Neighbors brought this over on 8/29/15 when a severe storm knocked out power and we had a "Syrah by candle light” tasting. It had a deep, ripe and complex bouquet of smoked meat, blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice and spice aromas. The palate was rich, ripe, dry and nicely integrated with flavors that followed the nose. 91+
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Very nice. Gorgeous ruby red. Oak & cedar nose. Delicious deep dark (not sweet) black cherry and blueberry palate. Bright acidity. Hold onto it some more if you're so inclined.
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Good, solid shiraz w/ blueberry, blackberry and cocoa notes. A hint of sweetness from the fruit. Little if any oak, which was a pleasant surprise. Tannins are pretty mellow at this point. Probably not going to improve much with any more age - drink relatively soon.
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Decanted and drank at a BYO French bistro. Lovely pairing with escargot and roast chicken. Subtle floral and fruity nose, but a great body on the palate. Long finish, edging toward tart, but in generally good balance. Would not cellar any longer. Very good Aussie Shiraz at $21.
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Small nose, but deep. I had visions of chocolate, rasberries, and smoky cedar. Very smooth,. Perfect paring with filet mignon, I wish I had a magnum of this!
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I guess I got the ONE good bottle out of the whole batch. Really good Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz blend. Full body, semi dry, hints of caramel, bubble gum, cherry and blueberries. A perfectly fine bottle for a winter night at home.
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I like the fact that its not overly sweet, the taste was nice but rather simple. Would probably be better with food. Unlike other tasters I didn't find it particularly smooth.
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Darkly colored, with a hint of smokiness on the nose. No need to decant poured straight after opening. Taste was fairly straight forward, mostly berries (black & straw) to me. Not strong on the finish and not very tannic. Pretty much the first taste is what you get. Don't get me wrong, it's a good taste, but just good.
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Nose revealed a lot of spice, soft fruit and oak. Surprisingly not over jammy or syrupy which I've come to despise in many Oz wines sold only in the American market. This was very soft, stunning tannins, balance of acidity and fruit, which have given the wine some structure. Flavors of spice, plum and some mineral & earth qualities of a well made wine.
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Dark center, crimson rim. Unremarkable nose with very little oak. Front shows nicely ripened dark fruit, e.g. blackberries & blueberries. Good tannic structure & signature Aussie spice emerge from the midpalate. Finishes on just the right side of bitter. Well balanced. [14.5% abv.; $22.00].
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This wine has loads of plumb and jam on the nose but the taste is less explosive and actually in control with lots of mocha and some chocolate on the cherry side- I happen to really like this producer as it gives me the fruit forward I want at times while still have some structure at a great price around $13
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Wonderful QPR. Strawberry, cocoa and blueberry flavors, mid-weight tannins, long full finish. Pleasant and very quaffable, still going strong on third day.
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big fruity nose with lots of mocha and some smokey cinders. in the mouth agree with strawberry. burnt rubber again. Acidity and tanins not meshing as well for me today as in prior tastings. Notheless, good straightforward food wine.
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Best at the open - popped and poured it offers refreshing balance of fruit and acid. Handles pizza well. But...the fruit is going after about 2 hours and something more hollow and manipulated is left. Mayfly wine.
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It's OK; fairly one-dimensional although refreshing in that it's' lower alcohol than a lot of aussie fruit bombs and not that 'bomb-y'. medium finish; dark ripe fruit and glass-staining purple in color. certainly not worth the 18 dollars average community value. Inoffensive is a good way to describe it - just not that interesting but certainly an OK wine.
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Well integrated alcohol but reminded me of a less than ripe peach. Terrific acids but missing a core sweetness to make a complete package. Slight raisin taste, short clipped finish.
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After reading the other reviews I thought my palate must be off. In my opinion it was an average to slightly above average Shiraz but didn't think there was anything special to set it apart from any number of other Shirazs. Dark purple in color, smooth, low acidity, bright fresh fruit, especially strawberry - giving it a slightly sweet finish. I'd buy it again but only if it were on sale.
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Chewy, rich black currant with gingerbread and coffee in the background. Tanins and acidity come together nicely for a wine in this price category. Enjoyable, as last bottles were. Second day really came into its own.
