4th out 5: Hard to escape the nose burn of alcohol even with all the super ripe fruit. Lingering heat in the gullet that probably muted a lot of the flavour profile and enjoyment potential of this wine. 16.5%abv is just too much.

2nd out of 5: Showing very well 15+ years. Wonderfully pronounced nose of savoury fruit, olive and licorice. Carried right thru on the palate. Excellent balance and seamless elements of alcohol, tannin and acidity. Elegant statesman.

5th out of 5: Showed poorly in a blind tasting of Syrah and Shiraz. Had a funky nose for the first hour and it wasn't sexy Brett, more like stale medicinal doctor's office. Fruit was muted but over time it did begin to open up. Just never got to ethereal level like others on the table. Bleu cheese did help it a bit more. This wine had been double decanted and open for >1hr. Hard to get past the price point here when the Vanessa Syrah was 1/4 the price and it pleased all.

1st out of 5: Really a stunning wine relative to all reds at this blind tasting. The RWT was also outstanding but Vanessa gets top spot based on its terrific value for the money. Pronounced nose with wide spectrum of florals, brushed berries and cured meat. The palate lacked the excitement of the aromas and was medium-plus in body and the finish was medium. Excellent QPR.

3rd out of 5: showing very well 10 years out. Aromatic sweet, stewing fruit with savoury elements of baking spice and dried herbs. Palate is seamless delight with a nice finish and just the barest tannic bite. Well made.