First taste in 15 years. Screw cap, not decanted. Fresh and vibrant for twenty years. Plum coffee (mocha) with some jamminess from age. Tannins are smooth and integrated with a long finish. Still another ten years left in it, but drinking very well now. A
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Medicinal nose, camphor, menthol and dark cherry fruit. Really sweet fruit, aromatic spice and menthol notes, some vanilla, plenty of freshness with tannins all melty and smooth. With time takes on notes of toffee and dark chocolate, like a dry Australian port. It becomes progressively sweeter and by the end of the afternoon was rather falling apart which suggests that it may be at its peak. If you love an old school Oz Shiraz like Rockford, you'll love this. It's not subtle but it is lovely. Special unique wine.
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drinking extremely well at 17 years old, dark purple, full throated dark fruit, plums blackberries, still very youthful, well integrated tannins, long finish, years to go, crowd pleaser
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Colour: darkist red - surprising still very good dark colour (screw cap) Nose: Sweet plum (at the back of the label - written special late harvest) Palate: Smooth, bold earthy sweetish plum but dry, nice.
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Rim variation indicates some age, but the fruit is still intact, possibly because of the screw cap. Blueberry compote, black pepper on the nose. Extremely well-integrated on the palate. The finish is not super long.
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WOW! A fruit bomb with oak elements such as wood, pepper, spice herbs. Medium acidity with polished tannin. Screw cap is able to keep its freshness but will be passed it peak soon. Drink up quickly.
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Standing a few days before decanting (one hour) left 1 cm in bottle. Screw cap has worked well to preserve acidity, less so for fruit which is dark and broody rather than vibrant (not a complaint) Intense pepper opens up after finish For the price I paid, a steal, even after shipping.
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Opened a few days after delivery from bond so maybe not fully settled
Brick colour with slightest hint of brown. Unmistakably Australian aromatics, touches of eucalyptus with black fruit Much better balanced than expected; 15% abv not particularly noticeable, still good acidity, powerful but not overwhelming, and not a fruit bomb now, if it ever was
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So apparently my first bottle from earlier this year was flawed... odd, seeing as these have a twisty / can't get cork taint. While I still was not enamored this go around with the juice inside, at least it was palatable, and even made it thru 3 nights of light sipping, without fade. I'm just not that fond of the standard Aussie model anymore, it just feels like there's too much unnatural manipulation going on. Great for the fruit bombiness if you're just getting into reds, as I was 10~15 years ago, but the lack of purity & finesse coming from down under just doesn't rock my boat at this stage of my drinking career.
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(Dinner at Tony's; Brimmer St) Garnet in glass, edgy classic aussie leather, barnyard pong, with graphite and ash. Brighter acidity than memory, with fruits certainly more faded than last tasting; certainly still powerful, but perhaps losing some delicate balance. Finish is pure and more graphite, along with fresh black earth, ashy. Not quite as complete, and this bottle was certainly on the decline - time to drink up! (Perhaps, unsurprisingly, sitting at Deluca's basement on display for a decade didnt help.)
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Alcohol very shouty but strangely appropriate for a wine of this size and scale. Rich with mocha and ripe red fruit. At its peak now, this was an excellent match for braised brisket and mash.
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Way, way past its prime -- this has completely degraded into a port-like substance -- tawny-colored & scented, without the tawny enjoyment. Granted, I bought this two-bottle lot on auction ... so prior improper storage likely had a hand in it. If you're holding some of these, you'd better crack that twisty-top now.
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Deep garnet in color with nice legs. Clean fruit one nose, red black fruit. Smooth red and black from with some peppery spice, leather, oak. Nice balance and not overly fruity in the way some Shiraz wines can be. I think that it is at its peak, as the remaining wine still tasting nice the next day. Some fine sediment but not an excessive amount.
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Damp and mouldy almost, but then after 90 mins the wine starts to come alive and the fruit starts to perfume through. Slight bricking, the colour looks like the wine is showing its age. Quite enjoyed it, would recommend drinking now though, only a few years left.
