10/27/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Wading through more of these and definitely seeing some bottle variation. The better examples are remarkable wines, the lesser are still very good.

10/27/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Deep garnet colour, rich black fruit and plums on the nose. Not getting the menthol others seem to be detecting.Medium bodied with robust mid palate still showing lots of fruit. Reasonably long finish and gentle tannins. Drinking very well now and should hold at this level for a few years yet. Not likely to get any better though.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Tried at a Wine Exchange Asia lineup on Saturday with others including Cullens DM 04, Tappanappa 04, Mallea 02 and 03, Wild Duck Creek Springflat 02/02/04/05/ Reserve 05, Jasper Hill Georgia's 03/04/05, Fox Creek Reserve shiraz 05, Grant Burge Meschach 01/02. Not a bad wine amongst the lot but the Reschke, WDC 04 and Meschach 02 were standouts.
Never heard of the Reschke before but this is a spectacular cabernet. Not convinced it will fully reward extended cellaring as it is beautifully resolved and integrated right now. Won't last long in my house.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Simply not ready yet. All the elements are there but still knitting together. Pleasant enough but just felt it should not have been opened yet.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Still evolving nicely but I am trying to figure out where the final destination is with this wine. It is big, spicy, maybe a touch overly sweet and certainly demands respect but where is it going? I guess I will keep trying one every 6 months and find out.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

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.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Have had a lot of these over the years and they continue to impress. Still very youthful nose, loads of black fruit woven with tannis that support the structure well. There is a distinct coffee-type element to the nose starting to become more pronounced. Really easy to drink and still getting better. Wonderfully long finish.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Spectacular. Stunning. Immense. An extraordinary wine which balances enormous size with some perhaps not so subtle complexity. One dimensional is simply not the way to describe this wine as there are layers that unfold as the liquid engulfs the palate and the finish just keeps going and going. Definitely not for everyone but without doubt one of the most remarkable wines I have ever had. It is a style that demands attention and will polarise opinion, that's for sure.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

I am really enjoying this wine. There is obvious viognier on the nose with pronounced apricots mingling with the black fruits so a bit unusual. Very full attack good middle palate and lengthy finish. Restrained rather than full throttle. Not bad at all. Must be decanted an hour minimum, preferably 2.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

I am worried about this wine. Completely closed down at the moment. Even after 3 hours it wasn't giving many clues as to the road ahead. Lots of tannin but the fruit was losing the battle and had withdrawn. Very short finish. Will hopefully open up in months/years to come but for now it is quite ordinary.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Opened this wine with trepidation as have had a few too many Australian shiraz lately where the alcohol has been obtrusive. Not so here. Balanced, integrated, wonderfully silken with not a hint of hot alcohol. Enormous in every way but not overpoweringly so. Quite an extraordinary drop. Will revisit in a few months.

1/30/2011 - LG1009 wrote:

Have revisited the wine and this bottle not displaying the same magic of the last. Still good but not the remarkably integrated and sumptuous offering of a few months ago. No doubt some bottle variation to be expected but this was disappointing given how good the previous bottle was.

12/16/2010 - LG1009 wrote:

Revisited this week. Previous comment and rating confirmed. Lovely.

12/16/2010 - LG1009 wrote:

Unlike some other 02s out of Barossa, still holding ground very well. Ripe and rich but finally getting the benefits of bottle age as some of the big fruit notes integrate and mellow with the tannins. At least 5 years left in this but much prefer the 9 Popes from the same year.

12/16/2010 - LG1009 wrote:

There is something quite wonderful happening with this wine. It has gone from being a bit disjointed, angular and hot several years ago to a beautifully integrated and almost perfectly balanced drink. This is my third bottle in as many months and the upfront fruit has yielded ground to the now less aggressive tannins and the package is delightfully harmonious. As good as any CNDP style wine I have ever tasted. I can't see how it could get any better with time, perhaps just softer. Marvellous.

8/29/2010 - LG1009 wrote:

Drinking beautifully. Full, ripe fruit and secondary characteristics developing. Not sure what the eventual optimal window is but this bottle is better than the ones consumed last year. Easily 5 years to run.