Last wine of the evening... and boy, this was good! I think I was more impressed with this than the '04 Runrig. Dark-colored, with the structure/hardness more or less resolved. A wine in harmony (don't think it'll go downhill any time soon), this had both red/dark berry/currants with bit of earthly tones as well. Finished fresh & long, this is likely drinking at peak...
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Bob’s cellar. A previous experience with this vintage was disappointing so hoping for better things with this one. Decent ruby red colour, almost no bricking at all. Warm swirls of red cherries, redcurrants and black pepper nose, hints of brambles and damsons in the background. Has a wonderful life and youth for its age. Tasting shows flavours of redcurrants and structured fruit, appears taut and very good. This has structure, plenty of red acidity. A great Basket Press and bizarrely displays almost no age - really fascinating.
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Well this bottle of 96 Basket Press has been the best one I have had to date. This wine (I had about 2 1/2 dozen now down to about 15) has often disappointed me me by being so HUGE as to be overpowering. This time, after taking it out of my offsite cellar a few weeks ago and leaving it upright since, it has opened about as perfect as I could ever expect. The colour deep, deep ruby without any brown but clearly not a young wine, nose still intoxiating but in the glass it is divine. It still has sweetness, intense flavours, defintely not cigar-box but abundant unmistakeable Barossa shiraz. The alcohol has finally settled down so it is not dominating and allows the combination of fruit acidity and sweetness to be paramount. Oh that every bottle from my cellar would be as fine! I recently had a friend share a 2002 with me that was nowhere near this one, sadly. I did give him a bottle of this from the same box and await with anticipation how he found it. It doesn't get better than this, in my experience. This was opened to celebtrate news of becoming a first time grandfather, but my palate swears that it has not been influenced by good news and I have gone back and back to the bottle (decanter) to confirm my notes!
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Still bright and fresh looking. Some hints of fading at the edges. Nose is sweet jamminess, stewed fruits and cracked pepper. Quite fresh. Tasting is a different experience. Dry, austere and flat. Rigid and unyielding, no fruit left. Will leave for a day or two and see what happens. No better - this is past it so poured it down the sink.
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Fell short of expectations. This bottle felt a little pass best. Colour had a lightness at the edges. A little sweet and clumsy - loss of structure. Not unenjoyable but not up to usual standard. Plummy, pruny with sweet spices and a little vegetal edge.
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Even more backward and needing more time than its Cabernet sibling, the 96 Basket Press has had an aloof relationship with me for many years. I have had it at least 30 times and it some times looks and drinks ready but more often just says to me " you idiot what have you done", forcing me often to apologize to the wine and the fellow drinkers surrounding it. Despite the 3 x 96 SVS released for the first time in 1996 vintage, and Parker getting all wet over them, the BP partly drifted into the background whilst SVS went silly at auction etc. but i bet if you had all 4 opened right now the BP would drink the best, the most structured, complex and certainly the most young. Without belittling the the 3 SVS's which are all superb too but i find are drinking now. This bottle was simply not ready to party. It was dense rich deep plummy, earthy , chocolatey, do i need to keep going.... probably not to those who know what i mean or have experienced 96 RBP recently. it was still crimson with purple tinges. Ok if a few points were to be deducted it would be that the acid and tannin were still playing catch up, as if the rest of the fruit and structure were lecturing it to get on with joining the team. This made it the least enjoyable on the night with food but only because of such unrest at its baby status and junior years of a mere 24 . I cannot wait , if i live another 16 years, to drink it against a 96 Grange at 40. I'm wagering now which one i suspect will be better. Superb
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from magnum. plum, sweet black fruits, anise, touch of mint. Unbelievably long. best 1996 Australian shiraz I have seen, and that includes multiple bottles of Grange and HoG.
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Probably past its best. Opened up over 2-3 hours of decant. Ruby colored with medium legs. Moderate sediment in the bottle, black pepper, nutmeg, blackberry and red currant smells. Flavours of prune, clove and plum. Full bodied with surprisingly bright texture for the age.
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Deep and dense with plenty of menthol and salty plum on the nose. There’s a core of sweet, almost slightly raisined fruit. It is taking on leather and tar development and is long and chewy.