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This required a lot of time to show its best -- even a whole day. When it was at its peak it was quite good, but a bit of medicine and alcohol on the nose and mouth.
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First - leave this open for hours, if not days. At first pop it's impenetrably "big" on alcohol and fruit. Verging on undrinkable for me. However (much) later on the booze recedes and it shows that there is more in ther. It's quite a pleasant quaff with some red meat and rich-ish sauce, but not particularly layered or much in the way of interesting layers below the fruit.
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- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of raspberry, cherry and fig. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - This is really delicious right now.
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My dining companion was expecting a Shiraz fruit bomb, but this was contrary to expectations. A very nicely integrated wine, with fruit on the nose with smooth tannins and a hint of coffee. The 15% alcohol is perceptible in the finish, but it could also have been from my wine warming up at the dinner table.
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Elegant shiraz; blackcurrant and plums with a hint of mocha complexity in the background. Round and smooth, no tanninc astringency nor overt acidification character. Well balanced and eminently drinkable right now.
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I usually struggle with high alcohol fruit bombs from Mclaren Vale so I was pleasantly surprised to come across this delicious, well-judged 2003 from Kay Bros. Whilst it certainly has an abundance of sweet, ripe dark fruits, there are some confident notes of cigar and leather that really do add a savoury, earthy dimension. Tell-tale bouquet of eucalyptus, dried herbs and tar. The palate is full but smooth, the texture complements the fruit beautifully before silky sweet tannins and gentle acidity add emphasis and deference to the chocolatey finish. This wears its 15% alcohol discretely and was a great pairing with a hearty shepherd's pie. **** I kept a glass leftover in the fridge and had it four days after opening - fruit has given way to mushroom and root veg. Those who wish to drink on the fruit should do so soon.
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Dark garnet in the glass, almost ink. Deep, luscious nose of opulent black fruits - edging on jammy - with classy shiraz leathers and cracked black peppers and loamy earth. Taste is congruently rich, with goodly acidity keeping things tight amidst the fruit concentration (more black/blue berries, black cherry, bit of black plum), leading to a focused velvet coating around the tongue, while garrigue and spices (cinnamon, cardamon, cloves) keep things ringing tal, along with some tar/tobaccol. Incredibly juicy. Mushroom savoriness comes to the fore after a bit, along with loamy black earth, and wet mulch on the finish, with characteristic eucalypt mintiness. Must decant to let the heat dissipate. Despite its concentration and layers, it does become rather monolithic after a while - perhaps still best with food. Drinking very well now.
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Very deep garnet color with very long legs. Oak, peppery spice, raspberry, blackberry, coffee and carmel flavor that fills the mouth. Clearly a fruit bomb, but did not seem to be out of balance. A favorite of the nearly twenty people that tasted it today.
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Dark red. There's an anachronistic high toned red fruit streak that runs through otherwise ultraripe classically South Australian raspberry/blackberry liqueur and licorice aromas. On the palate, though, the strange combination is welcome, giving a lift that's apparent from the very start.
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One of the better 03s I think. Drinking much better now than a year ago. In its window now and for the next 2-3 years I would guess. Pleasant without being remarkable. Very easy drinking.
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Consistent with the previous note. This wine does not seem to offer the same level of enjoyment as suggested by earlier tasting notes by other CT users. Perhaps bad handling sometime along in this particular wine's lifetime? I find this simply overdone. Nice aromatics but a little over the top and lacks finesse.
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Ripe and jammy fruits with oak, incense, spice, liqorice, coffee, and lots more. Though some complexity was evident, to me the wine was too huge and slightly out of balance. Perhaps longer decanting or cellaring will help. As it was, it was a little too overwhelming and difficult to go beyond 2 glasses.
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There's heat to get past on the nose, but once there, it's cassis with cherry starburst and vanilla. Not much acid on the palate, it just oozes with intense fruit and a ton of black pepper.
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Pop n pour consumed over an hour. Ripe blackberry, dark spice, herbs and some milk chocolate on the nose. The 15% abv was well integrated, as were the chewy tannins. This is in a sweet spot right now, and will continue drinking well for another 3-4 years. Lots of sediment. Picked up on closeout for $24, which is right where it belongs.
