Cork, barely stained. Rich and dark appearance, and this follows on to the aromas and flavours. Dark fruits, dark chocolate, sweet spices, leather. Plush in the mouth, with velvety tannins. Shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
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Supper with Jan group (McLeay Street Bistro, Potts Point): From magnum. Concentrated black fruits, a little almost tar, savoury spice, very slightly reductive notes lends a rubbery quality, slight pepper. Medium plus intensity acidity, tight wood and grape skin tannins, alcohol warmth is non intrusive, black hued fruits prove to be in the berry space, quite concentrated, still showing young and, perhaps, a little disjointed. And this does improve over the night showing more blackberry, toast and sweet spice and the tannins a little more harmony with regard to the whole.
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Pnp with steak. Still fairy rich dark fruit, some leather and tobacco. Tannins fully resolved. Medium length. Not a great match with steak in my eyes given the lack of structure and the excessive sweetness for my taste. Guessed 2010 vintage
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Drank with tomahawk steaks. Would say this is near its peak - had it after the 1982 Grange - and it’s still got lashes of primary fruit there, not that many secondaries of tobacco and cigar. Black fruits, spices. An excellent wine and great value for it is
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Served blind, dark, decanted for 1.5 hours, guessing Brunello or a Cdp, beautiful fragrant porty nose, powerful nose, rich but balanced in the mouth, wouldn’t have guessed new world, a Penfolds!
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This is drinking wonderfully - beautiful wine. This would have to be my favourite Penfolds wine - drinking better now than it was in 2018 when I last had a bottle. But needs drinking up now, wouldn't cellar this any longer.
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Sadly, past its prime. Plummy, overripe - not cork tainted though (cork was intact and in good shape). Decanted at least 90 mins before drinking, but was in trouble. Improved a little as it opened up, but still not good drinking. Have a few left, so fingers crossed they are ok!
A very fine bottle, almost fully mature with serious depth & complexity, but not at all dried out. Lovely nose, still just a touch of primary fruit at the sides of the tongue, to balance the secondary and beginning of tertiary flavours. Completely different from Grange, as intended.
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In many ways this is my favourite Penfolds wine, partly because it has less oak than the rest of their reds (although I also like them, if in the mood). A dark, inky, brick-red that speaks of the power to come. On the nose, earth, dark plum, blackberry, high toned polished leather (sniff the boot!). This follows through on a dense, chewy palate that goes on forever. There is great intensity, yet it is mellow and is almost essence of Barossa Valley. Tannins are fully resolved and this wine is to be drunk now, preferably in very large volumes. I see no point in further cellaring, unless your bottles are under screw cap. Drink with people you like and women you want to seduce (the two are sometimes the same).
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Decanted 2 hours. Ripe blackberry, cherry, deli meats, violets, coal, malt, and dried herbs. Star anise as a top note, with some slight alcohol lift. Complex; each sniff brings out something new.
A dense surge of fresh red fruit on the palate, that is only medium bodied. Fine mouthfeel. Fresh acidity. Very fine powdery tannins in perfect proportion to the fruit. Evolves significantly in the glass.
Opinion: Lovely, complex Shiraz. Give it air, as it appears quite blocky at first. Drinking well now, and could easily handle another 9 years. Though being under cork (of seemingly good quality), it’s a bit of a lottery from here. Try again in 2 years.
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Sadly this bottle was off—slightly rubbery and unpleasant, not at all like the excellent bottle I had last week. I have a few more and hope this was an anomaly. The cork seemed fine but perhaps a screw closure would have preserved the wine better.
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Cork. 14.5% alc. Deep garnet. Dark berries fill the nose. Palate is medium to full. Berries, plum, dark chocolate. Rich yet elegant, with integrated oak and acids. Tannins are fine and restrained. Drink or hold.
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Another birth year wine to celebrate Isaac’s graduation. A little flawed, as quite a bit of musty basement on the nose, but wasn’t enough to overpower and didn’t impact the taste. A lot of dark fruit, nice acidity to balance it out. Very tasty. Has a number of years ahead of it still.
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From a 375 mL bottle well cellared since purchase in 2009. At peak or really seeming very slightly past peak, this has blunted eucalyptus that is more prominent in younger aussie shiraz. The lifting of that curtain shows delicious syrah fruit underneath with a new world punchiness deftly combined with a sturdy yet unobtrusive structure. Tannins very fine-grained and mature at this point. A wonderful wine that impressed me greatly considering the $20 I paid for the 375 back when. Enjoy now or through 2024 if well-cellared in a 750. If a 375, enjoy now!
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An outstanding wine that I don't believe is in danger of imminent decline, at least for well-cellared bottles.
In my experience: decant not needed at this time. Consumed over two days with no degredation whatsoever.
Gorgeous fruit that doesn't seem to be in danger of drying out. Medium-long finish. Surprisingly full-bodied and rich, but well-balanced in terms of alcohol. Fruit not drying out at all. Dark ruby color.
Not sure this will improve further, but I think it has some years left.
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Lots of fruit & length but subtler than eg Dead Arm. Like a top northern Rhône tho without quite the depth of a La. It last for fully a minute. A great wine.
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When I first started experiencing great wines, Austrailian wines were high on my list. And, while it has been some time since I opened one, this bottle reminds me why I love them! Full bodied. Dark, inky color. Nose of Dark red and blue fruit. Flavors of dark blue and red fruits with perfectly integrated tannins. Wow! Still got life left, but drinking right, right now!!!
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Very concentrated, abundant black fruit (a hint of the 9% cabernet coming through?) spicy licorice, very very long. This is close to its peak but at least a decade ahead.
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Cherry and red fruit, plenty of structure and many years ahead. Tasted straight after some Grange and perhaps suffered as a result, but still a very fine wine.
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Impressive but the wine did not open up fully on day one. There was a glass left which I drank on day two and it was much better. More balanced wine with excellent fruit. This wine is not yet mature in my opinion. Requires a long decant to show its potential or continue to wait as it evolves in the cellar.
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Colour: Deep red, slow leg Nose: aromatic, very fruity Taste: sweet, rounded and balance. Chewy, fruitiness, no alcoholic nose. Absolutely beauty and ready to drink.
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SobeWFF. This wine is aged 12 months in large vats from fruit sourced from Barossa and McLaren. It’s 91/9 Shiraz and Cabernet. Dark red color with chewy tannins entering into adolescence. The nose and palate show racy berries and raisins with hints of herbs and dusty iron rust.
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From a magnum served blind, stumped me! thought a Brunello, full of class and finesse, Stunning, very old world, still young with its dark color and spicy elegant mouthfeel
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Very dark purple color with a bouquet and flavor of very ripe purple plums or maybe pluots, with some added boysenberry and hints of chocolate, but no pepper. Surprisingly acidic, which marred the balance somewhat, but the acid dissipated with airing. Some nuance in evidence, with a fairly long finish. More complex than its sister bottles drunk several years ago. Interesting wine and not completely typical of a Syrah.
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A color as black as Egypt's Night, still having a purple tinge at the edge. On the nose dark fruit, a touch of sweetness and some tannin; On the palate the wine is muted and monochromatic. As it opens up there is some dark chocolate and tannins. Went ok with NY Strip but did not add any extra dimension to the meal.. At this stage it does not excite me; I do not see how the absence of vibrancy and complexity will develop into something more exciting later on. Resumee: Rather disappointing - In fact I never had a St. Henri wine that got me excited...
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2007 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Graeme) Double-decanted 3 hours prior. Rich plums and blackberries. Ripe but not too raisiny. Plummy, spicy-flavoured palate, rounded texture, but still with medium chalky fine tannins. Quite sophisticated overall, good weight across the mid-palate, with a medium finish. It’s moved a little off primary, and some of the freshness has gone; it hasn’t bloomed into tertiary glory yet. But it seems it has the stuffing to improve over the next decade or so.
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Jeremy Oliver had given it 97 so expected big things. Was good without being great. Dark to look at, spices on nose without bring too meaty. Fruit driven without being a fruitbomb. Tannins there, but clearly new world. Had with duck Ragu pasta. Maybe with beef next time?
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From a half bottle. Dark color. Vanilla to start with but this fades away, blackish fruit, cinnamon, licorice nose. Nice complexity. In the mouth, medium to full bodied. Dark fruit and mellow tannins but they're still there to give it structure and avoid that sticky sweetness that I have found in some Aussie shiraz before. Finish is long but with some heat. Still good to cellar to see how it evolves but drinking nicely now. 91-93p
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From 375ml. Black fruits, spice on the nose. A medium-full palate which is clean and has 'measured' richness. Tannins are integrating well. Balance and length are wonderful. Drinking nicely, but no rush.