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Popped and poured this wine tonight, which demonstrated an inky purple color in the glass, with aromas of prominant ripe strawberrys and plummy dark fruit with some cola. On the palate, consistant juicy fruit, fine tannins with good acidity. more of a round, almost elegant mouthfeel to this Shiraz. Which I felt had a less than medium finish and I was expecting more. A pleasant wine, and good QPR from Costco @ $15.99 Tasted this wine again on the next day and the aromas of strawberrys remain ripe. I picked up more smokey vanilla notes this time around. On the palate the acidity remains vibrant but I found the tannins a bit more drying and preferred the tasting on the second night. Second night 90 pts
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Very nice! Pretty ruby color, medium body. Strong blackberries/current pop up front without being at all fruity. Nice balance of flavors. Not much finish.
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Day 1: Very pleasantly surprised by this one. On the larger side with lots of dark fruit. Complimented a honey baked ham almost perfectly. Day 2: Saved a glass or two from the previous day to see how it stood up on its own (it was so good with the honey baked ham the night before that I didn't get a chance to see it on it own). Again, very pleasantly surprised. Giving it a day out a room temp really let it fill out. Became much bigger and creamier in mouth with the same dark fruit from the day before.
Will definitely be purchasing a case or so as a really good casual drinking wine for the winter months.
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Nice. Very nice. Medium to large Shiraz. Definitely Australian style. Plenty of nose with dark aromas of plum and spicy jam. A mouthful of flavors -- plum, blackberry, pepper, charred wood, and a hint of smokiness on the finish. Plenty of tannin to stand up to the fruit, balancing the flavors nicely.
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8/29/2015 - garambler Likes this wine: 91 Points
Neighbors brought this over on 8/29/15 when a severe storm knocked out power and we had a "Syrah by candle light” tasting. It had a deep, ripe and complex bouquet of smoked meat, blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice and spice aromas. The palate was rich, ripe, dry and nicely integrated with flavors that followed the nose. 91+
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3/2/2015 - joel_weller Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Gorgeous ruby red. Oak & cedar nose. Delicious deep dark (not sweet) black cherry and blueberry palate. Bright acidity. Hold onto it some more if you're so inclined.
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7/30/2013 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice Shiraz. Dark in color and holding up nicely. Tannins are smooth and the fruit is not too much. Last of 6 bottles.
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10/9/2012 - Sijan wrote: 88 Points
Good, solid shiraz w/ blueberry, blackberry and cocoa notes. A hint of sweetness from the fruit. Little if any oak, which was a pleasant surprise. Tannins are pretty mellow at this point. Probably not going to improve much with any more age - drink relatively soon.
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5/15/2012 - Wine Poor wrote: 89 Points
black fruit and some tannin still. nice
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2/10/2012 - tenor12bucks Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted and drank at a BYO French bistro. Lovely pairing with escargot and roast chicken. Subtle floral and fruity nose, but a great body on the palate. Long finish, edging toward tart, but in generally good balance. Would not cellar any longer. Very good Aussie Shiraz at $21.
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4/24/2011 - bradc2112 wrote: 90 Points
Small nose, but deep. I had visions of chocolate, rasberries, and smoky cedar. Very smooth,. Perfect paring with filet mignon, I wish I had a magnum of this!
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1/22/2011 - Alekos wrote: 89 Points
Lovely Shiraz, full body, extremely well balanced, beautiful nose and a total crowd pleaser (even within a group who hates Shiraz!).
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12/14/2010 - Alekos wrote: 90 Points
I guess I got the ONE good bottle out of the whole batch. Really good Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz blend. Full body, semi dry, hints of caramel, bubble gum, cherry and blueberries. A perfectly fine bottle for a winter night at home.
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11/6/2010 - mrpalmer wrote: 92 Points
Really nice, balanced wine. Nice finish. Not overpowering.
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2/3/2010 - Hi-Ho-Silver wrote: 88 Points
Very dark, dry, not over extracted.
