Had to get home so did not spend as much time with this wine as I would have liked.
On opening, colour showing early stage bricking but still in the deep red zone.
Nose of leather and animal, but red fruit and acidity still cuts through the mid weight palate.
Balanced and so easy to drink old wine.
Drink now in magnum.
A great example of the longevity and beauty of SA Shiraz once it loses some extract and oak. They become complex and medium weight wines that come in to balance with age.
NB42 TASTING
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Impressed by this £10 shiraz that is totally alive. Closed under cork, and yes, alcohol is high, but there is plenty of fruit, chocolate and warm spices for those who like the style. Not very convincing on the finish, but really, 20y old for this price - great value.
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Wow, still alive with good structure and big, full body. Past its prime, but still plenty of red fruit, with a bit of caramel, cocoa, and dried flowers. A real pleasure. Must have been a beast when young. I think this proves the Blue Water Bay cellar is in good shape.
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Stewed plum and light leather acidity still sharp but tannins long gone. 25 seconds plus of length. After a decant and warm up was certainly still showing well hints of liquorice and spice very enjoyable and for a wine that cost £7 great value!
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I also feared that I had allowed this inexpensive bootle of Shiraz to languish in the cellar far too long, but what a surprise. Good cellaring pays off with fruit and a surprisingly balanced mature wine.
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The wine had a deep intensity with a garnet hue. The nose was musty, over ripped cherry, bruised fig that has been sitting on the counter so it’s a bit warm and a bit of funkiness. On the palate I got plum, blackberry jam and dried eucalyptus leaves. The tannins have completely softened at this point. The wine is light and evaporated quickly on the palate and has a medium finish. The fruit is still present but escapes quickly only to be left with mostly earthiness. This wine has past its prime and should be drunk now. Enjoyed very much.
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My own experience is the same as RAKSHALEE’s! An old friend brought me this bottle as a gift in 2005 and I stowed it away in my cellar promising him that we would drink it together in due time. It is a sturdy Shiraz and I knew it would improve with 3-4 years down. This friend moved away, across the country and we never got a chance to drink it. At first I would look at the bottle and think, “I should probably drink that” to, a few years later “it’s probably way over the hill.” Then I saw RAKSHALEE’s note and eagerly popped it open.
I found a smooth, mellifluous wine, not in the least aged, lots of deep dark cherry, rounded and with tannins perfectly resolved. It gave off an a occasional whiff of funk. If you let your mind run that way, it had a little bit of a medicinal, cough syrup taste. Overall beautiful and another example of a very minor wine shining well past its expected drinking window.
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This was an utter surprise. I had lost this bottle in my cellar and was sure it would be past it's prime when I dug it out today. It was stunning. Funky smell when I pulled the cork, which was intact. Decanted, tons of sediment. Despite decanting came out a little cloudy. The nose brightened up almost immediately. Surprisingly bright cherry flavors despite the age, decent tannins, and long lingering finish with prominent but well-integrated oak.lots of body, lots of complexity. Lucky I found it.
this is past its prime. Cork disintegrated on opening. Still plenty of fruit and pepper on nose. Tannic structure largely gone. Still lots of fruit. Drink now if you have any of this.
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I obviously under estimated the drinking window of this as the bottle was full of sediment and very much alive. At the beginning it smelled of old funky ausi syrah but after about 30 minutes it started to gain sweetness and complexity. The funk blew off and this just got better and better and was just a delightful bottle which probably peaked in about 2 hrs in a narrow decanter. A nice surprise.
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A surprisingly big wine, very strong flavours to start off with but got smoother with the second glass. Brilliant with spaghetti bolognese, and I think would actually benefit from more time in the cellar.
Edit 14/08/2012: I've since tried 3 other bottles and re-evaluated my score. The first bottle was great however the next 3 were very subdued compared to the first. Given the variability these bottles are likely reaching their end of life.
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Ruby black in the glass, with extensive sedimentation. Prominent aged leathers and barnyard pong, along with obligatory cassis and dark berries, and even a bit of eucalypt undergrowth. Meaty (ducky), with bits of cherry cola on the taste, and still-grippy tannins. A bit hollow, followed with yet more earthy mulchy undergrowth, and even some minty savoryness. Highly textural, the finish is somewhat unkindly interrupted by firm tannins (a tannin monster in its youth?), but probably less obvious with foodl; a lamb saag and chicken tikka is superb. An otherwise fantastic bottle at great value, and not about to improve any more.
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Still rather rich, dark garnet in the glass, with a clean nose of dark cherries, cracked pepper and leather. Tall and lean, without flabby sweetness, it is full of dark fruits - cassis, blueberries, cola nut, with really softened tannins, but somewhat bright acidity, ending with an agreeably savoury finish with cool tea characters. Lovely textural red, well aged with some complexity, pairing very well with chinese smoked duck. I'd say best to drink up now.