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Popped and let sit for about an hour. Redish black in color with a nose of coffee beans, spice and black fruit. This is a HUGE wine that is very fruit forward - flavors of currant, casis, mushroom, espresso, black cherry, vanilla. Spicy spicy but incredibly smooth. I think if this were to be decanted or put through a Venturi, this would be even more approachable however, that being said, this wine is simply great. I would serve this wine with BBQ, Pizza, Thai food, or steak.
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No formal notes taken. Big wine that looked much better after a few hours in the glass, even better the next day. Lots of tar, smoke and dark red fruits on the palate. Enjoyable.
I'll have a look at my last one in 2013.
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Notes from memory 24 hours later. Decanted but statred drinking right away. Big nose with the oak very apparent and some dark fruit notes. Big and bold flavors consistent with the nose. Great tasting but not particularly layered.
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Drank with the 2002 which scored a 90. This one while good was not as godo as the 2002 in the head to head. It had a similar flavor profile from the 2002 (Hints of leather and dust on the nose with a palate dark fruit and berries with a hint of white pepper on the palate). Just much more subdued. Both were 15% but the 2002 was much more balanced than this 2003.
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Dark purple colour with an intense nose of blueberries, plums, mint and tar. Smoky, chewy and dense on the palate showing more dark fruited flavours over chocolate, toast and tar with fairly firm tannins underneath. Finishes long, very well balanced for such a big wine.
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A nice balance of dark fruit and bright eucalyptus on the nose, which carries to the palate joined by pepper and tobacco. Nice mid-palate, but overall seems out of balance. Medium-heavy body, with a high-toned and slightly hot finish of medium length. Update: smooths out a bit the second day, for another point or 2 (89pts)
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Thank goodness for decanting and patience. At the unscrew, primarily alcohol and oak. Two hours later, a luscious and peppery juice of the Gods emerged. Great harmony, un-noticeable alcohol with deep rushes of black and red fruits sustaining into nice pink peppermint bouquets on the finish. One of my more stunning experiences this year. (5+13+18+7) = 93
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Notes of blueberry, a little bit of oak, and maybe a slight hint of leather. Seemed like it was lacking some body and acidity, resulting in a flabby mouthfeel. Alcohol seemed to be out of balance as well. B
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Medium ruby color. Was astringent at first taste so we held off for another hour or so and it smoothed out a bit. Flavors of sweet berry, oak, and a touch of spice. Great finish. Very nice juice.
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Lovely. Sweet. Deep, dark fruits, low acid, full and rich, few tannins present. Different, but not so much from the cool climate tasting last week. Others got some tar, which I did not. In contrast to Mollydookers from the same region, this is not as dark in the glass and not as syrupy sweet. Very nice. My WOTN.
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Cherries and chocolate. If thats what you want , this is for you. Expected this to lighten up after a few hours after opening, did not. Heavy and one demensionall.
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Very dark and powerful wine. Big plump dark fat fruit, shimmering eucalyptus, huge oak. Loam and cherries on the nose cloaked in chocolate, tar, and heaps of a giant shitload of eucalyptus compost. Pretty good really, just a wee bit overbearing. Seems like it needs a bit of rest in the bottle; not certain how screw caps are supposed to age.
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Really nice Aussie Shiraz. Far from the typical South Australian Shiraz one tastes a lot. This is deep, dark, but impeccably balanced and elegant at the same time. Has a certain flavor profile that reminds me just a little of older vintages of Penfold's Grange or Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock. Great fruit, structure, and sense of place. My favorite producer of Australian wine and almost an old-school feel to the wine. As usual, great stuff. As good as this is, the 2002 is even better.
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Archetypal big aussie shiraz! Very dense dark purple in colour with just a hint of age at the rim. The nose is rich and a touch (alcohol) lifted, with rich, slightly baked sweet fruit. On the palate, it has a very rich, round-bodied mouthfeel, with a real sweetness to the fruit. Acidity is fighting to keep up with the fruit and the tannins aren't prominent. There's a very slightly bitter finish that adds rather than detracting and the length is good. Drink sooner rather than later IMO, and there's plenty to enjoy now that I can't see being enhanced with cellar time.
