The wine was ink in color, very purple. Strong earthiness to the taste and about an hour into the bottle it really started opening up to lavender and spices. This wine still has a couples years left on it.
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Deep garnet in color. Rich nose of red berries, cedar and spice. Warm, rich and smooth on the palate, with notes of red berries and spice. Slightly sweet. Outstanding wine that still has several good years of drinking left. Significant sediment.
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PnP. Lightly perfumed cherries, some brett and a touch of smoke on the nose. The palate still shows bright acidity, keeping the layers of fruit well marked. Tannins resolved at this point, with overall balance still pretty nice. Last glass was the best. Good QPR at the $16 I paid. Drink thru 2014.
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We consumed during my birthday party and another table consumed this bottle so I only tasted a little and without food.We did not decant the wine. Upon opening, great fruit on the palate (cherries mostly) and very smooth. Nice finish, but overall lacks the sophistication and complexity of Torbreck's better wines such as the Struie and the Steading. Still an excellent wine that should be drunk when it is open, i.e. it gets a little bit nerbaceous after 3 hours in the bottle.
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Out of magnum (480 of 480). Drinking about at its prime right now. Rich and complex, this is classic Torbreck which means that it's an intensely flavoured Shiraz and one of the better examples from Australia. Lots of dark fruit, chocolate and spice all the components were in great harmony.
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Very green and twiggy in both the nose and the pallet. Nice mellow tannins, but any fruit was just overpowered by herbaceousness. Not particularly good, but I don't think the bottle was bad.
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Could go 92 on this one. Well, my evolving palate has now started to understand the concept of aging in the bottle. This wine is very reflective of S. Rhone and last year it was not near as developed and now it is spot on in its drinking window with nice rounded tannins and acidity, dark fruit but not over the top Aussie style. Leather, cassis and cherries with a full bodied mouth feel and nice subtle finish. While it still had that 'terroir' reminiscent of S. Rhone it was not as pronounced. Wishing now I had more. Now its time to try the 06. Interestingly I served this with pan seared followed in the oven rack of lamb and agree with Royaljelly, great pairing. I put my spice emphasis on Near Eastern style risotto and only salted and peppered the lamb. Note, Near Eastern style would include curry and morrocan spices as well as those typical of the mediterranean. The risotto added just the right touch with its spices thus allowing the meats own natural flavor to come through rather than being masked by the spices IMHO. The result was I didn't need a wine to compete with the spices on the meat and since the spices were in the risotto they were more mellow and weren't over bearing. Hence the wine turned out to be a great pairing.
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Previous notes apply but only opened short while yesterday and then had to leave so I will give an update after drinking later today. Day two: Absolutley delightful very Rhone like wine. Again, the 90 score is a very conservative estimate. Not as fuit forward or jammy as last bottle but then that may be because this bottle lasted for two days.
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I am only scoring this below 90 because I am somewhat new to this style. This reminded me of a French Rhone with dark fruit, spice, chocolate and a hint of dryness. Mid palate was full and smooth tannins and acidity with hints of cherry on the tip of my tongue with black fruit and spice on the finish. Great terroir which reminded me exactly of French Rhone. The difference for me was that it was 'jammy' and filled with a mixture of fruit and absolutely felt balanced. Great nose of terroir and barnyard with strong legs and medium body. GREAT wine and will by again. Definitely recommend trying. This was not like the other Barossa Valley Shiraz I have had before, i.e. Chris Ringland, Marquis Block 9 which were much more fruit forward and very characteristic of Australia and even California whereas this took me directly to France. Wonderful. I would also refer you to *Vine* notes below which were right on in my estimation.
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Dark chocolate and vanilla on the nose with some cherry fruit mixed in. Great fruit flavors from front to back on the palate starting with cherries and finishing with a bit of black currant. Just a bit of dryness for a pleasing mouth-feel. A tiny bit of spice with a decent finish. This wine paired very nicely with a rich red pasta sauce.
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Wish I'd had this 1-2 years back. The once-large fruit is faded, a bit hollow in the middle. It's dark and earthy but no longer an over-the-top bomb. I'd like to have it somewhere in between. Paired with barbecued burgers. Outshone by a Burgess Syrah.
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Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Complex and elegant bouquet with herbs, chocolate and some tobacco. Red and black fruits. Good juice. A little sweetness. Soft but firm tannin and a good dose of bitterness. Definitely has a future of several years. Good qpr!
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This wine has changed a lot over the years. This bottle had a milk chocolate, dark sour, barnyard thing on the nose. Over the second hour, the barnyard backed off a bit. A very different experience than my earlier fruit forward bottles, but not altogether bad either.
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12/18/08: Intense deep crimson inky color, with a nose of oily smoke, raspberry, some floral notes, and spice. This wine is medium bodied with decent complexity and structure, soft tannins, and nice acidity. The finish is smooth tannin, mineral and raisin, medium long. All in all not predominates, not much wow factor but a nice bottle.