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Color of dark cherry but definitely showing its maturity with some orange/brown hues. Aromas are of jammy fruit (cassis, blackberry), black pepper, and leather. Medium full bodied, well balanced, and still has some reasonable tannins. It is probably past its prime but it still has some life in it.
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The wine looks Brick colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, Raisin, Strawberry Jam, Fig, Forest floor, Mushroom, Toast, Cedar, Pine, and Honey. The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Leathery. The wine finishes Long.
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Nose was nice, berry, cherry, spice. Almost brown in color Though when first tasted way too peppery, not smooth. The next day the wine tasted almost like a port. I did not like this wine personally, I think it is past it's prime.
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Had to put something into service quickly so we popped this -took a bout 1/2 hr in the decanter to warm up from the cellar and fill up with nice dark sour cherry aromatics.This shed off all the baby fat & big fruit and has morphed into a real nice food wine with an elegant disposition and nice acidity on the finish. Some tertiary aromas and flavors, A hint of VA which detracts but doesn't overpower.red licorice & some garden herbs and a little earth are here. This does not come across as your typical Ausi Shiraz -more like something you'd get from the Langedoc or Ventoux -would be fun to insert in a tasting of older wines from those regions. The tannins are completely absorbed so i don't see upside from hee Time to drink up!
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deep dark color, nose of cherry and hint of smoky leather, an explosion of dark berry fruit up front, tannins are well integrated, drinking at its peak, exactly what you would expect from a good aussie shiraz
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Great dark color and another great hit from d'Arenberg. Deep dark purple color with plum, mocha and wet earth blending together beautifully. Soft silky tanin and a finish that is memorable. Well balanced and quite tasty.
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Bright dark purple, big bouquet, red cherry, sandalwood, mint., pepper and smokey/tobacco leaf. Taste; red fruits, red cherry mainly followed by summer fruits, raspberry, strawberry, good structure still lots of tannins, long flavour. Very good. May soften more in next couple of years. 88 pts.
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YES! After a miserable week of lackluster tastings, this wine saved the day. Great Aussie Shiraz nose but not overpowering. I think this is in the perfect drinking window right now and for the remainder of the year. Noted a strong concentration of stewed plum and tobacco blended with the dark balanced fruit. Nice delicate but lingering finish.
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Lighter than the typical Aussie Shiraz. Almost a bit of bricking in the 1.5, but the tanins say otherwise. Great deep finish preceeded by the spicy tart fruit. Great structure here, a nice wine.
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Seems to be drinking perfectly right now. Elegant styling, not over the top. Long finish. A great bottle considering how poorly it was stored (bookcase rack). Great QPR. UPDATE: amazingly resilient the 3rd day open. That's good news for anyone holding more of these. Great now, but probably a pretty long plateau (2-4 years?) for "peak" drinking. I fell away from D'Arenberg for no particular reason. This btl encourages me to revisit their wines.
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Decent, with typical spice, blackberry, and blueberry fruit flavors. Could easily age another 5 years. However, just wasn't all that exciting next to some of the other wines we drink. A bit ho-hum for me.
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I decanted for about 30 minutes but it needed to open up more. 45 minutes seemed to be the magic number. Before then, it was ultra dry, hot and fruity. But it turned a corner and mellowed into quite a nice wine.
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Color: Medium purple Nose: Plum, Earth, Sweet fruit Taste: Spice, sweet fruit, mineral, pepper Finish: Short to medium with spice, earth and red currants Evaluation: Cellared since purchase and it is a great wine in 07. 88 points
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Hmm. Six years in, still over the top fruit and a little hot on the nose and in the mouth. Bright and fruit forward, but I would have thought (hoped) that this would have settled a little. I am coming to recognize that this is just not my style. Not flawed. Well-made and drinking well, but not my style.
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I collect d'Arenberg and have had this wine over several vintages. I bought and drank several of these when first released and found them a little over the top - more dark fruit and odd tastes (and aftertaste) than I hoped for. It had body, but seemed really out of balance. Revisiting a bottle 3 years later, I was very pleased that it had evolved the way I would hope it would. More balanced with a more consistent flavor profile - still blackberry, almost licorice, with a little bit of earth tones. It's not a profound wine and it doesn't have great aroma or depth of flavor, but it's a excellent regular drinker with or without food and at $20 a great QPR.
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Aromas of berries. Significant berry, plum, and moderate spice. Medium finish with nice fruit lingering on. Tannins are well integrated or dissapearing for me. Jenn said this one was smooth.