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Decanted for about two hours prior to drinking. The wine is almost black in the glass. Not a huge nose and my first taste impression was vanilla. Not particularly fruity but i was not expecting that. Very smooth in terms of flavor and mouth feel. My overall impression is a very elegant wine with subdued flavors. My dinner guests, who tasted it blind, did not think it was an Aussie Shiraz. I was not blown away by this wine but enjoyed it very much. It will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve over time.
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Still a gorgeous example of South Australian Shiraz. Lots of dark fruit, lovely mouth coating texture, nice spices and long enjoyable finish. Probably has a good few years yet.
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Deep garnet. Threw heavy sediment when decanting. Nose is clean, medium intensity, and developing nicely. Aromas of black cherry, cola, blackberry, chocolate, mushroom, hay, pine resin. The palate is notable for its sleek tannin (medium -), acidity (medium +), and long finish. Classic svelte St. Henri in its prime drinking window. An elegant wine, for Australia.
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Cork. Dark red with a crimson hue at the rim. Looks younger than 13 years.
Raspberry, nutmeg, and other ground spices, pan juices, a slight meatiness, and a hint of soy.
On the palate, blackcurrant, graphite, pastilles, milk chocolate, and a bit of a green/stemmy edge. With airing, some cola, hazelnut, and licorice sit in the background. Slightly subdued in flavour but with impressive length. Tannins are dusty and provide adequate support to the wine.
Opinion: There are no significant tertiary flavours yet to emerge, though the wine is drinking well now. Leave for another 4 years.
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I wanted to compare the 92 St. Henri with the 02 D'Arenberg. The St. Henri is still quite tight even after some time in the decanter (1-2 hours). I enjoyed the wine but it is still a bit backward in my view. I believe the d'Arenberg is drinking better at this point. I will try the 01 and 03 St. Henri next to see how they stack up given their shorter drinking windows.
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A great older Shiraz right in its drinking window. Blackberry, plum, cherry, just a hint of vanilla oak, Chesterfield couch, pepper and mushroom. Good length. Perhaps lacking s little freshness but very good.
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Such a good wine ... youthful and vibrant as ever. Stand-up and decant -- there's a fair amount of sediment (the only indication that this wine is more than a decade old.) Unfortunately only one bottle of this left ...
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The wine looks garnet colored which is surprising for its age. There is a lighter sediment in the bottle than expected. It smells like black currant (cassis) and vanilla and tastes like black currant (cassis) and plum. The body is medium/full with a silky texture. The wine finishes medium with low acidity. Clearly not at the end of it's life ... some time to go yet. Cracking drop.
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I bought this wine in 2006 in Malaysia for about hkd$234, which sleeping in my Vintec for a good 9 year. Extracted by Coravin. Colour is glossy and still dark with just a little bit brick at the rim. Start showing signs of maturity. Nose of complexity with slightly burn rubber, plump, herbs and licorice. The palate is round, full body and echo the nose. Good acidity at finish with around 20s aftertaste. Very good. Keep wanting more. At Hkd$234, what do you think?
Not sure but this bottle may have been flawed. Prune, stewed fruit almost port like. I have had St. Henri on several occasions in the past and this seemed to be completely different from what I remembered.
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Good but not great, doesn't seem to have come together just yet. Deep rich black fruit, olives, plums and aniseed. Has good structure but this bottle just didn't quite hit the high notes I was hoping fo.
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Deep purple colour, hard to tell this is 13 years old. Rich redcurrant and blueberry/blackberry fruit, hint of spice and liquorice, gentle but persistent tannin. This is very fine wine indeed - full of flavour and complexity with a long finish, and not at all an archetypal showy Oz Shiraz. My favourite wine this Christmas!
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The St. Henri opens with a big nose of blackberry, violet, lavender, licorice, and eucalyptus. this is a full bodied, dense wine with tannins that have softened over the years. On the palate, there are layer after layer of wonderful fruit including blackberry, black raspberry,casis, plum. Chocolate and pepper add a nice final touch. Not a lot of earthy or secondary flavor characteristics here. The wine is still drinking very young. Might wait another 5 years to try the next bottle. this is a fruit forward wine with very subdued oak. A bit one dimensional but really nice to drink.
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Popped and poured and drank over two days. Consistently good showing a touch more freshness on day one. Signature aussie fruit on the nose. I'm not sure how to describe it but it's distinct from fleshy cali or deeper old world fruit. Generous but well integrated oak on the palate with a vanilla sweetness that was not over the top. I'd agree that this wine is at peak now but will hold and evolve further for at least ten more years. Would rebuy around $30. Well done.
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Perfumed black violets and orchids permeating through blackcurrant a and black Plums and black raspberries. Very well extracted fruit with gentle wafts of fruitiness that caresses the palate rather than pounds it like most Aussie shiraZs do. Really surprised by the restraint and refinement this Shiraz is showing. Haven't been impressed by Aussie Shiraz for a long time. Just that bit of spicy licourice kick at the end to let u know it is still predominantly Aussie rather than a Rhone. Oh how 4 years had been , this improved by leaps and bounds. At it's prime now.
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A magnificent Barossa Shiraz. Massive red and dark fruit, lovely mouth coating texture, nice peppery spice on a very long finish, still plenty of gentle tannin to carry this great wine well into the next decade.
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Drinking well but still a bit tight. Decanted for about one hour but the wine started to open up as the decanter was consumed. Very firm with lots of acidity. Tannins and alcohol were well integrated. I really enjoyed this wine but i believe it is going to get better with some more bottle age and/or a longer decant.
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Deep garnet with only slight bricking on the edges; visually, it is barely showing its age for a 2002. On the nose, dark fruit, cedar, and a trace of graphite. Dark fruit, fennel, cedar and spice on the palate, with the currants and pepper finish picking up over time. Restrained and refined for an Aussie Shiraz; dry with nice acidity and good balance. This was lovely to drink alone, but was also quite nice with the lamb chops we grilled for dinner. Drinking well now.
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This wine is vibrant -- still has a long way to go. Saturated dark fruit flavors without being too thick or concentrated. Mellowing tannins. A long finish ... A serious wine.
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Opened but not decanted for 3-4 hours. Barely lightening on the rim, extremely open and expressive in the more restrained St. Henri idiom. It would be unreasonable to expect this wine to continue to improve as good as it is now, but I suspect it will anyway.
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not a style i have much experience with, but i found this very fine-- broad, rich, meaty and long with dark blood notes, perhaps some eucalyptus making a showing as well. still virile, but in good place. feel free to drink away if you've got them, though i expect it'll still hold firm for a number of years as well.
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This is my last bottle of St. Henri back from my Aussie Shiraz days. I haven't tasted any for years, and even though I seldom drink this style of wine any more, I find it to be excellent and quite satisfying. At the same time this is both rich, forward and exuberant while also maintaining, in the context of Australian Shiraz, elegance and restraint. Full bodied and brimming with cassis, licorice, abit of leather and some Asian spice, this is drinking beautifully today. Opened, but not decanted, for several hours.
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It is a great and smooth shiraz. Medium weight and goes well with food or without. The balance of fruit, tannins, spice and silky mouthfeel really makes this a wonderful wine to enjoy. Had it next to a 2005 Chateau Montelena Estate Cab and this wine was preferred by the group. It's peaking now, so drink it up if you have it.
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Will agree with Tanzer on this bad boy. Inky opaque purple in the glass. Loads of Cocoa, dark berry, some leather, and game. This smells more Cote-Rotie to me, than most Auzzie Shiraz. Very dynamic on the palate with crushed Black and Blue berry fruit for ages. Finish lasted a good 45+ seconds. Wicked stuff!
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Deep purple color. Full bodied. We let the wine breathed in the glass for 1 hour before tasting. The palate starts with sweet fruits (probably red currants), vanilla, with some cedar and trace of licorice. It has long finish with hints of mint and pretty strong pepper/tobacco at the end. My wife and I found it easy to drink and quite pleasant.
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Red and black fruit pops in your mouth. This is fresh, well balanced spice and acidity. Very smooth and easy to drink. Long finish. One of the best shiraz I have had so far.
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Superb oz shiraz. Red fruit, pepper, fine tannin and a long savoury finish with a hint of blackberry/blackcurrant from the small amount of Cabernet in the blend. Drinking well now but very many years ahead.
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{cork} Although well cellared, this was weeping sticky red wine visible through the tiny holes in the top of the capsule. Level was at bottom of neck. Returned to Penfolds who determined a structural vein along the cork was allowing the leakage. Bottle replaced with 1 x 07 vintage, and 1 x 08 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo.
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Very nice wine out of a 375ml. Nice red fruits on the nose, the taste had the same fruits but i also detected mocha and licorice. This wine is well within it's drinking window. There was lots of sediment so if you pull a bottle set it upright for a little to let everything settle.
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Popped and poured the first 2 glasses and decanted the remainder. Consumed over an hour period.