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The first night after a few hours of decanting, there was a great Puttanesca on the nose and the mouth, with loads of olives and stewed tomatoes. This was the third bottle that we opened with Thanksgiving, so we did not finish it. The next night with left overs we opened it back up (vacuumed) and there was the most distinct new pool toy smell, it was very off putting and did not blow off for more than an hour in the glass, everyone just sat there and swirled, hoping that it might get better.
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Unscrewed and poured. Deep, inky hue. Aromas of roasted meats, smoke, spice, herbs, and ripened fruits. Medium-plus body. Fruit flavors really take off on the palate, with raspberry jam, ripened plum, a touch of apricot and other dried fruits complimenting the firm, tannic structure. Tasted next to the 2005, the 2004 comes across as much more herbaceous and tannic. However, there's no mistaking the Torbreck style, which I find to be both distinctive and interesting even in the entry level Shiraz. Back to the 2004, it could probably go for another 1-3 years, possibly even improving in that time.
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vanilla, blueberries, and a bit of smoke (which I didn't get last time). Seemed more brooding as well - still fruit forward, but darker and meatier somehow. Still enjoying this wine.
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Consistent with my previous note. Likes a good 2 hour decant and the second half was even better the next day although I just closed the screwcap and left the bottle on the table overnight.
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Consistent with my previous note. Likes a good 2 hour decant and the second half was even better the next day after I left the bottle in the fridge overnight.
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Very deep crimson colour with crimson hue. The nose displays impressive varietal lift. Top notes of ripe plum and vanilla, followed by blackberry. The palate reveals notes of stewed plum, liquorice and spices, with the back palate being quite spicy. Fine grained tannins. Aftertaste of plums and stewed fruit. Drink over the next 5-6 years; will improve slightly.
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Well done, extreme fruit on the nose and the palate, probably going away from these 'bombs', but they still are very attractive from time to time - Black, very concentrated with notes of kirsch liquer, sweet black fruit and vanilla oak on the nose, well structured and very smooth on the palate with a long finish, great QPR! (91 Points).
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Glad I opened this tonight. I enjoyed the last bottle more, however the secondary characteristics this bottle has developed are interesting. Nose: For this price point surprisingly complex nose of earth, grilled meat, leather, and hints of mint and prunes. Palate: Soft blackberry and mint flavors present. With this bottle the nose is the star, and the palate plays a supporting role as it's intensity of youth has faded.
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I will not rate, as this is not a style I prefer. Having said that, however, I can see why many enjoy this. It is a over the top fruit bomb, with with not so subtle blueberry, vanilla. Not too hot on the end. Lacked the peppery finish I like with Syrah. Again, too fruit forward for me.
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Smoke, vanilla, blackberry, blueberry, chocolate. Smooth and silky and approachable with a hint of a bankbone. Went well with steaks and drink well on it's own. Slight hint of alcohol at the end of the finish.
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Not my favorite - compared directly with 2006 Shotfire shiraz at Gayle's family dinner. The finish had a very odd and slightly unpleasant flavor. Downgraded later because after a few days later, stored in the refrigerator, it was more than slightly unpleasant - I could not drink it and poured the rest down the drain.
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Dark opaque purple. Intense nose of blackberry jam with some background notes of campfire. On the palate thick dark berry fruit. Enjoyable but a bit one dimentional. With time some licorice and dark chocolate emerged. The last glass was the best to my taste with some earthy elements coming out to balance out the intense fruit. Maybe a bit more air time in the future.
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A great Shiraz with cherry and nutty tones; Torbreck pressed out a lot of flavor out of their grapes! Can sit in a cellar for another couple of years at least.
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Deep ruby with a black center. This has really blossomed in the past couple of years in the cellar. Very peppery on the nose, with elements of ripe bramble fruit and wood smoke. Very full on the palate with spicy pepper, cassis and espresso roast. Powerful Shiraz.
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An intense color - looking very young and thick. A lovely bouquet of coffee and wood (chestnut?). The palate is equally woody and peppery with an aftertaste of fruit that lasts ca. 10 seconds. Keep or (better) drink.
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Dark purple color. Raspberries, blackberries, melted licorice, and earthy elements on the nose. Medium to full body with ripe, persistant tannins and decent acidity. Raspberries, blackberries, a bit of an herbal element on the palate. Good length on the finish.
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Haven't had an aussie shiraz in quite some time, as my palate's shifted away from these. But with a buffalo ribeye already on the grill, this called to me to drink with the ribeye. Glad I did. Despite being a low-end shiraz, it reminded me what I used to love about these wines (Torbreck's in particular).
Nose of reddish purple fruits, with some black and white pepper, and just a touch of alcohol. Fairly round and almost silky on the palate, with a substantive but not huge mouthfeel. Bright red fruits with little acidity. Rounded and simple, but tasty.
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I have left 2 previous notes, and this stuff continues to please. Last time I had it was a year ago and the wine has developed further since. There is still a juicy core of blueberry and blackberry, but this is now further framed with licorice and spice. Thick and nice for what it is.
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Much better than the last from a few weeks ago. The petrol smell was gone, replaced by dark fruit and cinnamon. Strong blueberry taste. 25+ finish. Great value.