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Very pleasing wine--nice surprise. Not overwhelmingly sweet or overpowering. Aged well and was fairly mellow for a Australian Shiraz with nice complexity involving aromas of red raspberries and black currant.
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Dark purple color and opaque throughout. Nose is jammy with blueberries and black fruits. Blackberry and blueberry, along with some spice on the palate. Lengthy finish. Seems to be holding well.
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Decanted 1-hour and it needed it to smooth the tannins out. This was a really pleasureable Shiraz. Boysenberry flavors coupled with an earthy nose. Enjoyed every sip.
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A classic and well manered shiraz. A blueprint $15 Aussie shiraz with textbook notes of black fruits, pepper and spice rack, cola and oak. Color is a fresh medium ruby without a hint of oxidation or age. Still resilient tannin and acidity with a touch of heat on the finish, this wine has many happy days in front of it. The pony Footbolt is still showing!
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Concentrated, dark fruit. Brooding nose initially. Mellowed out by day 3. A nice QPR drink. Plenty of fruit and spice flavors. Lost some of the meatiness by day 3. Coats the palate. Decent finish.
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Hint of chocolate accompanies plums, blackberries, some wet earth with a slight spice and pepper. Well balanced, not very acidic, tannic, or alcoholic. Drinking well right now as others have said.
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Nose of Blackberry and cherries and chocolate, followed by a low acidity rich and fleshy mouthful of more cherries and some chocolate on the palate. Medium finish. Drinking well right now
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I thought this was a decent every-day-er; Rose was not a fan. Didn't need more than 15-20 minutes to open up, and didn't change at all afterwards. Decent, thin mouthfeel, good fruit and a smooth finish. However, I don't believe that this has more than another year or so of life remaining.
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Dark purple color with a crisom rim. Sweet dark berries, black currant on the nose with hints of spicy french oak. Medium to full body with a good grip from tannin presence. Fruity and slightly complex palate with a 20+ second length. Drink in 1-2 years.
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Quite nice, especially by Australian fruit bomb standards. Complex fruits, cherries, plums and boysenberries, good midpalate and long lasting taste; lot of sediment, decant for sure
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Deep red colour with edges more rose. Aromas of raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and blackberries. Spicy and rasperry with oak presence on the palate. Medium finish. Nice 90 points.
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Dinner (king crab legs and veal scalopini) at The Other Pub in Lafayette In.. Good start for a football (Purdue beat Syracuse 51-0) weekend. Nice red color with good berry flavors. Drank it before it could fully develop.
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Deep, dark color with big nose. Texture is thick with strong blackberry notes, though not overpowering - a smooth finish of moderate length - medium dry. This is a very upfront and straight forward shiraz, without the pepper and spice often found in this variety - not a criticism, but a noticeable deviation from the more common shiraz experience. Easy drinking with cheese or a good meal, a tad stoic on its own.
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[Alone] Initally, floral nose; blackberries, plum, mint with peppery/spicy finish. Let decant over night and the floral scents and mint disappeared left with substanital fruit and slight pepper. More my style the second night (though it became a litte bit of a fruit bomb). Overall a good value at $13, however, I haven't bought more.
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Brighter and bit lighter bodied than I expected (I was thinking HUGE.) Generous amounts of blackberries and a peppery finish. Worked well with everything coming off the grill. (Seafair BBQ)
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Loved it. Big and fruity, my kind of Shiraz. I thought it was a litte tight in the beginning but I let this breath for about an hour and a half and the wine really opened up well for me. I have now had three bottles and each time I have the same response. This wine, imho, needs to get some air on it before you can enjoy it. I had it with a well seasoned tri-tip steak and it was perfect. I buy what I can find of this because drinking RWT is too darn expensive every night!
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Tasted blind with a mixed line up of <£10 reds including 3 other Oz shiraz. Deep ruby-black core with a narrow purple rim and distinct legs. Pronounced notes of blackcurrants, spice, pepper and touches of eucalyptus and mint. Lots of alcohol on the nose and palate. Tasted blind, commented that this was too big, out of balance and generally a touch too extracted. With the right food it may be able to overlook the size and extraction, but the balance still felt a little off. In the same blind line-up, scored the cheaper d'Arenberg Stump Jump 2002 bettter than the Footbolt (89 points) - was more balanced and less agressive.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Dark garnet/ruddy burgundy colour. Fat, thick, glass staining legs. Aromas of cassis, framboise, red licorice, currant, vanilla, and alcohol. Medium-full bodied with dark berry fruit, smoke, pepper, and spice. Short-moderate finish, ~ 25s with spice notes.