Dark purple in colour with a full body. Plush texture in the mouth with a heavy glycerol component. On the nose, there were aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, tar, earth, mint, eucalyptus, with hints of herbs, tobacco and vanilla. Nicely subdued oak for an Australian wine. The palate was all dark ripe fruits, with great balance, mouthfeel and finish. There is a touch of heat on the finish, but not unpleasant. The amount of Cabernet characteristics that came through were surprising, despite only having 9% in the mix.
While I would probably not buy this again at the purchase price, this is an excellent example of what a low to mid level Australian Syrah should strive for. At $30, I'd be all over this. Regardless, an enjoyable experience. If well stored, I suspect this could hold on for quite a while.
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91-92. This was drinking great. Drier and better acidity than some prior St. Henri's including the 1998. This is dry, has great fruit, has some tar and charcoal undertones, and exudes class. This is great for an Aussie, where I haven't had a lot of luck in recent years. Heck, I'll go 92.
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Cellared passively in a basement since purchase. Not ideal conditions, but could be worse. Held up very well relative to some other recent reviews. No signs of bricking. Tannins were pretty non existant, but fruit was still present. Probably my first "aged" aussie shiraz and I thought it held up well. Drink soon.
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2002 St Henri consumed. (Tasted with the concern the cellaring conditions are not up to snuff - so perhaps looking for "faults" - coming off a cold/flu of the last 7 days).
Initial removal of cork - Predominantly plum on the nose along with some raspberries, star anise, black tar.
Colour - just the slightest hints of the direction toward bricking (not there yet, but a purple transitioning toward brown/red).
Proper sniff/taste - 90 minutes later after sitting in decanter. Nose predominately plum a fair wodge of black tariness and vanilla, relatively closed though. On the palate a pleasant amount of food friendly and saliva generating acid, some nice polished tannins, a bit of vanilla and lots of spice - not sure which spices though some obvious pepper and perhaps a dash of cloves.
3 hours in - and the nose had opened up a little more and some fruit occasionally popped it's head out over well frankly, not much. Still was very moreish - felt a little hollow on initial taste with a nice finish.
Overall concerns I would have to say is lack of fruit, I should have tried it immediately after pouring to see if this was excessive decanting, but w/ a St Henri one would expect it to stand up to the past 9 years "better" than this. The Mrs thought it a fantastic drop and considered myself to a tad on the hyper critical side. There was no sign of leather, tobacco or other tertiary characteristics at this stage of development.
Good thing there's a six pack left, will have to revisit in a month or so when nose and senses are back 100%. In the mean time there's plenty of nice wines coming online now.
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Popped and poured. Youthful, vibrant eggplant color. Seemed to be very primary, straightforward and simple if not a bit closed. Nose of black fruits, plum compote, and little else. Medium-bodied wine with smooth tannins and acidity. Short finish. Very good but had little complexity. The 2002 E&E Black Pepper Shiraz was much, much better. I was hoping this wine would be similar to it or to the 2004 sibling.
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From 375ml. Fully mature, very polished Syrah. I'd like a little hair on its chest, a bit of savagery to make things fun, but compared to most mid-range Shiraz this is truly outstanding.
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Inky, opaque, dark purple color with rich nose of blackberry, cassis, violets and caramel. Big dense mouthfeel that seemed to be slightly hot. The palate was still youthful tasting with dark berry and leather flavors predominant. The firm, tannic finish was abit short, but ok. This is the first time I've tasted this wine in 2 years and it doedn't seem to have picked up much in the way of nuance since then. There's not a whole lot of depth here but this is still a pleasant Aussie shiraz that is well made and not as much of an "in your face" fruit bomb as many of the others are.
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2-10-08 Deep, nearly opaque purple color with typical dark berry aromas. Full bodied, well balanced with deep, layered dark fruit flavors without the cedar and oaky notes usually associated with these big , Barossa Valley shirazes. The finish is long and has a fine grained tannic backbone. This is still one of my favorite shirazes and, although this is a big shiraz, with out the oak components it seems more delicate than other big Barossa Valley shiraz like Dead Arm or Grange. A great bottle of wine!
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Symmetry Dinner (Table 66 at 66 Tras St): Extremely young and at an awkward adolescent stage. All said, this being an aussie shiraz was not imbalanced and definitely would not qualify as a fruit or alcohol bomb that many of the cultish / parker favoured shirazes tend to be under. On the contrary, the fruits though monolithically robust at the moment with hints of spices does retain its structure on the palate. Not imbalanced but neither is it elegant. This just needs more time. More blackcurrant fruits and a tad exotic as compared to the 2000. Definitely has more stuffing and potential . I am not suprised if a good 10 years might bring out the best of this medium built teenager. Totally not overoaked and stands on its own merit. It is a wine of dividing opinions but unbashedly aussie without being overly patronising to Parker's palate. Most of the classical palates at the table were harshly critical of it though. For me, this was not a wine to fall head over heels for but I thought a very fair to good effort for australia.
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Symmetry Dinner (Table 66, Tras Street): Alex had decanted this for half an hour before serving - it probably needed a lot longer. I did not like it very much. Uncharacteristically for a St Henri, it showed like an alcohol bomb. Pretty notes of blueberries and cream, damson plums and pepper on the nose were more or less overwhelmed on first sniff by tons of glycerol and varnish. Just whiffs of that wafting into the nose. Same thing on the palate. Alcohol laden, it really carried a knock-out punch, showing much, much bigger and more alcoholic than the Girardin Chambertin Clos de Beze, the other 14.5% wine we had on the night. This tasted more like 16%! Underneath all that, there were again nice flavours of sweet berries and plums, with a nice purity and a good sense of balance between acid, fruit and structure. Finish was decent enough, with more berry flavours and a dry, almost port-like touch to it. It was all rather primary and monolithic though, and very much buried under all that alcohol. Horror of horrors, I have a bottle carefully packed away in the cellar - I really hope it comes good with time.
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This is fantastic and it has evolved well in the past 8 years. The acid is still present, but the fruit has been surpaqsed by secondary flavors of chocolate, licorice, and eucalyptus. Long finish.
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88-90. Though very well made, i find this slightly disappointing. A bit tight at first, better with air. still a bit one dimensional. Nice dark red fruits, a bit on the sweet side with just enough savoury notes and hint of funk to keep it interesting. not overly complex, not a ton of acidity, not that sophisticated. That said, I don't love Aussie shiraz, so others who like this style may like this better. For me, for a well made wine that is slightly hedonistic, this is pretty boring. I don't see this getting better with age, more likely worse like the 1998 which drank better young(if you like more complexity and savoury notes and less sugar caney sweet fruit). These Aussies just don't age well unless you like hedonism, low acid, and slight flab. Not my favorite style.
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A fabulous wine to cap off our evening of some of the best wines we've had together in a long while, this was extremely closed when I poured it in the decanter, and it took about 2-3 hours to open up, but when it did it was amazing - Black, well concentrated with a nose of plum, blueberry, chocolate, pepper and vanilla, very well structured, balanced and elegant, very complex, smooth on the palate with great length, outstanding! (94 Points).
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Decanted an hour. Needed it. Crimson-cranberry colored with some umber edges Intoxicating nose of violets, black cherries, a freshly cooled-down blueberry pie, and pencil shavings. The palate has the same black cherry, cool blueberry, some black currant, tar, kirsch, leather, earth, a hint of underbrush, and flowers. This is a pure and elegant mid-weighted Shiraz surely reminiscent of the Grange I had some weeks back, just fuller and brighter, but equally as lush. An admirable lengthy finish with the black cherry never really dissipating for a few minutes. The neutral oak sure adds to the dimension and style. A silky tannin layer with the fruit never letting up. What a fun wine to have around for a rainy Saturday in the burbs.
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Decanted two hours, and this continues to unfold. Bricking, crimson-purple in color, with a full, ripe perfume of blue and black fruits, herbs, and soy sauce. Decidedly Australian in style, with melded flavors of blueberry, plum, black pepper, and mocha. Big in mouth feel, with round tannins. Rich and bold; don't drink this now with less than two hours in the decanter.
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Even after 6 hours decanting time this wine is still very tight and closed up. The nose is fragrant savoury smells along with liquorice, some dark berry - I've smelt this before but am unsure what is it. A dash of clove along with some Chocolatey characteristics.
On the palate - there is fruit starts right up on the front, giving way to smooth grippy tannins at the back end. Some spiciness + pepper also. Excellent long mouthfeel. I can't help but feel this was some vinfanticide opening it up now, but it at least lets me know this one has some time to go yet. The fruit and wood characteristics are becoming nicely integrated compared to 15 months ago when I last cracked a bottle of this. A little dry dustyness too. Fantastic mouthfeel. Loving every taste of this, a pity the bottle was shared w/ 4 people.