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Very nice, dark ink colour, somewhat cloudy with a lot of sediment surprisingly - Wonderful bramble fruit nose, iwth a touch of oak, very smooth and rich on the palate with a medium finish, great QPR (90 Points).
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Somewhat dark purple. Strong petrol component on the nose, along with very dark, jammy berries. I think this is maybe a bit off, or it is simply much more concentrated than the 03. Certainly cassis and tar. Don't get me wrong, it is good, just not the easy drinking, almost refreshing, QPR that I enjoyed a number of in the previous vintage.
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I have had half a dozen of this series already. This is starting to lose its heady cherry aroma. Mind you, it is still rather prominent. The taste is cedary and cherry liquer and sweet. Really heavy. I cannnot say I will buy more of this. Just too heavy handed. I have to say I was initially blown away by its QPR. But my enthusiasm for this has run its course. No more. Still good to very good.
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A very soft and round Shiraz, not a fruit bomb though, it started out that way, but in the glass it evolved nicely, with some nice meaty notes, blackberry, and real raspberry finish. A good bottle and looking forward to getting more of the '05.
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Enjoyed over two nights. Muted aromas of red berries and vanilla. Nothing really jumps out on the nose. Medium body, medium intensity lead, spice, pepper, cranberries. Ten second finish with no noticable heat. Not thick or jammy, decent value at $18
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Opens with focused and concentrated aromas of meat, pepper and superripe black fruit with notes of tobacco. Full bodied with a soft texture and showing more of the same flavors from the nose. Finishes with cherry, cleansing acidity and very light tannins of moderate length.
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Over the top on everything. Very heady cherry, oak, smoke and cassis and peppery nose and flavor. Full body and chewy. Integrated and smooth tannin. Gets even more intense as it sits in the glass. It overwhemls the senses. Can't say I like fruit bomb anymore. Nevertheless, this is very tolerable. Heck, who am I kidding. This is enjoyable. Why try to find fault with a wine that is simply trying to please you? It is excellent as it is.
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Awfully fruity...probably a little overly so. Not a strong enough presence of structure to support it. All blackberries and plum on the nose, with some carry over to the palate. Mostly juicy, though, without any spice or tannin.
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Dark purple,almost inky. At first just aromas of light peppery spice. After an hour in the decanter dark fruit appeared: blackberries, black cherries. On the palate, a solid beam of jammy blueberry with notes of clove and white pepper followed by velvety tannins. Very, very good. Definately will buy more.
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Very good structure, body and balance. Didn't like the nose to much .. found it to turn me off a bit, just smelled a little funky but on the palate the fruit was good and smooth.
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Nice dark purple color. Decent nose of cassis and black pepper. Very grapey on the palate, mouth filling but not heavy. Well integrated alcohol, not too hot. A great wine with ribs, drank at casual swim club BBQ. Drinking well today, and a great QPR.
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Tasty. Has balance and richness beyond what you'd expect in a $16 wine. Great fruit: blackberries, black cherry, with dried herbs. Drinking great from the bottle, but will decant for sediment (lots of it) next time. Exceptional wine at an everyday price.
Tasted again 7/4.
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Good QPR Aussie Shiraz. No notes, but recollect a nice body with typical Aussie Shiraz flavor profile and a decent finish. May have been a bit young yet. Would buy again.
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Concur with my earlier note, except that the flavors are more savory and less primary than before. Has mellowed nicely and is an excellent every day wine.
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Almost black in the glass. Complex, with medium to long finish. Earthy with tobacco overtones and fruity highlights. A bit high on the alcohol that detracts a bit. May have opened too early.
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On the nose, plenty of sweet blackberries and charcoal. On the palate,medium-bodied with some rocks and blackberries, velvety, with outstanding balance and complexity. The long finish adds some spice, stewed plums and sweet oak notes, and some nice balancing acidity.
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Dark purple with a hint of blue at the rim. On the nose, primary grape, blackberry, and spice. On the palate, grapey, dark berry notes predominate with a hint of licorice and herb. Good acidity and tannins frame this regular drinker nicely.
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Aromatic, roasted, cherry jam, currant, toast, floral and nut nose. Med-full bodied with bright fruit and good acidity; moderate tannins; long finish. 4.5/5
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Very good wine. Cannot place the smell of this wine - it's not fruit or spice based. Very different smell that leads to a great, balanced taste. Not overly fruit or oak driven. Clean, smooth finish, highly recommend!
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This is quite a young wine with a lot of primary fruit character in the nose -- particularly deep black cherry -- but not overly sweet, and with other strong notes as well. One was somewhat hard to pin down, but most resembled black tea. Also notes of licorice.
On the palate it had nice acidity, with very smooth tannins.
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Screw-Top=Caution By Paul from the Oblong Table July 07, 2005 RP 92 or CB or Peter or Paul from the Oblong Table--it only matters what you think. I say “average at best”. No bouquet, no separation of flavors and no lasting taste. I’m not sure what a cor
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8/16/2023 - Preed wrote: 90 Points
Smooth with a little bit of spice. The large format probably saved it as it is definitely close to the end.
