the fruit lacks a bit of the intensity that just
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11/1/2003 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Tasting. Big fruit but balanced and nearly elegant. Great structure keeps everything in harmony. Long, pristine finish, very charming.
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3/16/2002 - dbg wrote:
dark inky color, intense nose of fruit and American oak, incredible
concentration, very oaky at first, despite decanting 2 hours in
advance, but integrated in the glass, still tight but opening
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3/31/2001 - mdefreitas wrote: 97 Points
Inky, opaque purple in color. Loaded with tons of ripe black fruits, fruitcake, spice and hints of coconut. Wonderful "confectionary" quality to the fruit that clings to the palate long after you taste. A bit of a pepper on the finish. Drinking great now, but I have no idea how it will age. A fun drink.
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