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From memory after dinner last night. Expressive dark berry nose, with a little toast, currants, and blackberry. Palate was big, smooth and round, with dark fruits up front, and waves of mocha, tar, and earth on a medium to long finish. Tannins well integrated and fine. A nice change from the typical fruit bomb shiraz, this was big but restrained and balanced, with just a touch of heat, with plenty of density hinting that it was just hitting its drinking window and has more to come.
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Very tight and closed upon opening. Needs 4-6 hours of aeration. Has a great nose of dark fruit and oak both before and after aeration. May have been at its best around the 6 hour mark. After 4-6 hours of aeration, it was much more mild on the palate with dark chocolate, dark fruit, coffee toffee, and earthy notes. Rich and complex. Silky tannins. This was not a typical Aussie fruit bomb - surprisingly mellow and mild. Reminded me of a Washington Cabernet. 92-93 pts after aeration.
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Decanted 3 hours and it really wasn't enough. Very big and pwerful only really beginning to open and show it's elegance at around hour six. Drank in a social setting so nodetailed notes, but I think it's highly notable that some that had been left in a glass overnight was still rocking after it had been out of the bottle for over 18 hours. This has an extremely long life ahead of it.
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much better than when I tried it a year ago. This wine has improved significantly. Nice complexity. Will wait at least another year before I open another bottle
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This wine has a big, rich nose of dark fruit and some oak. The color was deep, deep ruby as I would have expected from a Shiraz from Oz. The wine was decanted for a couple of hours before the first taste which I'm guessing did it a great service. By the time we got around to tasting, the mouthfeel was silky and rich. Currant, some oak and toffee were noticed. We received as a gift whiich made it all the better.
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This wine needed a couple more years in the bottle and to be consumed with beef. A huge nose followed by flavors of jam, currant, berry and dark chocolate. Big tannins made it a little stringent, but should be a great wine in a couple of years.
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Nice black fruits, some menthol, vanilla and licorice. Big and smooth. Nice finish. First bottle I've had of this and it was a nice gift from mom! We got lucky though as she forgot this in the car for several days in hot weather. Can't believe it's not cooked.
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Hmmm, I was expecting alot as jeremy oliver gave this 97 and james holiday gave this 96. Smell of eucryptus and mint and some herbal smell but with some not very pleasant smell. It is very smooth I have to admit but very short. There is no character in this one. Abit Boring! Okay wine but won't buy again, maybe try different vintage?
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At Fleming's, Coral Gables. One of the decent value bottles on their list. Went there w Maserati $100 Gift Certificate. Classical Aussie Shiraz. Decanted. Slightly tight, and cloying at first. With air smoothed out and offered rich peppery dark fruit Shiraz. All the critics narratives, WA, WS, and IWC give kudos to this wine, and deservedly so.
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Very good, fruity wine. Lush plum and cherry notes, Very light tannins and well integrated. Although not all that complex, still a nice wine, would buy and drink again.
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Color is dark garnet/purple. Nose shows blackberry, spice, and a hint of tar. On the palate, chewy plum, dark berries, smoke, and tar. Opened up significantly over the night. Still a bit reticent, should develop more with time.
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Bought a case of this wine because of a great price - we opened our first bottle day before yesterday. Had half that day, half the next day. The evening we opened the bottle, we decanted for about half an hour and the wine was very unremarkable. Not much fruit on the palate, not much nose or finish. Drinkable - just unremarkable. The second day, it opened up a bit. The nose was definitely better - fruit but no spice. The palate, however, is still not the bursting fruit typical of other shiraz from the region - everybody tells us we need to give this wine a few more years. We intend to open up a bottle a year for the next 11 years - lets see how that goes.
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Dark ruby/garnet colour. Blackberry, currants, earth, violets and bitter chocolate on the nose. Solid structure with ripe tannins and a long, focused finish. 4/5
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Made from 96% Shiraz with a dash (4%) of Cabernet this wine is very different to your average Australian Shiraz. Aged in large old oak foudres, it’s not so much the spicy American oak or the French vanilla oak that comes through, but the excellent fruit. Deep blacky-purple in colour the nose shows hints of plum, cherry and liquorice. The palate is closed and green, lots of tannin, great fruit and just a hint of spice. Wine Spectator gave this vintage 90 points and I reckon its easily that now… needs another 10 years in the cellar though to see its true potential.
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4/2/2024 - kfjincott Likes this wine: 98 Points
Still young with powerful tannins and fruit. Well balanced but and will drink well for years. Lovely drinking experience.
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3/17/2024 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Still holding up, although I wouldn't wait any longer. Nice flavors and balance, but starting to take on a hair of pruniness.
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3/3/2024 - GGLT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tragedy, my last 2 bottles! Still drinking well and showing no signs of age. Do decant well before drinking. Enjoy!
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11/29/2023 - fizz wrote:
Cork, barely stained.
Rich and dark appearance, and this follows on to the aromas and flavours. Dark fruits, dark chocolate, sweet spices, leather. Plush in the mouth, with velvety tannins. Shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
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7/6/2023 - GGLT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine. Forget the suggested drinking window, this has years left. Decant well before drinking.
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7/6/2023 - CC-OZ Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow…20 years and still holding strong. Must decant and wait for the fruit bomb. Lots of spice with refreshing acidity. Still years ahead.
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2/19/2023 - Redback Likes this wine:
Rich, dark fruit. Somewhat porty but not an issue.
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12/22/2022 - chatters wrote:
Supper with Jan group (McLeay Street Bistro, Potts Point): From magnum. Concentrated black fruits, a little almost tar, savoury spice, very slightly reductive notes lends a rubbery quality, slight pepper. Medium plus intensity acidity, tight wood and grape skin tannins, alcohol warmth is non intrusive, black hued fruits prove to be in the berry space, quite concentrated, still showing young and, perhaps, a little disjointed.
And this does improve over the night showing more blackberry, toast and sweet spice and the tannins a little more harmony with regard to the whole.
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9/25/2022 - pavel_p wrote: 91 Points
Pnp with steak. Still fairy rich dark fruit, some leather and tobacco. Tannins fully resolved. Medium length. Not a great match with steak in my eyes given the lack of structure and the excessive sweetness for my taste. Guessed 2010 vintage
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6/12/2022 - chadslater Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with tomahawk steaks. Would say this is near its peak - had it after the 1982 Grange - and it’s still got lashes of primary fruit there, not that many secondaries of tobacco and cigar. Black fruits, spices. An excellent wine and great value for it is
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11/4/2021 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served blind, dark, decanted for 1.5 hours, guessing Brunello or a Cdp, beautiful fragrant porty nose, powerful nose, rich but balanced in the mouth, wouldn’t have guessed new world, a Penfolds!
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10/15/2021 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a very good vino.
Big dark fruit, strong tannin backbone and lovely texture.
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8/15/2021 - winebling wrote: 93 Points
This is drinking wonderfully - beautiful wine. This would have to be my favourite Penfolds wine - drinking better now than it was in 2018 when I last had a bottle. But needs drinking up now, wouldn't cellar this any longer.
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6/12/2021 - Michael_Growder wrote: flawed
Sadly, past its prime. Plummy, overripe - not cork tainted though (cork was intact and in good shape). Decanted at least 90 mins before drinking, but was in trouble. Improved a little as it opened up, but still not good drinking. Have a few left, so fingers crossed they are ok!
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4/19/2021 - swiftr Likes this wine: 94 Points
A very fine bottle, almost fully mature with serious depth & complexity, but not at all dried out. Lovely nose, still just a touch of primary fruit at the sides of the tongue, to balance the secondary and beginning of tertiary flavours. Completely different from Grange, as intended.
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12/25/2020 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 94 Points
In many ways this is my favourite Penfolds wine, partly because it has less oak than the rest of their reds (although I also like them, if in the mood). A dark, inky, brick-red that speaks of the power to come. On the nose, earth, dark plum, blackberry, high toned polished leather (sniff the boot!). This follows through on a dense, chewy palate that goes on forever. There is great intensity, yet it is mellow and is almost essence of Barossa Valley. Tannins are fully resolved and this wine is to be drunk now, preferably in very large volumes. I see no point in further cellaring, unless your bottles are under screw cap. Drink with people you like and women you want to seduce (the two are sometimes the same).
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11/11/2020 - kstoddard Does not like this wine:
Absolutely hate this wine
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10/25/2020 - mphatic Likes this wine:
Cork, 14.5% alc. Dulled, dark purple red.
Decanted 2 hours. Ripe blackberry, cherry, deli meats, violets, coal, malt, and dried herbs. Star anise as a top note, with some slight alcohol lift. Complex; each sniff brings out something new.
A dense surge of fresh red fruit on the palate, that is only medium bodied. Fine mouthfeel. Fresh acidity. Very fine powdery tannins in perfect proportion to the fruit. Evolves significantly in the glass.