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1/1/2010 - Winebof wrote: 88 Points
Very good wine - well made and true to the varietal. Can't envision this getting better - especially if not temp-controlled like mine was; DRINK UP
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8/18/2009 - rockenrude wrote: 91 Points
gets better and better as it ages
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3/7/2009 - Hazeo wrote: 86 Points
I like the fact that its not overly sweet, the taste was nice but rather simple. Would probably be better with food. Unlike other tasters I didn't find it particularly smooth.
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2/22/2009 - Colia wrote: 88 Points
black olives, blueberries, bacon. There aren't many tannins, it's very smooth.
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2/22/2009 - Davecapp wrote: 87 Points
Good body, long finish.
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12/20/2008 - Dont_panik wrote: 87 Points
Darkly colored, with a hint of smokiness on the nose. No need to decant poured straight after opening. Taste was fairly straight forward, mostly berries (black & straw) to me. Not strong on the finish and not very tannic. Pretty much the first taste is what you get. Don't get me wrong, it's a good taste, but just good.
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11/16/2008 - VinLancaster wrote: 89 Points
Nose revealed a lot of spice, soft fruit and oak. Surprisingly not over jammy or syrupy which I've come to despise in many Oz wines sold only in the American market. This was very soft, stunning tannins, balance of acidity and fruit, which have given the wine some structure. Flavors of spice, plum and some mineral & earth qualities of a well made wine.
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10/12/2008 - Bacchant wrote: 88 Points
Dark center, crimson rim. Unremarkable nose with very little oak. Front shows nicely ripened dark fruit, e.g. blackberries & blueberries. Good tannic structure & signature Aussie spice emerge from the midpalate. Finishes on just the right side of bitter. Well balanced. [14.5% abv.; $22.00].
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9/21/2008 - kahuna75 wrote: 89 Points
This wine has loads of plumb and jam on the nose but the taste is less explosive and actually in control with lots of mocha and some chocolate on the cherry side- I happen to really like this producer as it gives me the fruit forward I want at times while still have some structure at a great price around $13
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9/20/2008 - slapshot1321 wrote: 92 Points
My absolute favorite shiraz at this price. Loads of fruit, smooth throughout.
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9/6/2008 - snaff wrote: 89 Points
Good QPR. Coffee flavors follow rich berry and cherry.
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8/22/2008 - vinoceros wrote: 90 Points
Repeat.
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8/13/2008 - gesusser wrote: 90 Points
wonderful juice...great upon opening...no decanater here on longboat key; muted yet powerful taste/tones; wish i had more in the cellar...
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7/29/2008 - winejnky wrote: 89 Points
Wonderful QPR. Strawberry, cocoa and blueberry flavors, mid-weight tannins, long full finish. Pleasant and very quaffable, still going strong on third day.
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7/24/2008 - tairanosaurus wrote: 88 Points
big fruity nose with lots of mocha and some smokey cinders. in the mouth agree with strawberry. burnt rubber again. Acidity and tanins not meshing as well for me today as in prior tastings. Notheless, good straightforward food wine.
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6/17/2008 - vinoceros wrote: 92 Points
Still love this wine. Cedar and dark fruit. Well integrated tannins and not too much alcohol.
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6/15/2008 - ljl203 wrote: 87 Points
Best at the open - popped and poured it offers refreshing balance of fruit and acid. Handles pizza well. But...the fruit is going after about 2 hours and something more hollow and manipulated is left. Mayfly wine.
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5/3/2008 - jbeauprez wrote: 86 Points
It's OK; fairly one-dimensional although refreshing in that it's' lower alcohol than a lot of aussie fruit bombs and not that 'bomb-y'. medium finish; dark ripe fruit and glass-staining purple in color. certainly not worth the 18 dollars average community value. Inoffensive is a good way to describe it - just not that interesting but certainly an OK wine.
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4/20/2008 - Alekos wrote: 86 Points
Green. Not ready yet but with great potential.
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3/26/2008 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 86 Points
It started out interesting but quickly evolved to mundane.
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3/23/2008 - ljl203 wrote: 88 Points
Well integrated alcohol but reminded me of a less than ripe peach. Terrific acids but missing a core sweetness to make a complete package. Slight raisin taste, short clipped finish.