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Opaque aubergine-purple, with a heady, jammy nose of incredibly sweet fruit (plums, raspberry jam, blueberries). Palate is rich and fat, with oodles of dark fruit and stewed carrots, vanilla and soft tannins. Not of the peppery, tongue-curling variety... Finish is short to medium. This wine is very forward and a little one-dimensional for my taste, but is good value for money no doubt. Good on its own or with pepper steak.
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($15) To me this is like essense of crushed blackberries. Has a slightly tart nuance to it, as well as an occasional cloying note, but otherwise offers good flavor and concentration. The nose is really fun. Decent Value.
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5/20/2023 - Screwcaps Likes this wine:
2001 D'Arrys Footbolt Shiraz (en magnum, cork).
Had to get home so did not spend as much time with this wine as I would have liked.
On opening, colour showing early stage bricking but still in the deep red zone.
Nose of leather and animal, but red fruit and acidity still cuts through the mid weight palate.
Balanced and so easy to drink old wine.
Drink now in magnum.
A great example of the longevity and beauty of SA Shiraz once it loses some extract and oak. They become complex and medium weight wines that come in to balance with age.
NB42 TASTING
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5/17/2021 - Lyubomir Lefterov wrote: 88 Points
Impressed by this £10 shiraz that is totally alive. Closed under cork, and yes, alcohol is high, but there is plenty of fruit, chocolate and warm spices for those who like the style. Not very convincing on the finish, but really, 20y old for this price - great value.
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1/17/2021 - Madera16 Likes this wine:
Wow, still alive with good structure and big, full body. Past its prime, but still plenty of red fruit, with a bit of caramel, cocoa, and dried flowers. A real pleasure. Must have been a beast when young. I think this proves the Blue Water Bay cellar is in good shape.
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5/3/2020 - medicineman Likes this wine: 82 Points
Stewed plum and light leather acidity still sharp but tannins long gone. 25 seconds plus of length. After a decant and warm up was certainly still showing well hints of liquorice and spice very enjoyable and for a wine that cost £7 great value!
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2/9/2020 - bdhanna Likes this wine: 90 Points
I also feared that I had allowed this inexpensive bootle of Shiraz to languish in the cellar far too long, but what a surprise. Good cellaring pays off with fruit and a surprisingly balanced mature wine.
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12/9/2019 - Optimus Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine had a deep intensity with a garnet hue. The nose was musty, over ripped cherry, bruised fig that has been sitting on the counter so it’s a bit warm and a bit of funkiness. On the palate I got plum, blackberry jam and dried eucalyptus leaves. The tannins have completely softened at this point. The wine is light and evaporated quickly on the palate and has a medium finish. The fruit is still present but escapes quickly only to be left with mostly earthiness. This wine has past its prime and should be drunk now. Enjoyed very much.
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5/28/2018 - Hollowine wrote:
Long gone and nasty.
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5/21/2018 - Ravi Deshpande Likes this wine: 91 Points
My own experience is the same as RAKSHALEE’s! An old friend brought me this bottle as a gift in 2005 and I stowed it away in my cellar promising him that we would drink it together in due time. It is a sturdy Shiraz and I knew it would improve with 3-4 years down. This friend moved away, across the country and we never got a chance to drink it. At first I would look at the bottle and think, “I should probably drink that” to, a few years later “it’s probably way over the hill.” Then I saw RAKSHALEE’s note and eagerly popped it open.
I found a smooth, mellifluous wine, not in the least aged, lots of deep dark cherry, rounded and with tannins perfectly resolved. It gave off an a occasional whiff of funk. If you let your mind run that way, it had a little bit of a medicinal, cough syrup taste. Overall beautiful and another example of a very minor wine shining well past its expected drinking window.
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1/14/2018 - Rakshalee Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was an utter surprise. I had lost this bottle in my cellar and was sure it would be past it's prime when I dug it out today. It was stunning. Funky smell when I pulled the cork, which was intact. Decanted, tons of sediment. Despite decanting came out a little cloudy. The nose brightened up almost immediately. Surprisingly bright cherry flavors despite the age, decent tannins, and long lingering finish with prominent but well-integrated oak.lots of body, lots of complexity. Lucky I found it.
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7/8/2015 - maw246 Likes this wine: 88 Points
this is past its prime. Cork disintegrated on opening. Still plenty of fruit and pepper on nose. Tannic structure largely gone. Still lots of fruit. Drink now if you have any of this.
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6/6/2015 - maw246 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is still drinking well. Properly cellared. Lots of cherries on the nose and palate. The tannins are fully resolved. Medium finish.
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4/19/2015 - Chip & Susanne wrote: flawed
Corked...
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12/6/2013 - bon vivant wrote:
I obviously under estimated the drinking window of this as the bottle was full of sediment and very much alive. At the beginning it smelled of old funky ausi syrah but after about 30 minutes it started to gain sweetness and complexity. The funk blew off and this just got better and better and was just a delightful bottle which probably peaked in about 2 hrs in a narrow decanter. A nice surprise.