Opinion: Lovely, complex Shiraz. Give it air, as it appears quite blocky at first. Drinking well now, and could easily handle another 9 years. Though being under cork (of seemingly good quality), it’s a bit of a lottery from here. Try again in 2 years.
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9/10/2020 - swiftr wrote: flawed
Sadly this bottle was off—slightly rubbery and unpleasant, not at all like the excellent bottle I had last week. I have a few more and hope this was an anomaly. The cork seemed fine but perhaps a screw closure would have preserved the wine better.
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9/4/2020 - swiftr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent mouth-filling fruit, with considerable depth and velvety tannins. Just as it should be.
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8/30/2020 - fizz wrote:
Cork. 14.5% alc.
Deep garnet. Dark berries fill the nose. Palate is medium to full. Berries, plum, dark chocolate. Rich yet elegant, with integrated oak and acids. Tannins are fine and restrained. Drink or hold.
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5/16/2020 - domco wrote:
Another birth year wine to celebrate Isaac’s graduation. A little flawed, as quite a bit of musty basement on the nose, but wasn’t enough to overpower and didn’t impact the taste. A lot of dark fruit, nice acidity to balance it out. Very tasty. Has a number of years ahead of it still.
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4/26/2020 - Rossodio Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a 375 mL bottle well cellared since purchase in 2009. At peak or really seeming very slightly past peak, this has blunted eucalyptus that is more prominent in younger aussie shiraz. The lifting of that curtain shows delicious syrah fruit underneath with a new world punchiness deftly combined with a sturdy yet unobtrusive structure. Tannins very fine-grained and mature at this point. A wonderful wine that impressed me greatly considering the $20 I paid for the 375 back when. Enjoy now or through 2024 if well-cellared in a 750. If a 375, enjoy now!
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4/24/2020 - jdbooth Likes this wine: 93 Points
An outstanding wine that I don't believe is in danger of imminent decline, at least for well-cellared bottles.
In my experience: decant not needed at this time. Consumed over two days with no degredation whatsoever.
Gorgeous fruit that doesn't seem to be in danger of drying out. Medium-long finish. Surprisingly full-bodied and rich, but well-balanced in terms of alcohol. Fruit not drying out at all. Dark ruby color.
Not sure this will improve further, but I think it has some years left.
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4/15/2020 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still good drinking but not what it was 4 years ago.
If you have any, time to enjoy while you can!
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4/2/2020 - swiftr Likes this wine:
Lots of fruit & length but subtler than eg Dead Arm. Like a top northern Rhône tho without quite the depth of a La. It last for fully a minute. A great wine.
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9/28/2019 - Haroldz7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
When I first started experiencing great wines, Austrailian wines were high on my list. And, while it has been some time since I opened one, this bottle reminds me why I love them! Full bodied. Dark, inky color. Nose of Dark red and blue fruit. Flavors of dark blue and red fruits with perfectly integrated tannins. Wow! Still got life left, but drinking right, right now!!!
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8/10/2019 - fizz wrote:
From 375ml.
Ripe, dark fruits. Medium weight palate. Took a few hours to open up.
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2/24/2019 - SimonHo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Full body well balanced Shiraz. Smooth the velvety with lingering spice and balanced tannins.
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2/22/2019 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very concentrated, abundant black fruit (a hint of the 9% cabernet coming through?) spicy licorice, very very long. This is close to its peak but at least a decade ahead.
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10/26/2018 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherry and red fruit, plenty of structure and many years ahead. Tasted straight after some Grange and perhaps suffered as a result, but still a very fine wine.
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8/1/2018 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Impressive but the wine did not open up fully on day one. There was a glass left which I drank on day two and it was much better. More balanced wine with excellent fruit. This wine is not yet mature in my opinion. Requires a long decant to show its potential or continue to wait as it evolves in the cellar.
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5/6/2018 - jeig Likes this wine: 93 Points
Colour: Deep red, slow leg
Nose: aromatic, very fruity
Taste: sweet, rounded and balance. Chewy, fruitiness, no alcoholic nose.
Absolutely beauty and ready to drink.
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2/25/2018 - farinas wrote: 92 Points
SobeWFF. This wine is aged 12 months in large vats from fruit sourced from Barossa and McLaren. It’s 91/9 Shiraz and Cabernet. Dark red color with chewy tannins entering into adolescence. The nose and palate show racy berries and raisins with hints of herbs and dusty iron rust.
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1/14/2018 - bowesmana Likes this wine: 90 Points
Paired surprisingly well with some chilli and lime salt and pepper squid, then with a nice eye fillet.
I detected a very slight cork on the nose, which was not present on the palate.
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1/13/2018 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a magnum served blind, stumped me! thought a Brunello, full of class and finesse, Stunning, very old world, still young with its dark color and spicy elegant mouthfeel
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8/6/2017 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark purple color with a bouquet and flavor of very ripe purple plums or maybe pluots, with some added boysenberry and hints of chocolate, but no pepper. Surprisingly acidic, which marred the balance somewhat, but the acid dissipated with airing. Some nuance in evidence, with a fairly long finish. More complex than its sister bottles drunk several years ago. Interesting wine and not completely typical of a Syrah.
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6/29/2017 - Bandreas wrote:
A color as black as Egypt's Night, still having a purple tinge at the edge.
On the nose dark fruit, a touch of sweetness and some tannin;
On the palate the wine is muted and monochromatic.
As it opens up there is some dark chocolate and tannins. Went ok with NY Strip but did not add any extra dimension to the meal..
At this stage it does not excite me; I do not see how the absence of vibrancy and complexity will develop into something more exciting later on.
Resumee: Rather disappointing - In fact I never had a St. Henri wine that got me excited...
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6/1/2017 - HODGO17 Likes this wine: 92 Points
loved it...my fave
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2/12/2017 - Redback Likes this wine:
Dark and brooding. Double decant, with very little sediment Black fruit, plums with touch of spice. Well balanced. A wine to take your time with.
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2/6/2017 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2007 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Graeme) Double-decanted 3 hours prior. Rich plums and blackberries. Ripe but not too raisiny. Plummy, spicy-flavoured palate, rounded texture, but still with medium chalky fine tannins. Quite sophisticated overall, good weight across the mid-palate, with a medium finish. It’s moved a little off primary, and some of the freshness has gone; it hasn’t bloomed into tertiary glory yet. But it seems it has the stuffing to improve over the next decade or so.
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12/31/2016 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very enjoyable wine tonight. Black fruit along with some spice. Didn't notice any tannins left in this, but it's not faded yet. At its prime perhaps.
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9/29/2016 - chadslater wrote: 91 Points
Jeremy Oliver had given it 97 so expected big things. Was good without being great. Dark to look at, spices on nose without bring too meaty. Fruit driven without being a fruitbomb. Tannins there, but clearly new world. Had with duck Ragu pasta. Maybe with beef next time?
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8/12/2016 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a half bottle. Dark color. Vanilla to start with but this fades away, blackish fruit, cinnamon, licorice nose. Nice complexity. In the mouth, medium to full bodied. Dark fruit and mellow tannins but they're still there to give it structure and avoid that sticky sweetness that I have found in some Aussie shiraz before. Finish is long but with some heat. Still good to cellar to see how it evolves but drinking nicely now. 91-93p
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7/25/2016 - fizz wrote: 91 Points
From 375ml. Black fruits, spice on the nose. A medium-full palate which is clean and has 'measured' richness. Tannins are integrating well. Balance and length are wonderful. Drinking nicely, but no rush.
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7/11/2016 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for about two hours prior to drinking. The wine is almost black in the glass. Not a huge nose and my first taste impression was vanilla. Not particularly fruity but i was not expecting that. Very smooth in terms of flavor and mouth feel. My overall impression is a very elegant wine with subdued flavors. My dinner guests, who tasted it blind, did not think it was an Aussie Shiraz. I was not blown away by this wine but enjoyed it very much. It will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve over time.
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7/2/2016 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nothing to add to my previous note, but a very subtle hint of harshness on the finish marks this bottle slightly down.
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4/30/2016 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a gorgeous example of South Australian Shiraz. Lots of dark fruit, lovely mouth coating texture, nice spices and long enjoyable finish. Probably has a good few years yet.
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4/29/2016 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 92 Points
This still drinks young with plenty of structure left....it may improve/soften over time....clearly not a Ausie fruit bomb!
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2/15/2016 - JWSOMMERFELD Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet. Threw heavy sediment when decanting. Nose is clean, medium intensity, and developing nicely. Aromas of black cherry, cola, blackberry, chocolate, mushroom, hay, pine resin. The palate is notable for its sleek tannin (medium -), acidity (medium +), and long finish. Classic svelte St. Henri in its prime drinking window. An elegant wine, for Australia.
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2/6/2016 - mphatic wrote:
Cork. Dark red with a crimson hue at the rim. Looks younger than 13 years.