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21 years old and ruby red - not a hint of brown. Beautifully mature Shiraz, wonderfully complex flavours and a long, long finish. Basket Press at its most exquisite best.
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What's not to like when you open a 20yo Aussie Shiraz. Big, but not overly so. Smooth as silk now with the tannins dusted away. Originally bright fruit taking a back seat to leather and stewed fruit of an older wine. Past its absolute peak but still a very enjoyable wine. Drink now until 2018.
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First opened was banana and cocoa, firm but fine tannin. Lots of acid. Developed to tarragon, raspberry, red currant and acetone. Some spearmint too. Given the acid and primary notes, I guess this has 10 years left.
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Just last its best. Would have been great 5 years ago. Should have consumed earlier. Good fruit remaining but not a lot of structure. Lost it in glass after an hour.
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These wines need 15-20 years to strut their stuff and the '96 is starting to drink very well. You get a bit of leather and tar development on the nose. At its heart is raspberry confiture. It is dense and chewy in the mouth with good complexity and depth. There's still good grip to the finish and one is left with some dark chocolate and earth flavours once the wine is swallowed.
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Decanted 45 minutes. Dry wood/oak nose, varnish, but some good mature Barossa fruit coming through, dark currant/cherry, high acid, a bit austere and green on the finish. I like it well enough, but it's an old school style in terms of the acid:fruit ratio and level of ripeness, and the oak, which is as integrated as it's going to be, is too heavy-handed. Drink now-2017.
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Basket Press Vertical: Rhubarb, chocolate, licorice, mint and blackberry. Has a superb lift on the palate with fresh red fruit and acidity melding superbly well. Structured and a wine of depth but also finesse. Has begun to strut its stuff, this has plenty of time left but it is an all-time great Basket Press for me.
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Great aroma of violet. Mature oak sweet, dark fruit that is well balanced and goes on. Wine still has some power but seems to be drinking perfectly now. Happy Mothers Day
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Just stating to work into stride after the best part of 15 years in bottle. It has some leather and earth development coupled with bright raspberry and plum fruits. There’s some Christmas cake spice and dark chocolate. It has good balance and proportion and finishes with bright acidity and some baked earth savoury notes.
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In such a good place at the moment. Silky smooth, lovely complexity and still a brightness that still keeps it feeling fresh. Palate shows chocolate, star anise, black olives and dark berries. Nice depth and maturity to the wine and wonderful mouthfeel and length. Great example of aged Barossa Shiraz which has not been overdone. A classic.
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1996 Rockford Basket Pressed shiraz (RP94) 14.5%. Many times you are disappointed aging Oz shiraz, but not this time; a delicious wine! Color and density show its age, but still a pretty full mouth-feel. Plenty of dark fruit, some smokey/anise qualities. Nice length, the wine seems to have years of life left. 1996 has proved to be one of my favorite Oz vintages over the years. Glad to still have a few of these left. RF96.
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Not as black as one would expect. Nose was quite alluring with nice floral and fruit elements. Dominated by red fruit and some savoury elements. Quite sweet and acidic and not tannic at all. Long finish. Overall, this wine still a bit of a fruit bomb for me and I found it lacked delination, complexity and finesse.
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deep garnet. Typical Oz Shiraz nose of plums and spice. Taste was the same with a hint of hotness. Overall very good. Interestingly, on the label it says that aging 10 years will improve the enjoyment greatly. I felt there was no significant improvement with 12 years of age, in fact, no noted change at all from 11 years ago.
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Liqueur-like nose. In the mouth practically a blend of candy and alcohol, concentrated stuff. In hindsight, it is interesting to taste a 12 year old cult Australian, but there was not much to see in terms of coherence, harmony, complexity and integrated character - certainly more impressive as a young man, is my guess.
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Dinner with Friends - Vinci (Chicago): Deep dark ruby in color. Rich, forward nose has great intensity and length. Black fruits, vanilla spice and toasty notes. Richly concentrated palate shows restraint and balance (i.e. this is not an oozing fruit bomb). Palate shows more black fruits, spice and creme brulee crust. Fine tannins and lifting acidity provide precision. Incredibly long finish is full flavored. Still young and primary with plenty of life ahead. Very, very nice!
