Super dark, very little sign of ageing in the colour. Blackberries and spice on nose. Smooth, dark blackberry fruit, great length, slight spicy kick, tannins beautifully integrated. Great Shiraz.
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Dark ruby color. The nose is full (more than full I have to say) of ripe and juicy black fruit, accompanied with spices, herbals (mint) and maybe a hint of chocolate. Overall the nose is sweet and intensive. Medium/full body. Albeit the alcohol is high (15,5%), it is very well balanced. Same intensive aromas on the palate, with juicy juicy fruit! For me, it's not so overoaked. Nice aftertaste with medium finish. A straightforward wine which I liked.
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Forward and oaky nose of plums, blackberries, rasins, sweet spice and smoky, Jack Daniel's like, oak. A bomb in the mouth mosty well balanced despite fairly warm 15.5% abv. Chocolatey and round with ripe but coarse tannins leading to a long finish. Drinking very well now, I wouldn't keep it for more than 2-3 years. For the cold winter's nights.
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Big, big wine. Dark and brooding like a boxer sitting in the corner ring and then when the bell goes it comes out and smacks you in the face with a big hit of ultra ripe dark fruit and berries. Decanted for about 20 mins and then let sit in glass for another 20. Really enjoyed this wine. If you're after something with a decent punch and some nice tannins and long finish then this is a great place to start. .
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taste: full bodied with some coarse tannins and tones of black fruits and eucalyptus. Not as overblown on the palate, but the palate is rough right now.
overall: the nose was in the overblown category, but it was better on the palate. It's still rough as well on the palate too.
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Quite a bit of oak with a little eucalyptus, which redeemed it a bit. Gobs of dark fruit but the finish was simple and short. Unlikely this will improve as acidity seems to be lacking.
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Easy to rate this in line with the notes of others. It is somewhat sterotypical but coming from Jim Barry has just a little more going on. Yes, it's oaky, slightly purple, a little sweet but the spice is just showing through. I'd bet a better rating over next 2 years.
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Purple core to the rim, interesting nose- coconut and felt tip pen! Big, black fruit of currants and berries, pronounced but integrated dry tannins and black pepper to finish. 4*
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Hmmm! I should have known better and I only have myself to blame. I have avoided wine from Oz for a long time since my senses could no longer distinguish between different producers of various grape varieties. It was as though there was a secret formula that all the wineries were working to and I experienced very little with regard to expression of terroir, the specific climate and soil of not just their country but each individual wine region.
I admit to approaching this wine with a little trepidation but I did have an open mind. The colour was deep and inky, the nose slightly closed with suppressed plum notes and the taste was, well, pleasant but with nothing jumping out to tickle the senses or provide any intrigue or complexity. Just rather straightforward and simple, which is generally no bad thing but when the label on the bottle expresses the flavour as a flamboyant mix of " blueberry, tobacco, nutmeg and cranberry, coriander, sage, vanilla pods and cinnamon" then I do expect more than what I got.
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-- tasted a single glass non-blind over 5 – 10 minutes --
NOSE: very oaky, but not as oaky as the ’04 Grant Burge “Balthazar”; purple berries; Crayola crayons; spearmint; alcohol is a bit fumey.
BODY: violet color of great depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: stereotypical Aussie shiraz; purple berries; very oaky; soft mouthfeel; high alcohol (15.5% abv.). Posterchild for innocuous overblown Aussie shiraz – as in, this could be better if a lighter hand had been used in nearly every aspect of this wine’s creation.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 6 = 87
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5/26/2017 - deanamackie@gmail.com wrote:
Drinking beautifully now
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11/15/2015 - Crispin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and dark. Balanced fruits and earthy spice
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6/27/2015 - Alexroy wrote: 89 Points
Very peppery nose, with dark fruit. Smooth, bold dark fruits, long. Mature, yet still young.
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6/15/2015 - GlassHalfFull wrote: 86 Points
Quite a bit of acetone and heat. Didn't hit the spot...
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12/31/2014 - Alexroy wrote: 90 Points
Super dark, very little sign of ageing in the colour. Blackberries and spice on nose. Smooth, dark blackberry fruit, great length, slight spicy kick, tannins beautifully integrated. Great Shiraz.
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11/9/2014 - Crispin Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very spicy nose. Plum coloured, dark and robust. Spicy with pepper dominates. Alcoholic. Straight forward but really very nice and enjoyable.