Raspberry, nutmeg, and other ground spices, pan juices, a slight meatiness, and a hint of soy.
On the palate, blackcurrant, graphite, pastilles, milk chocolate, and a bit of a green/stemmy edge. With airing, some cola, hazelnut, and licorice sit in the background. Slightly subdued in flavour but with impressive length. Tannins are dusty and provide adequate support to the wine.
Opinion: There are no significant tertiary flavours yet to emerge, though the wine is drinking well now. Leave for another 4 years.
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1/26/2016 - Renot wrote: 92 Points
Fruit is muted but this has never been a fruit bomb. Found its stride after 45-60 minutes with a great, long finish. Holding up well.
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12/20/2015 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
I wanted to compare the 92 St. Henri with the 02 D'Arenberg. The St. Henri is still quite tight even after some time in the decanter (1-2 hours). I enjoyed the wine but it is still a bit backward in my view. I believe the d'Arenberg is drinking better at this point. I will try the 01 and 03 St. Henri next to see how they stack up given their shorter drinking windows.
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12/14/2015 - azzah Likes this wine: 93 Points
A great older Shiraz right in its drinking window. Blackberry, plum, cherry, just a hint of vanilla oak, Chesterfield couch, pepper and mushroom. Good length. Perhaps lacking s little freshness but very good.
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11/21/2015 - Floyd77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Such a good wine ... youthful and vibrant as ever. Stand-up and decant -- there's a fair amount of sediment (the only indication that this wine is more than a decade old.) Unfortunately only one bottle of this left ...
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9/20/2015 - kalldritt wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks garnet colored which is surprising for its age. There is a lighter sediment in the bottle than expected. It smells like black currant (cassis) and vanilla and tastes like black currant (cassis) and plum. The body is medium/full with a silky texture. The wine finishes medium with low acidity. Clearly not at the end of it's life ... some time to go yet. Cracking drop.
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8/23/2015 - bcg14 wrote: 91 Points
Plum and black cherry aromas and flavors, very fine tannins, and an old school coolness that I haven't had for awhile - a really nice change of pace.
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5/21/2015 - WineKen Likes this wine: 92 Points
I bought this wine in 2006 in Malaysia for about hkd$234, which sleeping in my Vintec for a good 9 year.
Extracted by Coravin. Colour is glossy and still dark with just a little bit brick at the rim. Start showing signs of maturity. Nose of complexity with slightly burn rubber, plump, herbs and licorice. The palate is round, full body and echo the nose. Good acidity at finish with around 20s aftertaste. Very good. Keep wanting more. At Hkd$234, what do you think?
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4/4/2015 - Jnispel Does not like this wine:
Not sure but this bottle may have been flawed. Prune, stewed fruit almost port like. I have had St. Henri on several occasions in the past and this seemed to be completely different from what I remembered.
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1/10/2015 - deverett wrote: 90 Points
Good but not great, doesn't seem to have come together just yet. Deep rich black fruit, olives, plums and aniseed. Has good structure but this bottle just didn't quite hit the high notes I was hoping fo.
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1/2/2015 - empire80 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep purple colour, hard to tell this is 13 years old. Rich redcurrant and blueberry/blackberry fruit, hint of spice and liquorice, gentle but persistent tannin. This is very fine wine indeed - full of flavour and complexity with a long finish, and not at all an archetypal showy Oz Shiraz. My favourite wine this Christmas!
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12/12/2014 - vinus_operandi Likes this wine: 91 Points
The St. Henri opens with a big nose of blackberry, violet, lavender, licorice, and eucalyptus. this is a full bodied, dense wine with tannins that have softened over the years. On the palate, there are layer after layer of wonderful fruit including blackberry, black raspberry,casis, plum. Chocolate and pepper add a nice final touch. Not a lot of earthy or secondary flavor characteristics here. The wine is still drinking very young. Might wait another 5 years to try the next bottle. this is a fruit forward wine with very subdued oak. A bit one dimensional but really nice to drink.
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12/8/2014 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured and drank over two days. Consistently good showing a touch more freshness on day one. Signature aussie fruit on the nose. I'm not sure how to describe it but it's distinct from fleshy cali or deeper old world fruit. Generous but well integrated oak on the palate with a vanilla sweetness that was not over the top. I'd agree that this wine is at peak now but will hold and evolve further for at least ten more years. Would rebuy around $30. Well done.
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4/23/2014 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Perfumed black violets and orchids permeating through blackcurrant a and black Plums and black raspberries. Very well extracted fruit with gentle wafts of fruitiness that caresses the palate rather than pounds it like most Aussie shiraZs do. Really surprised by the restraint and refinement this Shiraz is showing. Haven't been impressed by Aussie Shiraz for a long time. Just that bit of spicy licourice kick at the end to let u know it is still predominantly Aussie rather than a Rhone. Oh how 4 years had been , this improved by leaps and bounds. At it's prime now.
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4/20/2014 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au wrote: 95 Points
A magnificent Barossa Shiraz. Massive red and dark fruit, lovely mouth coating texture, nice peppery spice on a very long finish, still plenty of gentle tannin to carry this great wine well into the next decade.
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3/25/2014 - casper01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully, still primary, no rush
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3/24/2014 - 309VEB wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well but still a bit tight. Decanted for about one hour but the wine started to open up as the decanter was consumed. Very firm with lots of acidity. Tannins and alcohol were well integrated. I really enjoyed this wine but i believe it is going to get better with some more bottle age and/or a longer decant.
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3/14/2014 - SSGibson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet with only slight bricking on the edges; visually, it is barely showing its age for a 2002. On the nose, dark fruit, cedar, and a trace of graphite. Dark fruit, fennel, cedar and spice on the palate, with the currants and pepper finish picking up over time. Restrained and refined for an Aussie Shiraz; dry with nice acidity and good balance. This was lovely to drink alone, but was also quite nice with the lamb chops we grilled for dinner. Drinking well now.
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2/21/2014 - Floyd77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is vibrant -- still has a long way to go. Saturated dark fruit flavors without being too thick or concentrated. Mellowing tannins. A long finish ... A serious wine.
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12/11/2013 - Renot wrote: 93 Points
Holding up very well, beautiful!
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8/4/2013 - thirtyoneknots Likes this wine:
Opened but not decanted for 3-4 hours. Barely lightening on the rim, extremely open and expressive in the more restrained St. Henri idiom. It would be unreasonable to expect this wine to continue to improve as good as it is now, but I suspect it will anyway.
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5/18/2013 - AmytheWino Likes this wine: 93 Points
We really liked this wine. Ate it with lamb and it held up well. I agree that it could age another 5 years or so.
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2/11/2013 - Dsen Likes this wine: 91 Points
We drank this second and rushed it a bit. Intense and powerful. A long time ahead of it. Great balance. Dont open another for 5 years.
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2/10/2013 - i musicisti di boston Likes this wine:
not a style i have much experience with, but i found this very fine-- broad, rich, meaty and long with dark blood notes, perhaps some eucalyptus making a showing as well. still virile, but in good place. feel free to drink away if you've got them, though i expect it'll still hold firm for a number of years as well.
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11/25/2012 - mmcdds wrote: 91 Points
This is my last bottle of St. Henri back from my Aussie Shiraz days. I haven't tasted any for years, and even though I seldom drink this style of wine any more, I find it to be excellent and quite satisfying. At the same time this is both rich, forward and exuberant while also maintaining, in the context of Australian Shiraz, elegance and restraint. Full bodied and brimming with cassis, licorice, abit of leather and some Asian spice, this is drinking beautifully today. Opened, but not decanted, for several hours.
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10/26/2012 - Kentw wrote: 91 Points
It is a great and smooth shiraz. Medium weight and goes well with food or without. The balance of fruit, tannins, spice and silky mouthfeel really makes this a wonderful wine to enjoy. Had it next to a 2005 Chateau Montelena Estate Cab and this wine was preferred by the group. It's peaking now, so drink it up if you have it.
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9/9/2012 - mpricher wrote: 93 Points
Will agree with Tanzer on this bad boy. Inky opaque purple in the glass. Loads of Cocoa, dark berry, some leather, and game. This smells more Cote-Rotie to me, than most Auzzie Shiraz. Very dynamic on the palate with crushed Black and Blue berry fruit for ages. Finish lasted a good 45+ seconds. Wicked stuff!
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7/26/2012 - RKwok wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Full bodied. We let the wine breathed in the glass for 1 hour before tasting. The palate starts with sweet fruits (probably red currants), vanilla, with some cedar and trace of licorice. It has long finish with hints of mint and pretty strong pepper/tobacco at the end. My wife and I found it easy to drink and quite pleasant.
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6/13/2012 - Kentw wrote: 91 Points
Red and black fruit pops in your mouth. This is fresh, well balanced spice and acidity. Very smooth and easy to drink. Long finish.