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11/30/2015 - APJS70 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rich, smooth and velvety. Still fruity with berry and plum and a lingering spice. Good legs, very enjoyable.
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5/9/2015 - bdeblank wrote: 90 Points
30 minutes to open up then very nice. Well integrated, fruit and secondary favors.
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2/9/2015 - owr wrote: 90 Points
proved to be a real coup as this beauty showed off raspberry, vanilla, cherry jam, mocha, and smoke ... A true delight for both the nose and palate.
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11/20/2014 - Telacey Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine was ink in color, very purple. Strong earthiness to the taste and about an hour into the bottle it really started opening up to lavender and spices. This wine still has a couples years left on it.
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6/15/2013 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at a party; informal note. Ripe plum and dark fruit notes mixed with boysenberry and spice tones. Medium-bodied with a spice and plum finish.
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6/15/2013 - thelostverse wrote: 87 Points
This came across with stewed notes that sound worse than it was. There were some meaty notes as well. Won't miss these in the cellar.
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12/2/2012 - MhatfieldJr wrote: 72 Points
Sharp and thin on the nose and palate. Lost its identity.
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11/24/2011 - CDStrombom Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet in color. Rich nose of red berries, cedar and spice. Warm, rich and smooth on the palate, with notes of red berries and spice. Slightly sweet. Outstanding wine that still has several good years of drinking left. Significant sediment.
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8/20/2011 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP. Lightly perfumed cherries, some brett and a touch of smoke on the nose. The palate still shows bright acidity, keeping the layers of fruit well marked. Tannins resolved at this point, with overall balance still pretty nice. Last glass was the best. Good QPR at the $16 I paid. Drink thru 2014.
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4/23/2011 - MichelPlatini wrote: 89 Points
We consumed during my birthday party and another table consumed this bottle so I only tasted a little and without food.We did not decant the wine. Upon opening, great fruit on the palate (cherries mostly) and very smooth. Nice finish, but overall lacks the sophistication and complexity of Torbreck's better wines such as the Struie and the Steading. Still an excellent wine that should be drunk when it is open, i.e. it gets a little bit nerbaceous after 3 hours in the bottle.
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12/27/2010 - Bardamu wrote: 92 Points
Out of magnum (480 of 480). Drinking about at its prime right now. Rich and complex, this is classic Torbreck which means that it's an intensely flavoured Shiraz and one of the better examples from Australia. Lots of dark fruit, chocolate and spice all the components were in great harmony.
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12/19/2010 - kkessler wrote: 85 Points
Very green and twiggy in both the nose and the pallet. Nice mellow tannins, but any fruit was just overpowered by herbaceousness. Not particularly good, but I don't think the bottle was bad.
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12/18/2010 - FoodMuse Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful layers of licorice, anise, black pepper, dried cherries, and raspberries. Deep and rich with lots of character and ample oak.
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10/15/2010 - JdeM wrote: 90 Points
rich, full bodied Shiraz with smooth tannins and long finish
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10/9/2010 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PvD Viognier worldwide and reds from the Southern Hemisphere): Sweetness in the bouquet, rose hips. Also a lot of sweetness on the palate. Red and black berries. I miss a little acidity to give this wine a good bite. Is pleasant though and has a long finish, but lacks real distinction.
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9/13/2010 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Could go 92 on this one. Well, my evolving palate has now started to understand the concept of aging in the bottle. This wine is very reflective of S. Rhone and last year it was not near as developed and now it is spot on in its drinking window with nice rounded tannins and acidity, dark fruit but not over the top Aussie style. Leather, cassis and cherries with a full bodied mouth feel and nice subtle finish. While it still had that 'terroir' reminiscent of S. Rhone it was not as pronounced. Wishing now I had more. Now its time to try the 06. Interestingly I served this with pan seared followed in the oven rack of lamb and agree with Royaljelly, great pairing. I put my spice emphasis on Near Eastern style risotto and only salted and peppered the lamb. Note, Near Eastern style would include curry and morrocan spices as well as those typical of the mediterranean. The risotto added just the right touch with its spices thus allowing the meats own natural flavor to come through rather than being masked by the spices IMHO. The result was I didn't need a wine to compete with the spices on the meat and since the spices were in the risotto they were more mellow and weren't over bearing. Hence the wine turned out to be a great pairing.
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9/12/2010 - Royaljelly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Has rounded out nicely now, very smooth with lush dark cherries, cassis, smoke and tar. Paired well with our oven roasted lamb.
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8/2/2010 - BillyT wrote: 90 Points
Previous notes apply but only opened short while yesterday and then had to leave so I will give an update after drinking later today. Day two: Absolutley delightful very Rhone like wine. Again, the 90 score is a very conservative estimate. Not as fuit forward or jammy as last bottle but then that may be because this bottle lasted for two days.
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4/10/2010 - sonakul_t wrote: 90 Points
Rich yummy fruits and very opulent....