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9/9/2012 - eniskonuk wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of chocolate and has flavours of blackberry, black currant, molasses and black pepper.
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7/10/2012 - Husks Likes this wine: 87 Points
A surprisingly big wine, very strong flavours to start off with but got smoother with the second glass. Brilliant with spaghetti bolognese, and I think would actually benefit from more time in the cellar.
Edit 14/08/2012: I've since tried 3 other bottles and re-evaluated my score. The first bottle was great however the next 3 were very subdued compared to the first. Given the variability these bottles are likely reaching their end of life.
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7/6/2012 - Dnakos wrote: 94 Points
Exceptional. Deep cherry with huge tannins. Australia should be proud.
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4/20/2012 - JerM wrote: 91 Points
Ruby black in the glass, with extensive sedimentation. Prominent aged leathers and barnyard pong, along with obligatory cassis and dark berries, and even a bit of eucalypt undergrowth. Meaty (ducky), with bits of cherry cola on the taste, and still-grippy tannins. A bit hollow, followed with yet more earthy mulchy undergrowth, and even some minty savoryness. Highly textural, the finish is somewhat unkindly interrupted by firm tannins (a tannin monster in its youth?), but probably less obvious with foodl; a lamb saag and chicken tikka is superb. An otherwise fantastic bottle at great value, and not about to improve any more.
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2/3/2012 - JerM wrote: 91 Points
Still rather rich, dark garnet in the glass, with a clean nose of dark cherries, cracked pepper and leather. Tall and lean, without flabby sweetness, it is full of dark fruits - cassis, blueberries, cola nut, with really softened tannins, but somewhat bright acidity, ending with an agreeably savoury finish with cool tea characters. Lovely textural red, well aged with some complexity, pairing very well with chinese smoked duck. I'd say best to drink up now.
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1/9/2012 - mkubow wrote: 89 Points
Agree with all recent comments, great wine to just enjoy.
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12/29/2011 - sholmesdale Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color of dark cherry but definitely showing its maturity with some orange/brown hues. Aromas are of jammy fruit (cassis, blackberry), black pepper, and leather. Medium full bodied, well balanced, and still has some reasonable tannins. It is probably past its prime but it still has some life in it.
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10/31/2011 - smeliot wrote: 86 Points
Very jammy, a bit passed its prime. Wish I'd opened it a year ago ...
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10/15/2011 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour prior to tasting. Cassis, prune, dark plum, black pepper and fine leather with a hint of tabacco. Jammy goodness, great wine!
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6/14/2011 - G0LDEN1 wrote: 90 Points
Very jammy with loads of berry in a very smooth full bodied delight.
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5/10/2011 - viniculture_pl wrote: 91 Points
The wine looks Brick colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Blackberry, Raisin, Strawberry Jam, Fig, Forest floor, Mushroom, Toast, Cedar, Pine, and Honey.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Leathery.
The wine finishes Long.
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1/3/2011 - afitzhugh wrote: 88 Points
Good, simple, smooth, not bad for the price. Almost candylike.
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8/9/2010 - jdbooth wrote: 87 Points
Still loads of fruit here - particularly cherry & blueberry. A bit monolithic, but time has smoothed the rough edges of this wine.
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5/29/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Wife had with Gran and Gramps prior to my arrival for Mem Day.
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3/18/2010 - seejanecook wrote: 79 Points
Nose was nice, berry, cherry, spice. Almost brown in color Though when first tasted way too peppery, not smooth. The next day the wine tasted almost like a port. I did not like this wine personally, I think it is past it's prime.
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1/4/2010 - bon vivant wrote:
Had to put something into service quickly so we popped this -took a bout 1/2 hr in the decanter to warm up from the cellar and fill up with nice dark sour cherry aromatics.This shed off all the baby fat & big fruit and has morphed into a real nice food wine with an elegant disposition and nice acidity on the finish. Some tertiary aromas and flavors, A hint of VA which detracts but doesn't overpower.red licorice & some garden herbs and a little earth are here. This does not come across as your typical Ausi Shiraz -more like something you'd get from the Langedoc or Ventoux -would be fun to insert in a tasting of older wines from those regions. The tannins are completely absorbed so i don't see upside from hee Time to drink up!
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11/15/2009 - ogres3 wrote:
Had with Gran and Gramps. Fills the high fruit bomb need. Went over well. Alcohol not as noticable.
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10/4/2009 - kaahnman wrote: 91 Points
smooth when opened, became spicier as it opened up. tasty, sour cherry and old leather.