One of the best shiraz I have had so far.
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6/1/2012 - empire80 wrote: 92 Points
Superb oz shiraz. Red fruit, pepper, fine tannin and a long savoury finish with a hint of blackberry/blackcurrant from the small amount of Cabernet in the blend. Drinking well now but very many years ahead.
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5/23/2012 - graemeg wrote: flawed
{cork} Although well cellared, this was weeping sticky red wine visible through the tiny holes in the top of the capsule. Level was at bottom of neck. Returned to Penfolds who determined a structural vein along the cork was allowing the leakage. Bottle replaced with 1 x 07 vintage, and 1 x 08 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo.
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12/13/2011 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very nice wine out of a 375ml. Nice red fruits on the nose, the taste had the same fruits but i also detected mocha and licorice. This wine is well within it's drinking window. There was lots of sediment so if you pull a bottle set it upright for a little to let everything settle.
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9/14/2011 - alittle wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured the first 2 glasses and decanted the remainder. Consumed over an hour period.
Dark purple in colour with a full body. Plush texture in the mouth with a heavy glycerol component. On the nose, there were aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, tar, earth, mint, eucalyptus, with hints of herbs, tobacco and vanilla. Nicely subdued oak for an Australian wine. The palate was all dark ripe fruits, with great balance, mouthfeel and finish. There is a touch of heat on the finish, but not unpleasant. The amount of Cabernet characteristics that came through were surprising, despite only having 9% in the mix.
While I would probably not buy this again at the purchase price, this is an excellent example of what a low to mid level Australian Syrah should strive for. At $30, I'd be all over this. Regardless, an enjoyable experience. If well stored, I suspect this could hold on for quite a while.
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9/7/2011 - winegr wrote: 92 Points
91-92. This was drinking great. Drier and better acidity than some prior St. Henri's including the 1998. This is dry, has great fruit, has some tar and charcoal undertones, and exudes class. This is great for an Aussie, where I haven't had a lot of luck in recent years. Heck, I'll go 92.
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7/17/2011 - rwilk_2000 wrote: 90 Points
Cellared passively in a basement since purchase. Not ideal conditions, but could be worse. Held up very well relative to some other recent reviews. No signs of bricking. Tannins were pretty non existant, but fruit was still present. Probably my first "aged" aussie shiraz and I thought it held up well. Drink soon.
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5/13/2011 - sharonandroland wrote: 87 Points
Blackberry, dark fruity - but not memorable.
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4/8/2011 - malliemcg wrote:
2002 St Henri consumed. (Tasted with the concern the cellaring conditions are not up to snuff - so perhaps looking for "faults" - coming off a cold/flu of the last 7 days).
Initial removal of cork - Predominantly plum on the nose along with some raspberries, star anise, black tar.
Colour - just the slightest hints of the direction toward bricking (not there yet, but a purple transitioning toward brown/red).
Proper sniff/taste - 90 minutes later after sitting in decanter. Nose predominately plum a fair wodge of black tariness and vanilla, relatively closed though. On the palate a pleasant amount of food friendly and saliva generating acid, some nice polished tannins, a bit of vanilla and lots of spice - not sure which spices though some obvious pepper and perhaps a dash of cloves.
3 hours in - and the nose had opened up a little more and some fruit occasionally popped it's head out over well frankly, not much. Still was very moreish - felt a little hollow on initial taste with a nice finish.
Overall concerns I would have to say is lack of fruit, I should have tried it immediately after pouring to see if this was excessive decanting, but w/ a St Henri one would expect it to stand up to the past 9 years "better" than this. The Mrs thought it a fantastic drop and considered myself to a tad on the hyper critical side. There was no sign of leather, tobacco or other tertiary characteristics at this stage of development.
Good thing there's a six pack left, will have to revisit in a month or so when nose and senses are back 100%. In the mean time there's plenty of nice wines coming online now.
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3/13/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: flawed
corked ugh
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2/11/2011 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 86 Points
Double-decanted. Color was a deep, dark red. Nose felt a bit closed and just had faint hints of fruit. Palate was mostly one-dimensional.
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12/25/2010 - DoubleD1969 wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Youthful, vibrant eggplant color. Seemed to be very primary, straightforward and simple if not a bit closed. Nose of black fruits, plum compote, and little else. Medium-bodied wine with smooth tannins and acidity. Short finish. Very good but had little complexity. The 2002 E&E Black Pepper Shiraz was much, much better. I was hoping this wine would be similar to it or to the 2004 sibling.
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11/8/2010 - PMDias wrote: 91 Points
From 375ml. Fully mature, very polished Syrah. I'd like a little hair on its chest, a bit of savagery to make things fun, but compared to most mid-range Shiraz this is truly outstanding.
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7/17/2010 - mmcdds wrote: 88 Points
Inky, opaque, dark purple color with rich nose of blackberry, cassis, violets and caramel. Big dense mouthfeel that seemed to be slightly hot. The palate was still youthful tasting with dark berry and leather flavors predominant. The firm, tannic finish was abit short, but ok. This is the first time I've tasted this wine in 2 years and it doedn't seem to have picked up much in the way of nuance since then. There's not a whole lot of depth here but this is still a pleasant Aussie shiraz that is well made and not as much of an "in your face" fruit bomb as many of the others are.
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6/28/2010 - mmcdds wrote:
2-10-08 Deep, nearly opaque purple color with typical dark berry aromas. Full bodied, well balanced with deep, layered dark fruit flavors without the cedar and oaky notes usually associated with these big , Barossa Valley shirazes. The finish is long and has a fine grained tannic backbone. This is still one of my favorite shirazes and, although this is a big shiraz, with out the oak components it seems more delicate than other big Barossa Valley shiraz like Dead Arm or Grange. A great bottle of wine!
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5/28/2010 - chris_3 wrote: 85 Points
Nicely mature very drinkable wine
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4/26/2010 - TJolley Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking very well right now.
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3/3/2010 - Alex H wrote: 85 Points
Symmetry Dinner (Table 66 at 66 Tras St): Extremely young and at an awkward adolescent stage. All said, this being an aussie shiraz was not imbalanced and definitely would not qualify as a fruit or alcohol bomb that many of the cultish / parker favoured shirazes tend to be under. On the contrary, the fruits though monolithically robust at the moment with hints of spices does retain its structure on the palate. Not imbalanced but neither is it elegant. This just needs more time. More blackcurrant fruits and a tad exotic as compared to the 2000. Definitely has more stuffing and potential . I am not suprised if a good 10 years might bring out the best of this medium built teenager. Totally not overoaked and stands on its own merit. It is a wine of dividing opinions but unbashedly aussie without being overly patronising to Parker's palate. Most of the classical palates at the table were harshly critical of it though. For me, this was not a wine to fall head over heels for but I thought a very fair to good effort for australia.
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3/3/2010 - Paul S wrote: 87 Points
Symmetry Dinner (Table 66, Tras Street): Alex had decanted this for half an hour before serving - it probably needed a lot longer. I did not like it very much. Uncharacteristically for a St Henri, it showed like an alcohol bomb. Pretty notes of blueberries and cream, damson plums and pepper on the nose were more or less overwhelmed on first sniff by tons of glycerol and varnish. Just whiffs of that wafting into the nose. Same thing on the palate. Alcohol laden, it really carried a knock-out punch, showing much, much bigger and more alcoholic than the Girardin Chambertin Clos de Beze, the other 14.5% wine we had on the night. This tasted more like 16%! Underneath all that, there were again nice flavours of sweet berries and plums, with a nice purity and a good sense of balance between acid, fruit and structure. Finish was decent enough, with more berry flavours and a dry, almost port-like touch to it. It was all rather primary and monolithic though, and very much buried under all that alcohol. Horror of horrors, I have a bottle carefully packed away in the cellar - I really hope it comes good with time.
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2/5/2010 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
This is fantastic and it has evolved well in the past 8 years. The acid is still present, but the fruit has been surpaqsed by secondary flavors of chocolate, licorice, and eucalyptus. Long finish.
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1/21/2010 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
88-90. Though very well made, i find this slightly disappointing. A bit tight at first, better with air. still a bit one dimensional. Nice dark red fruits, a bit on the sweet side with just enough savoury notes and hint of funk to keep it interesting. not overly complex, not a ton of acidity, not that sophisticated. That said, I don't love Aussie shiraz, so others who like this style may like this better. For me, for a well made wine that is slightly hedonistic, this is pretty boring. I don't see this getting better with age, more likely worse like the 1998 which drank better young(if you like more complexity and savoury notes and less sugar caney sweet fruit). These Aussies just don't age well unless you like hedonism, low acid, and slight flab. Not my favorite style.
