2005 O'Leary Walker Shiraz Clare Valley

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 88.4 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View studleytrey's profile
  • Report Issue

  2/25/2018 - studleytrey wrote: 90 Points

  As I continue to experiment with ageing these Aussies—even the inexpensive ones like this—I am happily continuing to find success in reaching a little more balance and complexity that's more to my liking than their bombastic constitution in a more youthful state, and the same holds true here.
  
  Medium (+) ruby to garnet color. Aromas of black and dark red fruits, smoke, tar, licorice, black tea, cedar, graphite, maple syrup, and potpourri. Medium body, medium (+) acid and finish, smooth and round tannins and texture, sweet fruit, but also balanced and dry, with flavors of plum, black cherry, licorice, sarsaparilla, and graphite minerality. So much better than back in '12.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Greybeard's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/21/2012 - Greybeard wrote: 84 Points

  A thick, dark, inky wine on the swirl with a strong nose of dense fruit, tobacco and menthol. Smooth in the mouth with juicy fruit at the front, fine dry tannins on the mid-palate and an oaky dry, peppery finish with a little warmth going down. The finish is short, has a hint of artificial acidity and is a touch too woody, but the fruit is ripe and dense and it makes for an enjoayble enough drink. 84-85pts.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View studleytrey's profile
  • Report Issue

  10/7/2011 - studleytrey wrote: 83 Points

  Very dark, in your face, and hedonistic--this wine is not bashful or subtle in any way. Inky purple color with some crimson at the edges. Loads of blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry jam on the nose and palate, along with black pepper and oak spice. I'm also getting a touch of a raisiny/pruney element that might suggest improper storage, but it is slight, and this bottle is screw cap, so I'm not really sure what that means. Overall, this is just too bombastic for me. Big fruit, big body, big oak, big alcohol...light on complexity, nuance and subtlety.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View NJStickist's profile
  • Report Issue

  6/5/2011 - NJStickist wrote: flawed

  This wine is terribly bitter. I have to assume this is a bad bottle. I have a second bottle so I will re-post when I taste that and see if they are both the same, or if indeed this is bottle is off.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View admid's profile
  • Report Issue

  10/14/2009 - admid wrote: 84 Points

  Blind taste
  
  Dark reddish purple
  Strong blackcurrant on the nose, with a hint of anise
  Powerful and full-bodied with smooth tannins. Herbs and vanilla oak on the palate.
  Good length

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 9 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.