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3/9/2008 - tairanosaurus wrote:
Smoky plum on the nose. Peat and plum in the mouth. Moderate body and reasonable finish. A bit of nicely balanced acidity and tanins.
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3/7/2008 - marossva wrote: 87 Points
After reading the other reviews I thought my palate must be off. In my opinion it was an average to slightly above average Shiraz but didn't think there was anything special to set it apart from any number of other Shirazs. Dark purple in color, smooth, low acidity, bright fresh fruit, especially strawberry - giving it a slightly sweet finish. I'd buy it again but only if it were on sale.
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3/5/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 91 Points
We were surprised by how good this was. Pretty big, with blackberry and blueberry and a little peppery spice. Will buy more.
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1/17/2008 - vinoceros wrote: 91 Points
Repeat. So so good!
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1/12/2008 - tairanosaurus wrote: 90 Points
Chewy, rich black currant with gingerbread and coffee in the background. Tanins and acidity come together nicely for a wine in this price category. Enjoyable, as last bottles were. Second day really came into its own.
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1/5/2008 - Napaccoast wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured this wine tonight, which demonstrated an inky purple color in the glass, with aromas of prominant ripe strawberrys and plummy dark fruit with some cola. On the palate, consistant juicy fruit, fine tannins with good acidity. more of a round, almost elegant mouthfeel to this Shiraz. Which I felt had a less than medium finish and I was expecting more. A pleasant wine, and good QPR from Costco @ $15.99
Tasted this wine again on the next day and the aromas of strawberrys remain ripe. I picked up more smokey vanilla notes this time around. On the palate the acidity remains vibrant but I found the tannins a bit more drying and preferred the tasting on the second night. Second night 90 pts
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12/21/2007 - johnclark wrote:
Smooth wine with a nice after taste. You can really taste the depth on the fruit. Really enjoyed.
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12/5/2007 - vinoceros wrote: 91 Points
Repeat. Love this wine!
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11/25/2007 - britchie wrote:
Excellent
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11/25/2007 - riddler wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding, jammy, blackberry flavors. Wonderful value for money.
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11/25/2007 - alm wrote: 88 Points
Very nice! Pretty ruby color, medium body. Strong blackberries/current pop up front without being at all fruity. Nice balance of flavors. Not much finish.
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11/22/2007 - bearthman wrote: 90 Points
Day 1: Very pleasantly surprised by this one. On the larger side with lots of dark fruit. Complimented a honey baked ham almost perfectly.
Day 2: Saved a glass or two from the previous day to see how it stood up on its own (it was so good with the honey baked ham the night before that I didn't get a chance to see it on it own). Again, very pleasantly surprised. Giving it a day out a room temp really let it fill out. Became much bigger and creamier in mouth with the same dark fruit from the day before.
Will definitely be purchasing a case or so as a really good casual drinking wine for the winter months.
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11/19/2007 - mrpalmer wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Concentrated. Big fruit. raspberry, long A/T. Good balance.
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10/19/2007 - ticohans wrote: 89 Points
Fantastic shiraz. Would buy again!
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10/15/2007 - tairanosaurus wrote: 90 Points
Fruit and burnt rubber on the nose initially. Opens up into a full bodied, blackberry smokey pleasant wine.
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10/1/2007 - Noto Bene wrote: 88 Points
A decent Oz shiraz, not over the top fruit bomb, good blackberry and soft tannins.
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8/5/2007 - gotwine? wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Great value.
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7/31/2007 - ejensen wrote: 90 Points
Big w/lots of fruit...
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7/5/2007 - vinoceros wrote: 90 Points
A pretty big Shiraz. Lots of dark berry and maybe just a touch of leather on the finish. Love it!
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7/1/2007 - burkekr wrote: 90 Points
Dark berries with intense oak and tannin. Great structure and a good value.
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5/25/2007 - docjavadude wrote: 91 Points
Nice. Very nice. Medium to large Shiraz. Definitely Australian style. Plenty of nose with dark aromas of plum and spicy jam. A mouthful of flavors -- plum, blackberry, pepper, charred wood, and a hint of smokiness on the finish. Plenty of tannin to stand up to the fruit, balancing the flavors nicely.
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