Overall it's a bit of a cliche in style, but one that I'm more than happy to return to every once in a while. It's a simple pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.
Interesting as well, in proving that big reds can go well with chilli (con carne), with the richness of the fruit working very well to fight past the heat of the chilli, without the alcohol being too prominent. A good food match.
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Very nice, didn't last long, so no detailed notes. Full and approachable nose. Spicy, currant notes on the palate, which is nicely balanced and medium heavy in weight.
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Sixty minutes of air certainly helped, but I found it ready to drink after thirty minutes. A ripe , full bodied Shiraz with a glass coating viscosity, blueberries, blackberries, smoky red fruit, there’s a bunch in there. Drank great for four hours, and I’m hoping a few years of cellar time will help round out the slightly rough finish. Still, a pretty good wine.
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Very Happy. Knowing it's easy to drink these too quickly I managed 4 hours in the decanter. Inky deep purple, jammy. I bit lighter bodied but drinking like a Ausie champ. Love the price. I will pick up several more and sit on them. Should develop well. Reccomended
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Taste notes and sentiments nearly identical to HurrahSyrah's. Thoroughly enjoyable, especially with 2+ hours of decanting. Excellent value, in my opinion.
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Did not decant this long enough. It was closed and rough on the palate. Next time, DECANT!!!! I did not find this wine enjoyable but could see it opening up after some serious decanting.
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Decanted for 2 hours. This shiraz exhibited a dark ruby color with light ruby tinges. On the nose, there were huge aromas of blueberries and licorice followed by hints of vanilla and milk chocolate. On the palate, this wine was the typical Aussie fruit bomb with flavors of blueberries, plums, and blackberries rushing my taste buds. Nice, lengthy finish with firm tannins and balanced acidity. A well made Shiraz that went well with the pork tenderloin I had for dinner. HS92
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8/18/2023 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Screwcap. Open two hours, decanted immediately before serving.
Only light hint of browning. Needed an hour more decant as it improved drastically over course of meal (coq au vin)
Still some time before it will hit tertiary notes, now showing restrained black and red fruit, good acidity
Works well with stilton, piave
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7/31/2023 - andrew.cameron Likes this wine: 92 Points
First taste in 15 years. Screw cap, not decanted. Fresh and vibrant for twenty years. Plum coffee (mocha) with some jamminess from age. Tannins are smooth and integrated with a long finish. Still another ten years left in it, but drinking very well now. A
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8/8/2021 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
Medicinal nose, camphor, menthol and dark cherry fruit.
Really sweet fruit, aromatic spice and menthol notes, some vanilla, plenty of freshness with tannins all melty and smooth. With time takes on notes of toffee and dark chocolate, like a dry Australian port. It becomes progressively sweeter and by the end of the afternoon was rather falling apart which suggests that it may be at its peak.
If you love an old school Oz Shiraz like Rockford, you'll love this. It's not subtle but it is lovely. Special unique wine.
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2/7/2021 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
drinking extremely well at 17 years old, dark purple, full throated dark fruit, plums blackberries, still very youthful, well integrated tannins, long finish, years to go, crowd pleaser
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6/7/2020 - WineHors Likes this wine:
Initial taste a bit light, this is meant to be decanted.
Afterwards medium body with smooth silky rounded tannin and slight Shiraz sweetness.
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3/12/2020 - WineHors Likes this wine:
Colour: darkist red - surprising still very good dark colour (screw cap)
Nose: Sweet plum (at the back of the label - written special late harvest)
Palate: Smooth, bold earthy sweetish plum but dry, nice.
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1/9/2020 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rim variation indicates some age, but the fruit is still intact, possibly because of the screw cap. Blueberry compote, black pepper on the nose. Extremely well-integrated on the palate. The finish is not super long.