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10/2/2009 - curtiy wrote: 91 Points
deep dark color, nose of cherry and hint of smoky leather, an explosion of dark berry fruit up front, tannins are well integrated, drinking at its peak, exactly what you would expect from a good aussie shiraz
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7/19/2009 - jamscreator wrote: 91 Points
Great dark color and another great hit from d'Arenberg. Deep dark purple color with plum, mocha and wet earth blending together beautifully. Soft silky tanin and a finish that is memorable. Well balanced and quite tasty.
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6/11/2009 - borneman wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very well right now. Loads of flavors, including lots of mocha and dark fruit. Tannins are noticeable but silky.
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5/17/2009 - trufflehunter wrote: 88 Points
Bright dark purple, big bouquet, red cherry, sandalwood, mint., pepper and smokey/tobacco leaf. Taste; red fruits, red cherry mainly followed by summer fruits, raspberry, strawberry, good structure still lots of tannins, long flavour. Very good. May soften more in next couple of years. 88 pts.
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3/20/2009 - jamscreator wrote: 91 Points
YES! After a miserable week of lackluster tastings, this wine saved the day. Great Aussie Shiraz nose but not overpowering. I think this is in the perfect drinking window right now and for the remainder of the year. Noted a strong concentration of stewed plum and tobacco blended with the dark balanced fruit. Nice delicate but lingering finish.
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2/2/2009 - thelostverse wrote: 90 Points
This is still holding strong. Blueberry has taken center stage on the palate, with dark fruit in the background. This was a remarkable QPR.
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2/1/2009 - stoly dog wrote: 91 Points
Tons of fruit left. This was a tremendous wine and vintage.
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12/25/2008 - tplskylrk wrote: 90 Points
Lighter than the typical Aussie Shiraz. Almost a bit of bricking in the 1.5, but the tanins say otherwise. Great deep finish preceeded by the spicy tart fruit. Great structure here, a nice wine.
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11/18/2008 - hifiwine wrote: 91 Points
very nice, better than I expected.
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11/14/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Seems to be drinking perfectly right now. Elegant styling, not over the top. Long finish. A great bottle considering how poorly it was stored (bookcase rack). Great QPR. UPDATE: amazingly resilient the 3rd day open. That's good news for anyone holding more of these. Great now, but probably a pretty long plateau (2-4 years?) for "peak" drinking. I fell away from D'Arenberg for no particular reason. This btl encourages me to revisit their wines.
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6/25/2008 - N2Vin wrote: 88 Points
A simple but elegant wine. No over the top flavors. A very nice food wine. Short finish but ample fruit on the mid-palate.
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5/5/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 89 Points
Nice dark fruit, less alcohol. Let stand for 45 min. first. Medium length on the palate.
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4/12/2008 - phandel wrote:
Drank this with Bernard & Sue. Very pleasant.
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4/6/2008 - Old_Winyards wrote: 87 Points
Decent, with typical spice, blackberry, and blueberry fruit flavors. Could easily age another 5 years. However, just wasn't all that exciting next to some of the other wines we drink. A bit ho-hum for me.
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2/25/2008 - munk wrote: 90 Points
Remarkably smooth, well flavored. Great quality/$.
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2/20/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 89 Points
Solid shiraz, nice fruit, great value
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12/24/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 88 Points
better balance between fruit and alcohol. Medium finish
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12/18/2007 - grenouille wrote: 86 Points
Needed a long time to open up. Not much fruit and not very complex.
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12/16/2007 - SonomaFan wrote: 87 Points
I decanted for about 30 minutes but it needed to open up more. 45 minutes seemed to be the magic number. Before then, it was ultra dry, hot and fruity. But it turned a corner and mellowed into quite a nice wine.
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9/22/2007 - sumshark wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well now, great balance, nice fruit, not very complex and a moderate finish.
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9/14/2007 - gbauer wrote:
Good rich fruit. Still a little hot and over the top for me. Others enjoyed it more and said it was a "happy wine."
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9/4/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 88 Points
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, Earth, Sweet fruit
Taste: Spice, sweet fruit, mineral, pepper
Finish: Short to medium with spice, earth and red currants
Evaluation: Cellared since purchase and it is a great wine in 07. 88 points
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9/1/2007 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
Initially rather sickly and spirity, but after 1 hour in decanter very fine, sweet, balanced, strong. 90P
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8/20/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 88 Points
Heat overpowered the fruit. I would have done well to decant. Yet still a nice drink
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5/12/2007 - cvvhrn wrote: 87 Points
Hints of earth, mushrooms, and prunes on the nose, with underripe plums, berries and dust on the palate. Fairly good mouthfeel and a decent finish
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4/17/2007 - gbauer wrote:
Hmm. Six years in, still over the top fruit and a little hot on the nose and in the mouth. Bright and fruit forward, but I would have thought (hoped) that this would have settled a little. I am coming to recognize that this is just not my style. Not flawed. Well-made and drinking well, but not my style.
