Part of a large purchase, PnP. Opens with sweet red fruits, cherry and some spice. Silky smooth mouthfeel. Red berry, cherry, a hint of black fruit and spice. Still has good acidity and a medium finish. Drinks more like a claret than a shiraz at this point. Much better than expected.
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Good colour with some bricking at the edge. Attractive palate when first decanted but left for 3 hours. After standing, it had a good nose with sweet red fruits and some gentle spice. The exceptionally smooth palate showed red berry fruits with some cherry character - almost sweet but with good balance and acidity. Some darker fruits gradually emerged together with spicy notes. Very good with a spicy beef dish and excellent afterwards with more black cherry conserve and cherry stones evident. Still remarkably fresh, given its age. Very long on the palate. Perhaps there was a very slight hint of vegetal character after a few hours but this did not persist; it was the only minor indication of age and did not detract from the pleasure. A high quality wine that took some time to open and has lived and developed for longer than expected. 91+
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This was our second cellared shiraz on the evening and it wasn't as amazing as the Tarapaca Reserva Shiraz but this was almost as good. This was a full bodied wine with a spicy but fruity nose. It had hints of blackberries, strawberries and a little caramel with an anise undertone. It had very little tannins and smooth finish to every sip. Glad we drank it now although it might have been even better a year or so ago.
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dark big profile, anise, peppery, spicy fruity, smooth, spicy round, not tannic, bigger nose than flavor. 14.5% alc. A great value. drink now or hold for a few years
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Nose of dusty prunes and currants and something deeper that I can't put my finger on... something similar to those old, musty raisins that get squished down in the bottom of a long forgotten Sunmaid box in the back of the pantry that doesn't see the light for months or years until you go to make oatmeal cookies... The wine is overall smooth and spicy. I think the 7 years in a bottle has calmed the Aussie down some. There is some heat, however.
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Agree with Parker, needed 1.5 hrs of decanting to open up. The medium-bodied red was a little light for the filets and morel sauce, but tasty nonetheless.
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3/25/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 86 Points
Part of a large purchase, PnP. Opens with sweet red fruits, cherry and some spice. Silky smooth mouthfeel. Red berry, cherry, a hint of black fruit and spice. Still has good acidity and a medium finish. Drinks more like a claret than a shiraz at this point. Much better than expected.
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9/16/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good colour with some bricking at the edge. Attractive palate when first decanted but left for 3 hours. After standing, it had a good nose with sweet red fruits and some gentle spice. The exceptionally smooth palate showed red berry fruits with some cherry character - almost sweet but with good balance and acidity. Some darker fruits gradually emerged together with spicy notes. Very good with a spicy beef dish and excellent afterwards with more black cherry conserve and cherry stones evident. Still remarkably fresh, given its age. Very long on the palate. Perhaps there was a very slight hint of vegetal character after a few hours but this did not persist; it was the only minor indication of age and did not detract from the pleasure. A high quality wine that took some time to open and has lived and developed for longer than expected. 91+
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10/19/2014 - Gedwan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Incredibly fruity for such an aged bottle not meant to last this long. Still good, no great complexity, but very easy drinking.
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11/10/2013 - tacvinolindo Likes this wine: 88 Points
This was our second cellared shiraz on the evening and it wasn't as amazing as the Tarapaca Reserva Shiraz but this was almost as good. This was a full bodied wine with a spicy but fruity nose. It had hints of blackberries, strawberries and a little caramel with an anise undertone. It had very little tannins and smooth finish to every sip. Glad we drank it now although it might have been even better a year or so ago.
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9/28/2010 - the2grays wrote: 92 Points
very smooth, just as good as the last bottle I tasted over a year ago. still has good balance of blackberry and licorice.
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7/8/2010 - corkdorkjo wrote: 89 Points
Dark berry to red plum and spice with licorice notes. Now till 2007. (LCB)
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6/5/2009 - CDStrombom wrote: 87 Points
Showing its age, but still very enjoyable. Amber color. Stewed red berries, with a hint of butterscotch and bran. If you have any, please drink up.
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5/22/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 90 Points
dark big profile, anise, peppery, spicy fruity, smooth, spicy round, not tannic, bigger nose than flavor. 14.5% alc. A great value. drink now or hold for a few years
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12/7/2008 - ToddR911 wrote: 84 Points
Dark purple but too earthy for my taste. Lots of alcohol.
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1/18/2008 - spader wrote:
Lots of blackcurrant on the nose and in the taste. A very good example of an Aussie Shiraz - good body and a smooth finish
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7/1/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple. Spice and blackberry nose. A bit too much stewed plum. Nice spicy smooth finish.
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5/23/2007 - tarheel17 wrote: 86 Points
Nose of dusty prunes and currants and something deeper that I can't put my finger on... something similar to those old, musty raisins that get squished down in the bottom of a long forgotten Sunmaid box in the back of the pantry that doesn't see the light for months or years until you go to make oatmeal cookies... The wine is overall smooth and spicy. I think the 7 years in a bottle has calmed the Aussie down some. There is some heat, however.
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1/15/2007 - wood wrote:
Decent Shiraz, had it late after cabs
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9/24/2006 - msu wrote: 89 Points
Still drinking nicely, not nearly as powerful as it was 18 months ago. Spice, berries, maybe some chocolate.
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5/27/2005 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Gary’s: Rich, deep dark blackberry; cassis, med.+ bod with ample t’s; very nice structure with well-bal mth. Grt. with BBQ ribs!
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4/6/2003 - futronic wrote: 88 Points
Agree with Parker, needed 1.5 hrs of decanting to open up. The medium-bodied red was a little light for the filets and morel sauce, but tasty nonetheless.
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