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Meat and licorice on the nose. Palate has some sharp edges. Developed some oxidative notes after a short while. Probably a faulty bottle, others I've had have been much better.
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1.5L (from HDH) Full red/purple coffee color. Rich full bright black current licorice aroma. Rich strawberry black raspberry bright fruit on the palate. A bit jammy and round. (bottle from winery) 11/05
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Ruby coloured; starts brawny/beefy, with slight brett showing; after 4 hours tar & violets (Barolo-ish, & signs of VA), fragrant; full bodied, rustic, crisp acidity, this has power & depth; touch of brett on finish, extended length, loads of life left. Score 16. 24 hours later: pruney, rustic; smooth fruit, robust; bags of life.
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Rockford Vertical (Sydney, Australia): Powerful, but with wonderful balance and structure. Will be brilliant with another 4-5 years in bottle. Equal WOTN with the 1990.
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4/20/2024 - etyc Likes this wine:
Last wine of the evening... and boy, this was good! I think I was more impressed with this than the '04 Runrig. Dark-colored, with the structure/hardness more or less resolved. A wine in harmony (don't think it'll go downhill any time soon), this had both red/dark berry/currants with bit of earthly tones as well. Finished fresh & long, this is likely drinking at peak...
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12/23/2022 - Cremuel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bob’s cellar. A previous experience with this vintage was disappointing so hoping for better things with this one. Decent ruby red colour, almost no bricking at all. Warm swirls of red cherries, redcurrants and black pepper nose, hints of brambles and damsons in the background. Has a wonderful life and youth for its age. Tasting shows flavours of redcurrants and structured fruit, appears taut and very good. This has structure, plenty of red acidity. A great Basket Press and bizarrely displays almost no age - really fascinating.
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10/1/2022 - Leconte Likes this wine: 97 Points
Well this bottle of 96 Basket Press has been the best one I have had to date. This wine (I had about 2 1/2 dozen now down to about 15) has often disappointed me me by being so HUGE as to be overpowering. This time, after taking it out of my offsite cellar a few weeks ago and leaving it upright since, it has opened about as perfect as I could ever expect. The colour deep, deep ruby without any brown but clearly not a young wine, nose still intoxiating but in the glass it is divine. It still has sweetness, intense flavours, defintely not cigar-box but abundant unmistakeable Barossa shiraz. The alcohol has finally settled down so it is not dominating and allows the combination of fruit acidity and sweetness to be paramount. Oh that every bottle from my cellar would be as fine! I recently had a friend share a 2002 with me that was nowhere near this one, sadly. I did give him a bottle of this from the same box and await with anticipation how he found it. It doesn't get better than this, in my experience. This was opened to celebtrate news of becoming a first time grandfather, but my palate swears that it has not been influenced by good news and I have gone back and back to the bottle (decanter) to confirm my notes!
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7/11/2022 - KVM wrote:
very dark. nose is pepper and mint. Medium+ body, peppery, oak is only slight, so long and delicious. this mature beauty was a revelation for me.
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6/9/2022 - Bonesetter Likes this wine: 88 Points
This bottle probably beyond its best. Still enjoyable, but would have been so much better 8 years ago.
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1/20/2022 - Cremuel Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Still bright and fresh looking. Some hints of fading at the edges. Nose is sweet jamminess, stewed fruits and cracked pepper. Quite fresh. Tasting is a different experience. Dry, austere and flat. Rigid and unyielding, no fruit left. Will leave for a day or two and see what happens.
No better - this is past it so poured it down the sink.
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3/28/2021 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fell short of expectations. This bottle felt a little pass best. Colour had a lightness at the edges. A little sweet and clumsy - loss of structure. Not unenjoyable but not up to usual standard. Plummy, pruny with sweet spices and a little vegetal edge.