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1/27/2010 - Cobbster wrote: 89 Points
No green flavors in this bottle, just big, brawny smoked black cherry fruit.
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1/27/2010 - BillyT wrote: 89 Points
I am only scoring this below 90 because I am somewhat new to this style. This reminded me of a French Rhone with dark fruit, spice, chocolate and a hint of dryness. Mid palate was full and smooth tannins and acidity with hints of cherry on the tip of my tongue with black fruit and spice on the finish. Great terroir which reminded me exactly of French Rhone. The difference for me was that it was 'jammy' and filled with a mixture of fruit and absolutely felt balanced. Great nose of terroir and barnyard with strong legs and medium body. GREAT wine and will by again. Definitely recommend trying. This was not like the other Barossa Valley Shiraz I have had before, i.e. Chris Ringland, Marquis Block 9 which were much more fruit forward and very characteristic of Australia and even California whereas this took me directly to France. Wonderful. I would also refer you to *Vine* notes below which were right on in my estimation.
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11/6/2009 - troyd wrote:
Drank in 08
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10/23/2009 - orkmork wrote: 88 Points
Dark chocolate and vanilla on the nose with some cherry fruit mixed in. Great fruit flavors from front to back on the palate starting with cherries and finishing with a bit of black currant. Just a bit of dryness for a pleasing mouth-feel. A tiny bit of spice with a decent finish. This wine paired very nicely with a rich red pasta sauce.
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7/12/2009 - jeffal66 wrote: 87 Points
Wish I'd had this 1-2 years back. The once-large fruit is faded, a bit hollow in the middle. It's dark and earthy but no longer an over-the-top bomb. I'd like to have it somewhere in between. Paired with barbecued burgers. Outshone by a Burgess Syrah.
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7/11/2009 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Complex and elegant bouquet with herbs, chocolate and some tobacco. Red and black fruits. Good juice. A little sweetness. Soft but firm tannin and a good dose of bitterness. Definitely has a future of several years. Good qpr!
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5/31/2009 - Lukeout wrote:
This wine has changed a lot over the years. This bottle had a milk chocolate, dark sour, barnyard thing on the nose. Over the second hour, the barnyard backed off a bit. A very different experience than my earlier fruit forward bottles, but not altogether bad either.
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5/19/2009 - Cobbster wrote: 84 Points
Purfumey nose, some greenness pervades the fruit in this wine.
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2/2/2009 - MichaelF wrote: 85 Points
I just can't get myself to enjoy this wine. Over the top fruity. Lacked complexity and depth of a good Shiraz.
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1/1/2009 - GuBe wrote: 88 Points
Loftað í 3 tíma. Of kröftugt berjasaft fyrir minn smekk.
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12/20/2008 - enosnob wrote: 88 Points
12/18/08: Intense deep crimson inky color, with a nose of oily smoke, raspberry, some floral notes, and spice. This wine is medium bodied with decent complexity and structure, soft tannins, and nice acidity. The finish is smooth tannin, mineral and raisin, medium long. All in all not predominates, not much wow factor but a nice bottle.
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12/14/2008 - jdkru wrote: 88 Points
The first night after a few hours of decanting, there was a great Puttanesca on the nose and the mouth, with loads of olives and stewed tomatoes. This was the third bottle that we opened with Thanksgiving, so we did not finish it. The next night with left overs we opened it back up (vacuumed) and there was the most distinct new pool toy smell, it was very off putting and did not blow off for more than an hour in the glass, everyone just sat there and swirled, hoping that it might get better.
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11/26/2008 - *Vine* wrote: 90 Points
Unscrewed and poured. Deep, inky hue. Aromas of roasted meats, smoke, spice, herbs, and ripened fruits. Medium-plus body. Fruit flavors really take off on the palate, with raspberry jam, ripened plum, a touch of apricot and other dried fruits complimenting the firm, tannic structure. Tasted next to the 2005, the 2004 comes across as much more herbaceous and tannic. However, there's no mistaking the Torbreck style, which I find to be both distinctive and interesting even in the entry level Shiraz. Back to the 2004, it could probably go for another 1-3 years, possibly even improving in that time.
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10/4/2008 - Lukeout wrote:
vanilla, blueberries, and a bit of smoke (which I didn't get last time). Seemed more brooding as well - still fruit forward, but darker and meatier somehow. Still enjoying this wine.
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9/5/2008 - tthorn wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well. Not perfect, but great at $16. Jammy, ripe, full of fruit, moderate oak, and a little bit of tannin. Consistently a good buy.
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7/25/2008 - michelvl wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with my previous note. The second half was even better the next day although I just closed the screwcap.
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7/6/2008 - michelvl wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with my previous note. Likes a good 2 hour decant and the second half was even better the next day although I just closed the screwcap and left the bottle on the table overnight.
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6/16/2008 - michelvl wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with my previous note. Likes a good 2 hour decant and the second half was even better the next day after I left the bottle in the fridge overnight.
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5/11/2008 - Lukeout wrote:
Jammy, but a little muddy as well. Tons of fruit on the nose, big mouth filling Shiraz.