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1/19/2019 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showing some brown; screw cap has nonetheless kept it fresh. Fruit has hint of sweetness, tannins nicely integrated, moderate sediment
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12/8/2018 - Ray852 Likes this wine: 90 Points
WOW! A fruit bomb with oak elements such as wood, pepper, spice herbs. Medium acidity with polished tannin. Screw cap is able to keep its freshness but will be passed it peak soon. Drink up quickly.
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1/27/2018 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Short decant; tried from decanter then found vinturi into glass was optimal. Decanting needed to avoid 1 cm sludge.
Big difference from (un-noted) PnP after transporting a month or so ago - not recommended
Acidity still holding well, black fruit, medium length. Screwcap closure working well
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12/29/2017 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Standing a few days before decanting (one hour) left 1 cm in bottle. Screw cap has worked well to preserve acidity, less so for fruit which is dark and broody rather than vibrant (not a complaint)
Intense pepper opens up after finish
For the price I paid, a steal, even after shipping.
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11/6/2017 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened a few days after delivery from bond so maybe not fully settled
Brick colour with slightest hint of brown. Unmistakably Australian aromatics, touches of eucalyptus with black fruit
Much better balanced than expected; 15% abv not particularly noticeable, still good acidity, powerful but not overwhelming, and not a fruit bomb now, if it ever was
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4/25/2017 - gavjones Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very enjoyable.
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11/19/2016 - fitchbuck wrote: 90 Points
So apparently my first bottle from earlier this year was flawed... odd, seeing as these have a twisty / can't get cork taint. While I still was not enamored this go around with the juice inside, at least it was palatable, and even made it thru 3 nights of light sipping, without fade. I'm just not that fond of the standard Aussie model anymore, it just feels like there's too much unnatural manipulation going on. Great for the fruit bombiness if you're just getting into reds, as I was 10~15 years ago, but the lack of purity & finesse coming from down under just doesn't rock my boat at this stage of my drinking career.
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8/28/2016 - JerM wrote: 90 Points
(Dinner at Tony's; Brimmer St) Garnet in glass, edgy classic aussie leather, barnyard pong, with graphite and ash. Brighter acidity than memory, with fruits certainly more faded than last tasting; certainly still powerful, but perhaps losing some delicate balance. Finish is pure and more graphite, along with fresh black earth, ashy. Not quite as complete, and this bottle was certainly on the decline - time to drink up! (Perhaps, unsurprisingly, sitting at Deluca's basement on display for a decade didnt help.)
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8/21/2016 - Will Devize wrote: 90 Points
Alcohol very shouty but strangely appropriate for a wine of this size and scale. Rich with mocha and ripe red fruit. At its peak now, this was an excellent match for braised brisket and mash.
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6/4/2016 - fitchbuck Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Way, way past its prime -- this has completely degraded into a port-like substance -- tawny-colored & scented, without the tawny enjoyment. Granted, I bought this two-bottle lot on auction ... so prior improper storage likely had a hand in it. If you're holding some of these, you'd better crack that twisty-top now.
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5/17/2016 - sma Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet in color with nice legs. Clean fruit one nose, red black fruit. Smooth red and black from with some peppery spice, leather, oak. Nice balance and not overly fruity in the way some Shiraz wines can be. I think that it is at its peak, as the remaining wine still tasting nice the next day. Some fine sediment but not an excessive amount.
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7/1/2015 - Sijan wrote: 91 Points
Still drinking very well. Quite a nice shiraz w/ good fruit & complexity. Drink soon.
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4/4/2015 - red.red.vino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Damp and mouldy almost, but then after 90 mins the wine starts to come alive and the fruit starts to perfume through. Slight bricking, the colour looks like the wine is showing its age. Quite enjoyed it, would recommend drinking now though, only a few years left.
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1/23/2015 - Quarked wrote: 89 Points
This required a lot of time to show its best -- even a whole day. When it was at its peak it was quite good, but a bit of medicine and alcohol on the nose and mouth.
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5/19/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
Similar note to previous.