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7/9/2020 - yodamark Likes this wine: 96 Points
Even more backward and needing more time than its Cabernet sibling, the 96 Basket Press has had an aloof relationship with me for many years. I have had it at least 30 times and it some times looks and drinks ready but more often just says to me " you idiot what have you done", forcing me often to apologize to the wine and the fellow drinkers surrounding it. Despite the 3 x 96 SVS released for the first time in 1996 vintage, and Parker getting all wet over them, the BP partly drifted into the background whilst SVS went silly at auction etc. but i bet if you had all 4 opened right now the BP would drink the best, the most structured, complex and certainly the most young. Without belittling the the 3 SVS's which are all superb too but i find are drinking now. This bottle was simply not ready to party. It was dense rich deep plummy, earthy , chocolatey, do i need to keep going.... probably not to those who know what i mean or have experienced 96 RBP recently. it was still crimson with purple tinges. Ok if a few points were to be deducted it would be that the acid and tannin were still playing catch up, as if the rest of the fruit and structure were lecturing it to get on with joining the team. This made it the least enjoyable on the night with food but only because of such unrest at its baby status and junior years of a mere 24 . I cannot wait , if i live another 16 years, to drink it against a 96 Grange at 40. I'm wagering now which one i suspect will be better. Superb
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6/9/2020 - felixp Likes this wine: 98 Points
from magnum.
plum, sweet black fruits, anise, touch of mint. Unbelievably long.
best 1996 Australian shiraz I have seen, and that includes multiple bottles of Grange and HoG.
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12/24/2019 - ansett wrote: 92 Points
Probably past its best. Opened up over 2-3 hours of decant.
Ruby colored with medium legs. Moderate sediment in the bottle, black pepper, nutmeg, blackberry and red currant smells. Flavours of prune, clove and plum. Full bodied with surprisingly bright texture for the age.
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10/10/2019 - jeffbrod Likes this wine: 94 Points
Probably slighty past it's best, but still a lovely wine. Drink it if you've got any.
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3/19/2019 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Deep and dense with plenty of menthol and salty plum on the nose. There’s a core of sweet, almost slightly raisined fruit. It is taking on leather and tar development and is long and chewy.
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11/25/2017 - Tony1157 Likes this wine: 98 Points
21 years old and ruby red - not a hint of brown.
Beautifully mature Shiraz, wonderfully complex flavours and a long, long finish.
Basket Press at its most exquisite best.
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9/10/2016 - Basketpress01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
What's not to like when you open a 20yo Aussie Shiraz. Big, but not overly so. Smooth as silk now with the tannins dusted away. Originally bright fruit taking a back seat to leather and stewed fruit of an older wine. Past its absolute peak but still a very enjoyable wine. Drink now until 2018.
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5/21/2016 - Plusvini wrote: 92 Points
First opened was banana and cocoa, firm but fine tannin. Lots of acid. Developed to tarragon, raspberry, red currant and acetone. Some spearmint too. Given the acid and primary notes, I guess this has 10 years left.
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1/1/2016 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just last its best.
Would have been great 5 years ago. Should have consumed earlier.
Good fruit remaining but not a lot of structure.
Lost it in glass after an hour.
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12/31/2015 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au wrote: flawed
Cork had failed, wine had oxidised badly ....very sad!
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9/5/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
These wines need 15-20 years to strut their stuff and the '96 is starting to drink very well. You get a bit of leather and tar development on the nose. At its heart is raspberry confiture. It is dense and chewy in the mouth with good complexity and depth. There's still good grip to the finish and one is left with some dark chocolate and earth flavours once the wine is swallowed.
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7/4/2015 - geneb Likes this wine: 95 Points
Remarkable colour with no hint of brown. Can't remember the complexity now, but it lost its greatness within 30 minutes of starting to drink
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5/31/2015 - Giggs wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 45 minutes. Dry wood/oak nose, varnish, but some good mature Barossa fruit coming through, dark currant/cherry, high acid, a bit austere and green on the finish. I like it well enough, but it's an old school style in terms of the acid:fruit ratio and level of ripeness, and the oak, which is as integrated as it's going to be, is too heavy-handed. Drink now-2017.
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6/5/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Basket Press Vertical: Rhubarb, chocolate, licorice, mint and blackberry. Has a superb lift on the palate with fresh red fruit and acidity melding superbly well. Structured and a wine of depth but also finesse. Has begun to strut its stuff, this has plenty of time left but it is an all-time great Basket Press for me.