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4/28/2008 - michelvl wrote: 90 Points
Very deep crimson colour with crimson hue. The nose displays impressive varietal lift. Top notes of ripe plum and vanilla, followed by blackberry. The palate reveals notes of stewed plum, liquorice and spices, with the back palate being quite spicy. Fine grained tannins. Aftertaste of plums and stewed fruit. Drink over the next 5-6 years; will improve slightly.
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4/21/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 91 Points
Well done, extreme fruit on the nose and the palate, probably going away from these 'bombs', but they still are very attractive from time to time - Black, very concentrated with notes of kirsch liquer, sweet black fruit and vanilla oak on the nose, well structured and very smooth on the palate with a long finish, great QPR! (91 Points).
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3/28/2008 - alexc wrote: 88 Points
Nothing complicated - very approachable and enjoyable. Drinking well now.
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3/22/2008 - GuBe wrote: 89 Points
Farið að dala. Lítil tannín, næstum eins og bláberjasaft. Ekki geyma mikið lengur.
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3/22/2008 - Mattshank wrote: 89 Points
Glad I opened this tonight. I enjoyed the last bottle more, however the secondary characteristics this bottle has developed are interesting. Nose: For this price point surprisingly complex nose of earth, grilled meat, leather, and hints of mint and prunes. Palate: Soft blackberry and mint flavors present. With this bottle the nose is the star, and the palate plays a supporting role as it's intensity of youth has faded.
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3/15/2008 - MichaelF wrote:
I will not rate, as this is not a style I prefer. Having said that, however, I can see why many enjoy this. It is a over the top fruit bomb, with with not so subtle blueberry, vanilla. Not too hot on the end. Lacked the peppery finish I like with Syrah. Again, too fruit forward for me.
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2/2/2008 - NPWolfe wrote: flawed
Really, really nasty.
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1/20/2008 - Wrighty wrote: 91 Points
Smoke, vanilla, blackberry, blueberry, chocolate. Smooth and silky and approachable with a hint of a bankbone. Went well with steaks and drink well on it's own. Slight hint of alcohol at the end of the finish.
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1/15/2008 - Tigg wrote: 86 Points
A bit grapier than I remember from a tasting. Evened out a bit after open for an hour.
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12/23/2007 - sonakul_t wrote: 90 Points
Fruity & full of flavours with a hint of smoke. The more i try this wine the more i like it
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11/30/2007 - Lukeout wrote:
Juicy mouth water-er. Dark purple. Vanilla and spice on the nose. Dark Cherry and Cedar. Big straight forward wine.
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11/18/2007 - pickhardt wrote: 80 Points
Not my favorite - compared directly with 2006 Shotfire shiraz at Gayle's family dinner. The finish had a very odd and slightly unpleasant flavor. Downgraded later because after a few days later, stored in the refrigerator, it was more than slightly unpleasant - I could not drink it and poured the rest down the drain.
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10/21/2007 - phantphant wrote: 93 Points
AMAZING the second day....first day...not so much...total earth
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9/24/2007 - twoamps wrote: 88 Points
sort of overripe fruit, jam, spice, cutting acidity. Good but not great.
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9/19/2007 - dehbach wrote:
Needs more time. Lots of blackberries and meat. Promising.
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9/17/2007 - Foster wrote:
Dark opaque purple. Intense nose of blackberry jam with some background notes of campfire. On the palate thick dark berry fruit. Enjoyable but a bit one dimentional. With time some licorice and dark chocolate emerged. The last glass was the best to my taste with some earthy elements coming out to balance out the intense fruit. Maybe a bit more air time in the future.
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8/25/2007 - nwinther wrote: 89 Points
Massive bouquet of black currant - slightly sweet on the palate. Wonderful with ribs (BBQ). Drink now or keep.
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8/19/2007 - ctacmo wrote: 91 Points
A great Shiraz with cherry and nutty tones; Torbreck pressed out a lot of flavor out of their grapes! Can sit in a cellar for another couple of years at least.
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8/7/2007 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby with a black center. This has really blossomed in the past couple of years in the cellar. Very peppery on the nose, with elements of ripe bramble fruit and wood smoke. Very full on the palate with spicy pepper, cassis and espresso roast. Powerful Shiraz.
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7/21/2007 - nwinther wrote: 88 Points
An intense color - looking very young and thick. A lovely bouquet of coffee and wood (chestnut?). The palate is equally woody and peppery with an aftertaste of fruit that lasts ca. 10 seconds. Keep or (better) drink.
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7/5/2007 - cbbrown3 wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple color. Raspberries, blackberries, melted licorice, and earthy elements on the nose. Medium to full body with ripe, persistant tannins and decent acidity. Raspberries, blackberries, a bit of an herbal element on the palate. Good length on the finish.
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7/2/2007 - vijayk416 wrote: 89 Points
Very nice. Vanilla, red fruit and a sweet finish that still comes off crisp.
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6/1/2007 - sonakul_t wrote: 90 Points
Getting better every time i open up a bottle. Full of fruits, nice finish.