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3/2/2014 - gdavvetas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby color. The nose is full (more than full I have to say) of ripe and juicy black fruit, accompanied with spices, herbals (mint) and maybe a hint of chocolate. Overall the nose is sweet and intensive. Medium/full body. Albeit the alcohol is high (15,5%), it is very well balanced. Same intensive aromas on the palate, with juicy juicy fruit! For me, it's not so overoaked. Nice aftertaste with medium finish. A straightforward wine which I liked.
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1/20/2013 - Dokken wrote: 90 Points
Forward and oaky nose of plums, blackberries, rasins, sweet spice and smoky, Jack Daniel's like, oak. A bomb in the mouth mosty well balanced despite fairly warm 15.5% abv. Chocolatey and round with ripe but coarse tannins leading to a long finish. Drinking very well now, I wouldn't keep it for more than 2-3 years. For the cold winter's nights.
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1/11/2013 - WineChief Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big, big wine. Dark and brooding like a boxer sitting in the corner ring and then when the bell goes it comes out and smacks you in the face with a big hit of ultra ripe dark fruit and berries. Decanted for about 20 mins and then let sit in glass for another 20. Really enjoyed this wine. If you're after something with a decent punch and some nice tannins and long finish then this is a great place to start.
.
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9/24/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 82 Points
Negociants 2012 ICON Tasting (Zed451, Chicago IL): nose: big and rich nose with black fruits, asphalt, road tar and some eucalyptus.
taste: full bodied with some coarse tannins and tones of black fruits and eucalyptus. Not as overblown on the palate, but the palate is rough right now.
overall: the nose was in the overblown category, but it was better on the palate. It's still rough as well on the palate too.
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3/29/2012 - sindbad Does not like this wine:
Quite a bit of oak with a little eucalyptus, which redeemed it a bit. Gobs of dark fruit but the finish was simple and short. Unlikely this will improve as acidity seems to be lacking.
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3/4/2012 - AlanM68 wrote: 89 Points
Easy to rate this in line with the notes of others. It is somewhat sterotypical but coming from Jim Barry has just a little more going on. Yes, it's oaky, slightly purple, a little sweet but the spice is just showing through. I'd bet a better rating over next 2 years.
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1/20/2012 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 88 Points
Purple core to the rim, interesting nose- coconut and felt tip pen! Big, black fruit of currants and berries, pronounced but integrated dry tannins and black pepper to finish. 4*
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9/21/2011 - Will Devize Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Too sweet, too oaky, too big. Not my sort of thing.
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9/9/2011 - jpcairney wrote: 80 Points
Hmmm! I should have known better and I only have myself to blame. I have avoided wine from Oz for a long time since my senses could no longer distinguish between different producers of various grape varieties. It was as though there was a secret formula that all the wineries were working to and I experienced very little with regard to expression of terroir, the specific climate and soil of not just their country but each individual wine region.
I admit to approaching this wine with a little trepidation but I did have an open mind. The colour was deep and inky, the nose slightly closed with suppressed plum notes and the taste was, well, pleasant but with nothing jumping out to tickle the senses or provide any intrigue or complexity. Just rather straightforward and simple, which is generally no bad thing but when the label on the bottle expresses the flavour as a flamboyant mix of " blueberry, tobacco, nutmeg and cranberry, coriander, sage, vanilla pods and cinnamon" then I do expect more than what I got.
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8/30/2011 - chatters wrote:
Samuel Smith & Sons and Negociants 2011 New Release Tasting (Marriot on Pitt Street, Sydney): Nose: Cream, vanilla, black fruit. Youthful
Mouth: blackberry, enough acid to keep things clean and enough tannin to carry the fruit through to the long finish. Lovely.
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6/3/2011 - grafstrb wrote: 87 Points
-- tasted a single glass non-blind over 5 – 10 minutes --
NOSE: very oaky, but not as oaky as the ’04 Grant Burge “Balthazar”; purple berries; Crayola crayons; spearmint; alcohol is a bit fumey.
BODY: violet color of great depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: stereotypical Aussie shiraz; purple berries; very oaky; soft mouthfeel; high alcohol (15.5% abv.). Posterchild for innocuous overblown Aussie shiraz – as in, this could be better if a lighter hand had been used in nearly every aspect of this wine’s creation.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 6 = 87
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1/30/2011 - antelope wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle, but in a straightforward sort of way.
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11/2/2010 - Double-A Likes this wine: 95 Points
Inky colour. Dense, blackberry, mineral and bitter chocolate nose. Focused palate with firm with ripe tannins and a long, earthy, toasty finish.
5/5
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