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2/28/2014 - mark_m_owen wrote: 87 Points
First - leave this open for hours, if not days. At first pop it's impenetrably "big" on alcohol and fruit. Verging on undrinkable for me. However (much) later on the booze recedes and it shows that there is more in ther. It's quite a pleasant quaff with some red meat and rich-ish sauce, but not particularly layered or much in the way of interesting layers below the fruit.
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11/19/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of raspberry, cherry and fig. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - This is really delicious right now.
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8/19/2013 - wylee Likes this wine: 90 Points
My dining companion was expecting a Shiraz fruit bomb, but this was contrary to expectations. A very nicely integrated wine, with fruit on the nose with smooth tannins and a hint of coffee. The 15% alcohol is perceptible in the finish, but it could also have been from my wine warming up at the dinner table.
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12/24/2012 - VinoVeloVinyl wrote: 90 Points
Elegant shiraz; blackcurrant and plums with a hint of mocha complexity in the background. Round and smooth, no tanninc astringency nor overt acidification character. Well balanced and eminently drinkable right now.
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11/2/2012 - Will Devize wrote: 91 Points
I usually struggle with high alcohol fruit bombs from Mclaren Vale so I was pleasantly surprised to come across this delicious, well-judged 2003 from Kay Bros. Whilst it certainly has an abundance of sweet, ripe dark fruits, there are some confident notes of cigar and leather that really do add a savoury, earthy dimension. Tell-tale bouquet of eucalyptus, dried herbs and tar. The palate is full but smooth, the texture complements the fruit beautifully before silky sweet tannins and gentle acidity add emphasis and deference to the chocolatey finish. This wears its 15% alcohol discretely and was a great pairing with a hearty shepherd's pie. **** I kept a glass leftover in the fridge and had it four days after opening - fruit has given way to mushroom and root veg. Those who wish to drink on the fruit should do so soon.
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10/16/2012 - JerM wrote: 92 Points
Dark garnet in the glass, almost ink. Deep, luscious nose of opulent black fruits - edging on jammy - with classy shiraz leathers and cracked black peppers and loamy earth. Taste is congruently rich, with goodly acidity keeping things tight amidst the fruit concentration (more black/blue berries, black cherry, bit of black plum), leading to a focused velvet coating around the tongue, while garrigue and spices (cinnamon, cardamon, cloves) keep things ringing tal, along with some tar/tobaccol. Incredibly juicy. Mushroom savoriness comes to the fore after a bit, along with loamy black earth, and wet mulch on the finish, with characteristic eucalypt mintiness. Must decant to let the heat dissipate. Despite its concentration and layers, it does become rather monolithic after a while - perhaps still best with food. Drinking very well now.
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6/11/2012 - absolut wrote: 92 Points
Kräuter, Rauch; voller Körper und toller Abgang; für 25€ sehr fein
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1/1/2012 - sma wrote: 92 Points
Very deep garnet color with very long legs. Oak, peppery spice, raspberry, blackberry, coffee and carmel flavor that fills the mouth. Clearly a fruit bomb, but did not seem to be out of balance. A favorite of the nearly twenty people that tasted it today.
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4/13/2011 - tcfishler wrote:
Dark red. There's an anachronistic high toned red fruit streak that runs through otherwise ultraripe classically South Australian raspberry/blackberry liqueur and licorice aromas. On the palate, though, the strange combination is welcome, giving a lift that's apparent from the very start.
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1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote: 88 Points
One of the better 03s I think. Drinking much better now than a year ago. In its window now and for the next 2-3 years I would guess. Pleasant without being remarkable. Very easy drinking.
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7/16/2010 - sfqwino wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with the previous note. This wine does not seem to offer the same level of enjoyment as suggested by earlier tasting notes by other CT users. Perhaps bad handling sometime along in this particular wine's lifetime? I find this simply overdone. Nice aromatics but a little over the top and lacks finesse.
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4/18/2010 - tonsta wrote: 92 Points
This wine is really singing at the moment. Much better than the '04......
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4/4/2010 - sfqwino wrote: 89 Points
Ripe and jammy fruits with oak, incense, spice, liqorice, coffee, and lots more. Though some complexity was evident, to me the wine was too huge and slightly out of balance. Perhaps longer decanting or cellaring will help. As it was, it was a little too overwhelming and difficult to go beyond 2 glasses.