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4/5/2007 - koflaher wrote: 90 Points
I collect d'Arenberg and have had this wine over several vintages. I bought and drank several of these when first released and found them a little over the top - more dark fruit and odd tastes (and aftertaste) than I hoped for. It had body, but seemed really out of balance. Revisiting a bottle 3 years later, I was very pleased that it had evolved the way I would hope it would. More balanced with a more consistent flavor profile - still blackberry, almost licorice, with a little bit of earth tones. It's not a profound wine and it doesn't have great aroma or depth of flavor, but it's a excellent regular drinker with or without food and at $20 a great QPR.
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3/28/2007 - stoly dog wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of berries. Significant berry, plum, and moderate spice. Medium finish with nice fruit lingering on. Tannins are well integrated or dissapearing for me. Jenn said this one was smooth.
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12/24/2006 - win wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasing wine--nice surprise. Not overwhelmingly sweet or overpowering. Aged well and was fairly mellow for a Australian Shiraz with nice complexity involving aromas of red raspberries and black currant.
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12/15/2006 - thelostverse wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple color and opaque throughout. Nose is jammy with blueberries and black fruits. Blackberry and blueberry, along with some spice on the palate. Lengthy finish. Seems to be holding well.
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12/1/2006 - Arch57 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1-hour and it needed it to smooth the tannins out. This was a really pleasureable Shiraz. Boysenberry flavors coupled with an earthy nose. Enjoyed every sip.
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11/8/2006 - SantaFeTopher wrote: 88 Points
Fairly simple, but engaging. Not at all over the hill--nice balance, fairly "regular" Shiraz--not a block-buster.
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11/1/2006 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
Very, very good. Just what you hope for in an entry-level Aussie Shiraz - simple aromatic and fruity pleasure with lots of stuffing. 91P
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10/11/2006 - ewqcsl wrote: 88 Points
A medium shiraz. This lives up to its billing but not a big, full shiraz.
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8/19/2006 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
A classic and well manered shiraz. A blueprint $15 Aussie shiraz with textbook notes of black fruits, pepper and spice rack, cola and oak. Color is a fresh medium ruby without a hint of oxidation or age. Still resilient tannin and acidity with a touch of heat on the finish, this wine has many happy days in front of it. The pony Footbolt is still showing!
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8/6/2006 - gbauer wrote:
Bright cherries, red fruit. Good fruit forward aussie shiraz.
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4/17/2006 - AtlantaBill wrote: 91 Points
Aroma of black pepper and earth. Taste of chocolate and cherries. Smooth tannins. Long finish. Very good.
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4/1/2006 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
Now well on the way to maturity. Thick soy sauce aroma, deliciously sweet. Even better in 1-2 years when the sweetness diminishes? 90P(+)
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3/30/2006 - shelt wrote: 90 Points
Plums, berries, and pepper. Soft tannins, low acidity, with a thick, fruity finish. A fairly simple but enjoyable wine.
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3/25/2006 - luvcards wrote: 91 Points
Smooth as silk....
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3/6/2006 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Concentrated, dark fruit. Brooding nose initially. Mellowed out by day 3. A nice QPR drink. Plenty of fruit and spice flavors. Lost some of the meatiness by day 3. Coats the palate. Decent finish.
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1/12/2006 - drcbarroso wrote: 90 Points
Hint of chocolate accompanies plums, blackberries, some wet earth with a slight spice and pepper. Well balanced, not very acidic, tannic, or alcoholic. Drinking well right now as others have said.
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12/18/2005 - mimik wrote: 91 Points
Nose of Blackberry and cherries and chocolate, followed by a low acidity rich and fleshy mouthful of more cherries and some chocolate on the palate. Medium finish. Drinking well right now
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12/1/2005 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well know. This pony is showing.
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10/15/2005 - davidandrose wrote: 88 Points
I thought this was a decent every-day-er; Rose was not a fan. Didn't need more than 15-20 minutes to open up, and didn't change at all afterwards. Decent, thin mouthfeel, good fruit and a smooth finish. However, I don't believe that this has more than another year or so of life remaining.
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9/1/2005 - honest bob wrote:
Sweet, jammy, muddy, thick and headachey. In a difficult phase, or just off? Judgement reserved.
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7/19/2005 - Fookonson65 wrote:
A good Aussie shiraz, but again... I'm just bored w/ these wines. Would rather spend $20 elsewhere.
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6/17/2005 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple color with a crisom rim. Sweet dark berries, black currant on the nose with hints of spicy french oak. Medium to full body with a good grip from tannin presence. Fruity and slightly complex palate with a 20+ second length. Drink in 1-2 years.