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12/23/2009 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
A fabulous wine to cap off our evening of some of the best wines we've had together in a long while, this was extremely closed when I poured it in the decanter, and it took about 2-3 hours to open up, but when it did it was amazing - Black, well concentrated with a nose of plum, blueberry, chocolate, pepper and vanilla, very well structured, balanced and elegant, very complex, smooth on the palate with great length, outstanding! (94 Points).
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11/14/2009 - King Cab wrote: 92 Points
Decanted an hour. Needed it. Crimson-cranberry colored with some umber edges Intoxicating nose of violets, black cherries, a freshly cooled-down blueberry pie, and pencil shavings. The palate has the same black cherry, cool blueberry, some black currant, tar, kirsch, leather, earth, a hint of underbrush, and flowers. This is a pure and elegant mid-weighted Shiraz surely reminiscent of the Grange I had some weeks back, just fuller and brighter, but equally as lush. An admirable lengthy finish with the black cherry never really dissipating for a few minutes. The neutral oak sure adds to the dimension and style. A silky tannin layer with the fruit never letting up. What a fun wine to have around for a rainy Saturday in the burbs.
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10/27/2009 - DanH wrote: 92 Points
Not a fan of shiraz usually, but this is incredible...not jammy at all
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9/12/2009 - scott davis wrote: 91 Points
Decanted two hours, and this continues to unfold. Bricking, crimson-purple in color, with a full, ripe perfume of blue and black fruits, herbs, and soy sauce. Decidedly Australian in style, with melded flavors of blueberry, plum, black pepper, and mocha. Big in mouth feel, with round tannins. Rich and bold; don't drink this now with less than two hours in the decanter.
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8/8/2009 - depdoc wrote: 93 Points
Aromas of dark fruit add to the taste of blueberries. Has much improved in recent months.
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5/22/2009 - malliemcg wrote: 91 Points
Even after 6 hours decanting time this wine is still very tight and closed up. The nose is fragrant savoury smells along with liquorice, some dark berry - I've smelt this before but am unsure what is it. A dash of clove along with some Chocolatey characteristics.
On the palate - there is fruit starts right up on the front, giving way to smooth grippy tannins at the back end. Some spiciness + pepper also. Excellent long mouthfeel. I can't help but feel this was some vinfanticide opening it up now, but it at least lets me know this one has some time to go yet. The fruit and wood characteristics are becoming nicely integrated compared to 15 months ago when I last cracked a bottle of this. A little dry dustyness too. Fantastic mouthfeel. Loving every taste of this, a pity the bottle was shared w/ 4 people.
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5/20/2009 - malliemcg wrote: flawed
Oxidised serious cork damage. Contacted Penfolds to see if they're prepared to do anything.
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4/5/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
From memory after dinner last night. Expressive dark berry nose, with a little toast, currants, and blackberry. Palate was big, smooth and round, with dark fruits up front, and waves of mocha, tar, and earth on a medium to long finish. Tannins well integrated and fine. A nice change from the typical fruit bomb shiraz, this was big but restrained and balanced, with just a touch of heat, with plenty of density hinting that it was just hitting its drinking window and has more to come.
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2/3/2009 - depdoc wrote: flawed
This wine continues to evolve and smooth out. It is very accesible and drinkable now. I suspect it will contunu=e to improve.
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1/25/2009 - Sijan wrote: 92 Points
Very tight and closed upon opening. Needs 4-6 hours of aeration. Has a great nose of dark fruit and oak both before and after aeration. May have been at its best around the 6 hour mark. After 4-6 hours of aeration, it was much more mild on the palate with dark chocolate, dark fruit, coffee toffee, and earthy notes. Rich and complex. Silky tannins. This was not a typical Aussie fruit bomb - surprisingly mellow and mild. Reminded me of a Washington Cabernet. 92-93 pts after aeration.
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1/19/2009 - DJenkins wrote: 88 Points
Pretty closed at the moment. Needs a very long decant
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11/22/2008 - depdoc wrote: 89 Points
Perhaps a bit early as there was still a noticeable bite of tannin in the finish. Lots of petential thoujgh.
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10/23/2008 - thirtyoneknots wrote:
Decanted 3 hours and it really wasn't enough. Very big and pwerful only really beginning to open and show it's elegance at around hour six. Drank in a social setting so nodetailed notes, but I think it's highly notable that some that had been left in a glass overnight was still rocking after it had been out of the bottle for over 18 hours. This has an extremely long life ahead of it.
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2/8/2008 - redbat wrote: 92 Points
much better than when I tried it a year ago. This wine has improved significantly. Nice complexity. Will wait at least another year before I open another bottle
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1/1/2008 - loverboy wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby red. Very nice fruity nose, very balanced and smooth tannin. strong and long finish
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12/15/2007 - jrglm wrote: 89 Points
This wine has a big, rich nose of dark fruit and some oak. The color was deep, deep ruby as I would have expected from a Shiraz from Oz. The wine was decanted for a couple of hours before the first taste which I'm guessing did it a great service. By the time we got around to tasting, the mouthfeel was silky and rich. Currant, some oak and toffee were noticed. We received as a gift whiich made it all the better.
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10/25/2007 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
WS NYWE Grand Tastings; 10/25/2007-10/26/2007 (Marriott Marquis): Tight black fruit and pencil lead (bordeaux like) nose. Surprisingly good . Concentrated ripe black sweet fruit on the palate. Relatively open.
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10/8/2007 - scottr1968 wrote: 88 Points
This wine needed a couple more years in the bottle and to be consumed with beef. A huge nose followed by flavors of jam, currant, berry and dark chocolate. Big tannins made it a little stringent, but should be a great wine in a couple of years.
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8/25/2007 - shiraz guy wrote: 93 Points
Nice black fruits, some menthol, vanilla and licorice. Big and smooth. Nice finish. First bottle I've had of this and it was a nice gift from mom! We got lucky though as she forgot this in the car for several days in hot weather. Can't believe it's not cooked.
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6/26/2007 - groper1234 wrote: 89 Points
Hmmm, I was expecting alot as jeremy oliver gave this 97 and james holiday gave this 96. Smell of eucryptus and mint and some herbal smell but with some not very pleasant smell. It is very smooth I have to admit but very short. There is no character in this one. Abit Boring! Okay wine but won't buy again, maybe try different vintage?
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5/29/2007 - toontune wrote:
9: Excellent Deep dark fruity
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5/19/2007 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
At Fleming's, Coral Gables. One of the decent value bottles on their list. Went there w Maserati $100 Gift Certificate. Classical Aussie Shiraz. Decanted. Slightly tight, and cloying at first. With air smoothed out and offered rich peppery dark fruit Shiraz. All the critics narratives, WA, WS, and IWC give kudos to this wine, and deservedly so.
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2/2/2007 - hutch wrote: 89 Points
Loads of fruit. A real juicy wine. Not sure it's worth the extra cash from the bins...
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1/31/2007 - Caleb & Laura's Cellar wrote:
Very good, fruity wine. Lush plum and cherry notes, Very light tannins and well integrated. Although not all that complex, still a nice wine, would buy and drink again.
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12/24/2006 - Thilo wrote: 90 Points
Color is dark garnet/purple. Nose shows blackberry, spice, and a hint of tar. On the palate, chewy plum, dark berries, smoke, and tar. Opened up significantly over the night. Still a bit reticent, should develop more with time.
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12/15/2006 - housemaidsknee wrote: 88 Points
Bought a case of this wine because of a great price - we opened our first bottle day before yesterday. Had half that day, half the next day. The evening we opened the bottle, we decanted for about half an hour and the wine was very unremarkable. Not much fruit on the palate, not much nose or finish. Drinkable - just unremarkable. The second day, it opened up a bit. The nose was definitely better - fruit but no spice. The palate, however, is still not the bursting fruit typical of other shiraz from the region - everybody tells us we need to give this wine a few more years. We intend to open up a bottle a year for the next 11 years - lets see how that goes.
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12/11/2006 - graemeg wrote:
WSET Dinner - Certificate awarding (Edinburgh Hotel, Surry Hills): big, luscious, upholstered nose. Solid core of dense ripe fruit. Firmly tannic, but not oaky, of course. Very elemental, however – could almost be a barrel sample. Leave for ten years.
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12/5/2006 - Double-A Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark ruby/garnet colour. Blackberry, currants, earth, violets and bitter chocolate on the nose. Solid structure with ripe tannins and a long, focused finish.
4/5
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11/21/2006 - jamieirving wrote: 90 Points
Made from 96% Shiraz with a dash (4%) of Cabernet this wine is very different to your average Australian Shiraz. Aged in large old oak foudres, it’s not so much the spicy American oak or the French vanilla oak that comes through, but the excellent fruit. Deep blacky-purple in colour the nose shows hints of plum, cherry and liquorice. The palate is closed and green, lots of tannin, great fruit and just a hint of spice. Wine Spectator gave this vintage 90 points and I reckon its easily that now… needs another 10 years in the cellar though to see its true potential.
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