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5/13/2007 - sonakul_t wrote: 86 Points
Light wine with lots of fruit. A little too sweet for my liking. But good all round for every day drinking
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4/19/2007 - trankin wrote: 87 Points
Haven't had an aussie shiraz in quite some time, as my palate's shifted away from these. But with a buffalo ribeye already on the grill, this called to me to drink with the ribeye. Glad I did. Despite being a low-end shiraz, it reminded me what I used to love about these wines (Torbreck's in particular).
Nose of reddish purple fruits, with some black and white pepper, and just a touch of alcohol. Fairly round and almost silky on the palate, with a substantive but not huge mouthfeel. Bright red fruits with little acidity. Rounded and simple, but tasty.
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3/28/2007 - ijayb wrote: 89 Points
Nice blackberry fruit,prunes, some chocolate and oak. Suggest 1 hour to decant as its a huge wine. For $15.00 a good everyday wine.
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3/19/2007 - Thilo wrote: 92 Points
I have left 2 previous notes, and this stuff continues to please. Last time I had it was a year ago and the wine has developed further since. There is still a juicy core of blueberry and blackberry, but this is now further framed with licorice and spice. Thick and nice for what it is.
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3/16/2007 - phantphant wrote: 91 Points
POWERFUl out of the bottle...this stuff is serious juice..Barossa earth shines throughout...a tiny bit alcholhol on the follow through
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2/26/2007 - cadamson wrote: 91 Points
Much better than the last from a few weeks ago. The petrol smell was gone, replaced by dark fruit and cinnamon. Strong blueberry taste. 25+ finish. Great value.
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2/19/2007 - Tarrant wrote: 90 Points
Very nice, dark ink colour, somewhat cloudy with a lot of sediment surprisingly - Wonderful bramble fruit nose, iwth a touch of oak, very smooth and rich on the palate with a medium finish, great QPR (90 Points).
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2/3/2007 - cadamson wrote: 86 Points
Somewhat dark purple. Strong petrol component on the nose, along with very dark, jammy berries. I think this is maybe a bit off, or it is simply much more concentrated than the 03. Certainly cassis and tar. Don't get me wrong, it is good, just not the easy drinking, almost refreshing, QPR that I enjoyed a number of in the previous vintage.
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1/31/2007 - parrotdead wrote: 89 Points
Intense oak and cherry on the nose. Palate of pepper, cherry and oak. Long finish was a slightly hot. Should settle down with age. Excellent QPR.
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1/26/2007 - GuBe wrote: 91 Points
Dökkt, ávaxtaríkt. Afar mjúkt. Mjög gott og getur eflaust batnað nokkuð.
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1/16/2007 - acheng wrote: 85 Points
I have had half a dozen of this series already. This is starting to lose its heady cherry aroma. Mind you, it is still rather prominent. The taste is cedary and cherry liquer and sweet. Really heavy. I cannnot say I will buy more of this. Just too heavy handed. I have to say I was initially blown away by its QPR. But my enthusiasm for this has run its course. No more. Still good to very good.
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1/4/2007 - the godfather wrote: 85 Points
ready to be done with all woodcutter, will use remaining bottle as sauce
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12/25/2006 - Noto Bene wrote: 90 Points
A very soft and round Shiraz, not a fruit bomb though, it started out that way, but in the glass it evolved nicely, with some nice meaty notes, blackberry, and real raspberry finish. A good bottle and looking forward to getting more of the '05.
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12/16/2006 - aes0300 wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyed over two nights. Muted aromas of red berries and vanilla. Nothing really jumps out on the nose. Medium body, medium intensity lead, spice, pepper, cranberries. Ten second finish with no noticable heat. Not thick or jammy, decent value at $18
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12/10/2006 - Bin242 wrote:
Opens with focused and concentrated aromas of meat, pepper and superripe black fruit with notes of tobacco. Full bodied with a soft texture and showing more of the same flavors from the nose. Finishes with cherry, cleansing acidity and very light tannins of moderate length.
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12/9/2006 - dcslack wrote: 90 Points
I enjoyed this bottle more than the last time I had it 3 months ago. It had mellowed a bit.
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11/6/2006 - acheng wrote: 89 Points
Over the top on everything. Very heady cherry, oak, smoke and cassis and peppery nose and flavor. Full body and chewy. Integrated and smooth tannin. Gets even more intense as it sits in the glass. It overwhemls the senses. Can't say I like fruit bomb anymore. Nevertheless, this is very tolerable. Heck, who am I kidding. This is enjoyable. Why try to find fault with a wine that is simply trying to please you? It is excellent as it is.
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10/22/2006 - the godfather wrote: 88 Points
outstanding for a $20 wine. Not a typical Aussie bomb, nice balanc with gorgeous black fruit, silky tannin and nice acids.
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10/19/2006 - johnphinney8 wrote: 87 Points
Awfully fruity...probably a little overly so. Not a strong enough presence of structure to support it. All blackberries and plum on the nose, with some carry over to the palate. Mostly juicy, though, without any spice or tannin.