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5/11/2014 - boreddoughboy wrote: 93 Points
Great aroma of violet. Mature oak sweet, dark fruit that is well balanced and goes on. Wine still has some power but seems to be drinking perfectly now. Happy Mothers Day
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2/1/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Seppelt (Colin Preece) Sparkling Burgundy, 2x100yo Seppelt Paras and many more! (Sydney, Australia): Raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with cherry, leather and light licorice aromas. The palate is wonderfully balanced and refined, there is great depth to the fruit and it has excellent structure. Superb and really starting to live up to its early promise.
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11/16/2012 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Just stating to work into stride after the best part of 15 years in bottle. It has some leather and earth development coupled with bright raspberry and plum fruits. There’s some Christmas cake spice and dark chocolate. It has good balance and proportion and finishes with bright acidity and some baked earth savoury notes.
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5/28/2012 - deverett wrote: 94 Points
In such a good place at the moment. Silky smooth, lovely complexity and still a brightness that still keeps it feeling fresh. Palate shows chocolate, star anise, black olives and dark berries. Nice depth and maturity to the wine and wonderful mouthfeel and length. Great example of aged Barossa Shiraz which has not been overdone. A classic.
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5/15/2010 - ricko wrote: 96 Points
1996 Rockford Basket Pressed shiraz (RP94) 14.5%. Many times you are disappointed aging Oz shiraz, but not this time; a delicious wine! Color and density show its age, but still a pretty full mouth-feel. Plenty of dark fruit, some smokey/anise qualities. Nice length, the wine seems to have years of life left. 1996 has proved to be one of my favorite Oz vintages over the years. Glad to still have a few of these left. RF96.
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9/4/2008 - cortoncharlie wrote: 89 Points
Not as black as one would expect. Nose was quite alluring with nice floral and fruit elements. Dominated by red fruit and some savoury elements. Quite sweet and acidic and not tannic at all. Long finish. Overall, this wine still a bit of a fruit bomb for me and I found it lacked delination, complexity and finesse.
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3/16/2008 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 93 Points
deep garnet. Typical Oz Shiraz nose of plums and spice. Taste was the same with a hint of hotness. Overall very good. Interestingly, on the label it says that aging 10 years will improve the enjoyment greatly. I felt there was no significant improvement with 12 years of age, in fact, no noted change at all from 11 years ago.
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1/15/2008 - beatles wrote: 86 Points
Liqueur-like nose. In the mouth practically a blend of candy and alcohol, concentrated stuff. In hindsight, it is interesting to taste a 12 year old cult Australian, but there was not much to see in terms of coherence, harmony, complexity and integrated character - certainly more impressive as a young man, is my guess.
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12/29/2007 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Friends - Vinci (Chicago): Deep dark ruby in color. Rich, forward nose has great intensity and length. Black fruits, vanilla spice and toasty notes. Richly concentrated palate shows restraint and balance (i.e. this is not an oozing fruit bomb). Palate shows more black fruits, spice and creme brulee crust. Fine tannins and lifting acidity provide precision. Incredibly long finish is full flavored. Still young and primary with plenty of life ahead. Very, very nice!
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8/1/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: flawed
Meat and licorice on the nose. Palate has some sharp edges. Developed some oxidative notes after a short while. Probably a faulty bottle, others I've had have been much better.
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11/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
1.5L (from HDH)
Full red/purple coffee color. Rich full bright black current licorice aroma. Rich strawberry black raspberry bright fruit on the palate. A bit jammy and round. (bottle from winery) 11/05
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10/15/2005 - graemeg wrote: flawed
Mild-to-moderate TCA flattens the nose and kills the palate stone dead. Ah, the romance of cork…
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8/7/2005 - chbeaumont wrote: 91 Points
Ruby coloured; starts brawny/beefy, with slight brett showing; after 4 hours tar & violets (Barolo-ish, & signs of VA), fragrant; full bodied, rustic, crisp acidity, this has power & depth; touch of brett on finish, extended length, loads of life left. Score 16. 24 hours later: pruney, rustic; smooth fruit, robust; bags of life.
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6/13/2005 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Rockford Vertical (Sydney, Australia): Powerful, but with wonderful balance and structure. Will be brilliant with another 4-5 years in bottle. Equal WOTN with the 1990.
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