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5/20/2005 - JBarry wrote: 89 Points
5/20/05 - 89 Points - $16.99 - Good Body / Nose - Smoothe - Good Finish
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4/3/2005 - 1800kidney wrote: 90 Points
Quite nice, especially by Australian fruit bomb standards. Complex fruits, cherries, plums and boysenberries, good midpalate and long lasting taste; lot of sediment, decant for sure
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4/2/2005 - mimik wrote: 90 Points
Deep red colour with edges more rose. Aromas of raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and blackberries. Spicy and rasperry with oak presence on the palate. Medium finish. Nice 90 points.
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1/2/2005 - Beachwine wrote:
Santiago's house for dinner. Had a 2000 Ojai as well. Compared to the Ojai, this was a very fruity wine, almost jammy. Pleasant and was well received.
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9/4/2004 - ars3 wrote:
Dinner (king crab legs and veal scalopini) at The Other Pub in Lafayette In.. Good start for a football (Purdue beat Syracuse 51-0) weekend. Nice red color with good berry flavors. Drank it before it could fully develop.
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9/1/2004 - Robbinson wrote: 91 Points
Deep, dark color with big nose. Texture is thick with strong blackberry notes, though not overpowering - a smooth finish of moderate length - medium dry. This is a very upfront and straight forward shiraz, without the pepper and spice often found in this variety - not a criticism, but a noticeable deviation from the more common shiraz experience. Easy drinking with cheese or a good meal, a tad stoic on its own.
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8/19/2004 - 97mjr wrote: 88 Points
[Alone] Initally, floral nose; blackberries, plum, mint with peppery/spicy finish. Let decant over night and the floral scents and mint disappeared left with substanital fruit and slight pepper. More my style the second night (though it became a litte bit of a fruit bomb). Overall a good value at $13, however, I haven't bought more.
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8/8/2004 - lorenzo wrote: 90 Points
Brighter and bit lighter bodied than I expected (I was thinking HUGE.) Generous amounts of blackberries and a peppery finish. Worked well with everything coming off the grill. (Seafair BBQ)
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8/5/2004 - cfreemott wrote: 90 Points
Loved it. Big and fruity, my kind of Shiraz. I thought it was a litte tight in the beginning but I let this breath for about an hour and a half and the wine really opened up well for me. I have now had three bottles and each time I have the same response. This wine, imho, needs to get some air on it before you can enjoy it. I had it with a well seasoned tri-tip steak and it was perfect. I buy what I can find of this because drinking RWT is too darn expensive every night!
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8/4/2004 - archer752000 wrote: 90 Points
Lots of blackcurrant, very fresh. Nose is very firm and strong.
Quite balanced, little bit on the edge though. Spicy and peppery finish.
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7/16/2004 - rlysecky wrote: 91 Points
Big, fruity shiraz with aromas and flavors of black fruit and pepper. Good balance with a medium, peppery finish.
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7/8/2004 - IanL wrote: 87 Points
Tasted blind with a mixed line up of <£10 reds including 3 other Oz shiraz. Deep ruby-black core with a narrow purple rim and distinct legs. Pronounced notes of blackcurrants, spice, pepper and touches of eucalyptus and mint. Lots of alcohol on the nose and palate. Tasted blind, commented that this was too big, out of balance and generally a touch too extracted. With the right food it may be able to overlook the size and extraction, but the balance still felt a little off. In the same blind line-up, scored the cheaper d'Arenberg Stump Jump 2002 bettter than the Footbolt (89 points) - was more balanced and less agressive.
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6/30/2004 - futronic wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Dark garnet/ruddy burgundy colour. Fat, thick, glass staining legs. Aromas of cassis, framboise, red licorice, currant, vanilla, and alcohol. Medium-full bodied with dark berry fruit, smoke, pepper, and spice. Short-moderate finish, ~ 25s with spice notes.
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4/1/2004 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
First day: thin, closed and crabby. Barely any scent, high acidity. Second day: full and juicy. Keep and decant. 90P
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2/17/2004 - Rani wrote: 90 Points
Opaque aubergine-purple, with a heady, jammy nose of incredibly sweet fruit (plums, raspberry jam, blueberries). Palate is rich and fat, with oodles of dark fruit and stewed carrots, vanilla and soft tannins. Not of the peppery, tongue-curling variety... Finish is short to medium. This wine is very forward and a little one-dimensional for my taste, but is good value for money no doubt. Good on its own or with pepper steak.
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11/3/2003 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($15) To me this is like essense of crushed blackberries. Has a slightly tart nuance to it, as well as an occasional cloying note, but otherwise offers good flavor and concentration. The nose is really fun. Decent Value.
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