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10/1/2006 - twoamps wrote: 89 Points
good medium weight shiraz. not a blockbuster by any means, but great for $16....
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9/25/2006 - jpiscioneri wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple,almost inky. At first just aromas of light peppery spice. After an hour in the decanter dark fruit appeared: blackberries, black cherries. On the palate, a solid beam of jammy blueberry with notes of clove and white pepper followed by velvety tannins. Very, very good. Definately will buy more.
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9/20/2006 - dcslack wrote: 90 Points
A light peppery aroma. Great spicy flavours with a long finish. A good shiraz.
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9/10/2006 - mreinitz wrote: 89 Points
Good moderately priced shiraz. Plenty of black fruit and a peppery finish.
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8/18/2006 - acheng wrote:
This wine never disappoints. Consistentlly drinkable. Cherry liquer and absolutely gorgeous bouquet for the money.
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7/20/2006 - phantphant wrote: 92 Points
Delicious! Went really well with lasagna...
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7/7/2006 - cmr wrote: 89 Points
Very good structure, body and balance. Didn't like the nose to much .. found it to turn me off a bit, just smelled a little funky but on the palate the fruit was good and smooth.
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7/2/2006 - llink wrote: 90 Points
Nice dark purple color. Decent nose of cassis and black pepper. Very grapey on the palate, mouth filling but not heavy. Well integrated alcohol, not too hot. A great wine with ribs, drank at casual swim club BBQ. Drinking well today, and a great QPR.
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6/22/2006 - pgm wrote: 90 Points
Tasty. Has balance and richness beyond what you'd expect in a $16 wine. Great fruit: blackberries, black cherry, with dried herbs. Drinking great from the bottle, but will decant for sediment (lots of it) next time. Exceptional wine at an everyday price.
Tasted again 7/4.
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6/10/2006 - nemloc wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple in color, tobacco on the nose, berry flavors with a 5 second biting finish.
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5/28/2006 - bingedrinker wrote: 89 Points
Good QPR Aussie Shiraz. No notes, but recollect a nice body with typical Aussie Shiraz flavor profile and a decent finish. May have been a bit young yet. Would buy again.
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5/8/2006 - Thilo wrote: 91 Points
Concur with my earlier note, except that the flavors are more savory and less primary than before. Has mellowed nicely and is an excellent every day wine.
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5/5/2006 - sjunker wrote: 89 Points
smokey, yum, good PVR
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3/25/2006 - Nutty08 wrote: 88 Points
Almost black in the glass. Complex, with medium to long finish. Earthy with tobacco overtones and fruity highlights. A bit high on the alcohol that detracts a bit. May have opened too early.
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2/18/2006 - SacredCow wrote: 91 Points
On the nose, plenty of sweet blackberries and charcoal. On the palate,medium-bodied with some rocks and blackberries, velvety, with outstanding balance and complexity. The long finish adds some spice, stewed plums and sweet oak notes, and some nice balancing acidity.
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2/12/2006 - jimmythesaint wrote: 92 Points
Nice balance and finish. Great value.
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1/30/2006 - ColinR wrote: 90 Points
Ruby-black; smoked meat, blackberry jam, minty notes; fruity, berry, full body, good depth, good structure, slightly tannic, lingering finish.
Decanted 2 hrs, lots of sediment. Definitely worth $19.95. Needs aging but still excellent with grilled burgers.
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1/30/2006 - TwoDogs wrote: 82 Points
I was pretty disappointed after reading the reviews. Maybe we just had a bad bottle?
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12/9/2005 - Thilo wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple with a hint of blue at the rim. On the nose, primary grape, blackberry, and spice. On the palate, grapey, dark berry notes predominate with a hint of licorice and herb. Good acidity and tannins frame this regular drinker nicely.
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12/6/2005 - Double-A Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aromatic, roasted, cherry jam, currant, toast, floral and nut nose. Med-full bodied with bright fruit and good acidity; moderate tannins; long finish.
4.5/5
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12/1/2005 - MBrown wrote: 91 Points
Very good wine. Cannot place the smell of this wine - it's not fruit or spice based. Very different smell that leads to a great, balanced taste. Not overly fruit or oak driven. Clean, smooth finish, highly recommend!
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11/4/2005 - dougsmith wrote: 88 Points
This is quite a young wine with a lot of primary fruit character in the nose -- particularly deep black cherry -- but not overly sweet, and with other strong notes as well. One was somewhat hard to pin down, but most resembled black tea. Also notes of licorice.
On the palate it had nice acidity, with very smooth tannins.
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8/21/2005 - LikeABC wrote: 92 Points
this should be a by-the-case purchase. an outstanding value (and screw top, too)
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7/7/2005 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 85 Points
Screw-Top=Caution
By Paul from the Oblong Table July 07, 2005
RP 92 or CB or Peter or Paul from the Oblong Table--it only matters what you think. I say “average at best”. No bouquet, no separation of flavors and no lasting taste. I’m not sure what a cor
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