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10/15/2009 - Colia wrote: 93 Points
There's heat to get past on the nose, but once there, it's cassis with cherry starburst and vanilla. Not much acid on the palate, it just oozes with intense fruit and a ton of black pepper.
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9/4/2009 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Pop n pour consumed over an hour. Ripe blackberry, dark spice, herbs and some milk chocolate on the nose. The 15% abv was well integrated, as were the chewy tannins. This is in a sweet spot right now, and will continue drinking well for another 3-4 years. Lots of sediment. Picked up on closeout for $24, which is right where it belongs.
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8/9/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 96 Points
Tasted same night.
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8/9/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 96 Points
Popped and let sit for about an hour. Redish black in color with a nose of coffee beans, spice and black fruit. This is a HUGE wine that is very fruit forward - flavors of currant, casis, mushroom, espresso, black cherry, vanilla. Spicy spicy but incredibly smooth. I think if this were to be decanted or put through a Venturi, this would be even more approachable however, that being said, this wine is simply great. I would serve this wine with BBQ, Pizza, Thai food, or steak.
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7/29/2009 - tonsta wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes taken. Big wine that looked much better after a few hours in the glass, even better the next day. Lots of tar, smoke and dark red fruits on the palate. Enjoyable.
I'll have a look at my last one in 2013.
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4/4/2009 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Notes from memory 24 hours later. Decanted but statred drinking right away. Big nose with the oak very apparent and some dark fruit notes. Big and bold flavors consistent with the nose. Great tasting but not particularly layered.
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2/19/2009 - cvvhrn wrote: 85 Points
Drank with the 2002 which scored a 90. This one while good was not as godo as the 2002 in the head to head. It had a similar flavor profile from the 2002 (Hints of leather and dust on the nose with a palate dark fruit and berries with a hint of white pepper on the palate). Just much more subdued. Both were 15% but the 2002 was much more balanced than this 2003.
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2/13/2009 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple colour with an intense nose of blueberries, plums, mint and tar. Smoky, chewy and dense on the palate showing more dark fruited flavours over chocolate, toast and tar with fairly firm tannins underneath. Finishes long, very well balanced for such a big wine.
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10/18/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 89 Points
A nice balance of dark fruit and bright eucalyptus on the nose, which carries to the palate joined by pepper and tobacco. Nice mid-palate, but overall seems out of balance. Medium-heavy body, with a high-toned and slightly hot finish of medium length. Update: smooths out a bit the second day, for another point or 2 (89pts)
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7/27/2008 - fingers wrote: 93 Points
Thank goodness for decanting and patience. At the unscrew, primarily alcohol and oak. Two hours later, a luscious and peppery juice of the Gods emerged. Great harmony, un-noticeable alcohol with deep rushes of black and red fruits sustaining into nice pink peppermint bouquets on the finish. One of my more stunning experiences this year. (5+13+18+7) = 93
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6/25/2008 - J Dogg wrote:
Notes of blueberry, a little bit of oak, and maybe a slight hint of leather. Seemed like it was lacking some body and acidity, resulting in a flabby mouthfeel. Alcohol seemed to be out of balance as well. B
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3/16/2008 - Russ wrote: 90 Points
Medium ruby color. Was astringent at first taste so we held off for another hour or so and it smoothed out a bit. Flavors of sweet berry, oak, and a touch of spice. Great finish. Very nice juice.
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2/23/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Lovely. Sweet. Deep, dark fruits, low acid, full and rich, few tannins present. Different, but not so much from the cool climate tasting last week. Others got some tar, which I did not. In contrast to Mollydookers from the same region, this is not as dark in the glass and not as syrupy sweet. Very nice. My WOTN.
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2/10/2008 - pilot360 wrote: 84 Points
Cherries and chocolate. If thats what you want , this is for you. Expected this to lighten up after a few hours after opening, did not. Heavy and one demensionall.
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12/20/2007 - keepitreal wrote: 87 Points
Very dark and powerful wine. Big plump dark fat fruit, shimmering eucalyptus, huge oak. Loam and cherries on the nose cloaked in chocolate, tar, and heaps of a giant shitload of eucalyptus compost. Pretty good really, just a wee bit overbearing. Seems like it needs a bit of rest in the bottle; not certain how screw caps are supposed to age.
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11/4/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
Really nice Aussie Shiraz. Far from the typical South Australian Shiraz one tastes a lot. This is deep, dark, but impeccably balanced and elegant at the same time. Has a certain flavor profile that reminds me just a little of older vintages of Penfold's Grange or Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock. Great fruit, structure, and sense of place. My favorite producer of Australian wine and almost an old-school feel to the wine. As usual, great stuff. As good as this is, the 2002 is even better.
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10/28/2007 - Ian S wrote:
Archetypal big aussie shiraz!
Very dense dark purple in colour with just a hint of age at the rim. The nose is rich and a touch (alcohol) lifted, with rich, slightly baked sweet fruit.
On the palate, it has a very rich, round-bodied mouthfeel, with a real sweetness to the fruit. Acidity is fighting to keep up with the fruit and the tannins aren't prominent. There's a very slightly bitter finish that adds rather than detracting and the length is good. Drink sooner rather than later IMO, and there's plenty to enjoy now that I can't see being enhanced with cellar time.
Overall it's a bit of a cliche in style, but one that I'm more than happy to return to every once in a while. It's a simple pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.
Interesting as well, in proving that big reds can go well with chilli (con carne), with the richness of the fruit working very well to fight past the heat of the chilli, without the alcohol being too prominent. A good food match.
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10/20/2007 - boxwine_in_hell wrote: 90 Points
Ordered at restaurant so no detailed tasting notes, but a really nice shiraz. Typical, quality McLaren Vale shiraz.
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10/19/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
Very nice, didn't last long, so no detailed notes. Full and approachable nose. Spicy, currant notes on the palate, which is nicely balanced and medium heavy in weight.
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8/31/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 90 Points
Nice Shiraz, a bit warm on the palate.
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8/7/2007 - yanik wrote: 91 Points
For the money this is an excellent Shiraz
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6/26/2007 - Mondial wrote:
delicious
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5/10/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 91 Points
Excellent Ausie Shiraz, will improve but drinkable now.
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4/7/2007 - tonsta wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1hr. Massive wine, needs time to settle down. Glad I have a few more bottles. Drink 2009+
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3/12/2007 - Mark wrote: 91 Points
Sixty minutes of air certainly helped, but I found it ready to drink after thirty minutes. A ripe , full bodied Shiraz with a glass coating viscosity, blueberries, blackberries, smoky red fruit, there’s a bunch in there. Drank great for four hours, and I’m hoping a few years of cellar time will help round out the slightly rough finish. Still, a pretty good wine.
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1/21/2007 - TABauer wrote: 91 Points
Very Happy. Knowing it's easy to drink these too quickly I managed 4 hours in the decanter. Inky deep purple, jammy. I bit lighter bodied but drinking like a Ausie champ. Love the price. I will pick up several more and sit on them. Should develop well. Reccomended
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1/10/2007 - DuckfaninMT wrote: 91 Points
Taste notes and sentiments nearly identical to HurrahSyrah's. Thoroughly enjoyable, especially with 2+ hours of decanting. Excellent value, in my opinion.
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12/27/2006 - drcbarroso wrote:
Did not decant this long enough. It was closed and rough on the palate. Next time, DECANT!!!! I did not find this wine enjoyable but could see it opening up after some serious decanting.
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12/9/2006 - HurrahSyrah wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. This shiraz exhibited a dark ruby color with light ruby tinges. On the nose, there were huge aromas of blueberries and licorice followed by hints of vanilla and milk chocolate. On the palate, this wine was the typical Aussie fruit bomb with flavors of blueberries, plums, and blackberries rushing my taste buds. Nice, lengthy finish with firm tannins and balanced acidity. A well made Shiraz that went well with the pork tenderloin I had for dinner. HS92
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