Solid core of ripe blackberry with enough tannins to keep the wine well balanced. Drinking very well now but probably has a few years before it starts to fade
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For my tastes this is drinking very well. Big, but neither huge nor hot and blowsy as some aged Aussie shiraz wines from this period can be. flavorful, with resolved tannins, but enough acidity and structure to provide balance. I can't see this getting better, but maybe....92-93-ish
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Still a very interesting wine that needs an hour or more to open. Candied blueberries, slightly sour blackberries, menthol, some herbs and a surprisingly effervescent acidity quality.
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If you have ever paid $150+ for great Hermitage without tasting the Oracle, you’ve missed out. Earth. Smoke. Violet. Spice. Dark fruit. This wine is nothing short of captivating. I’ve been surprised more than a few times in finding great wine, this is one of the more pleasant surprises. The ‘02 is singing now and for another several years to go.
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Very much alive out of Magnum. Perfect cork with just rim staining. Huge deep wine with blueberry, mocha elements. drinking very nicely indeed. Could it be a tad too concentrated (fruit intensity exceeding other components)? Surely has another decade or more left in it.
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Opened out of magnum, still going strong with plenty of time left in it. Definitely got better as we drank it. Deep fruits in the nose and flavor, blueberries, blackberries, and currants, along with licorice and mocha. Elegant wine with nice complexity, full bodied, and a long finish.
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Popped & poured. Dark fruit, subtle. Still hiding its potential (?) and not the wow factor I was hoping for 5 years after my last one. Not sure if it needed a decant, more cellar time or this is as good as it'll get. Very nice, but a bit disappointing.
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Well made. Big and dark, tar, cocoa, dark fruit, pretty well integrated. Some sort of x factor prevents it from being really outstanding, cannot put my finger on it. Good, not great.
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Thick reddish orange color with aroma of reddish spicy fruit. This unfiltered shiraz is super concentrated and offers tons of rich fruit with beautiful oak integration. This full-bodied wine is big and powerful but smooth and refined at the same time. Its truly a remarkable and well made wine that should continue to drink well through the decade.
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Shared with some of my ex-Oracle friends, they got a kick of it. This is a wonderful wine, big, ruby red color, well integrated, long finish and smooth.
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WOTN. This is a fantastic wine. loved by all. Big rich mouthfeel, with tons of dark fruit.You just can't do much better than one of Kevin Mitchell's wines.
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Enormous promise and richness embedded.Still quite hot and needs to come down for it to develop into 96-97 point monster. It has that potential but careful cellaring for another 3-4 years will tell. This wine will be good for another 15-20 so not a bad investment at all. I agree with most of the higher rated comments of my cellartracker panellists as described but even though I read them before opening the bottle, I had to sample personally :-).
For those who cannot wait and want to enjoy the wine now, there is solace in the fact that it is very approachable and a fine tipple but do heed the decanting advice! 2 hours minimum.
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Rich, intense, jammy, alcoholic nose. Big young tannic, hot, and alcoholic. Drinkable, but not pleasant at this point, even with lamb chops. Don't know if it will come into balance. I will wait a few years to try again. I generally like big Aussie Shiraz.
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Tannic and so much oak initially - wow, had to put it down for awhile. After an hour, oak chills out and dark, deep fruit nose & taste comes through. Thicker than the Covenant bottling of the same winery & vintage. Even more delicious after 1.5-2 hours. Decant this one for a few hours before drinking or hold for 5+ more years.
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A nice blue and blackberry compote, combining with sweet tobacco, eucalyptus, aloe and boysenberry. Not rating further as I found my palate to be very tired from a long night of tasting.
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I wasn't as blown away by this wine as others tasters have noted. Big and brooding, to me, the nose was dominated by a mint/ eucalyptus component, which is not my favorite. I would have liked it more with some earthy gamey notes, which I was not able to pick up. Maybe more age or decanting will help...
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Now that I'm 12 750s and 4 magnums into this wine, I thought I'd better try a bottle! Casual family dinner at 5 Seasons Brewing in Atlanta. For a brew pub, this place has the most wine friendly food - and better yet, the corkage is a small pour for Dennis, the general manager.
Had the Oracle with roast suckling pig. The lighting was too dark to really see to color of the wine, but it looked quite inky and thick in the glass. Great nose of blackberries, crushed stone, and cigar box spice. Very mouthfilling, with silky, fine tannins, and a long finish. This is an excellent young shiraz, that seems to have the bones to have a long life ahead. This is drinking great now, but I expect that it will continue to develop for a few years and then hold for several more. Drink 2005 to 2012.
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Dense, inky purple colour. Intense aroma of ripe blackberries, plums, licorice allsorts and typical Clare Valley herbs. Strong flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants with a little chocolate and spice. Outstanding length. Beautifully structured. Overwhelmingly hedonistic now. This has outstanding potential. Look forward to seeing this in five years... and another five after that.
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Syrah/Shiraz Wine Dinner (Atlanta - Food Studio): Nose that started of medicinal, but evolved very nicely after 30 minutes. Flavors of rich black fruit with anise and light black pepper with a hint of mint. Nice, smooth, supple palate from the start to the nice lingering finish.
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12/19/2023 - SpoochMan Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Sadly, very pruny and clearly over the hill. Too bad.
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10/16/2021 - warrenpeace wrote: 95 Points
Solid core of ripe blackberry with enough tannins to keep the wine well balanced. Drinking very well now but probably has a few years before it starts to fade
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10/3/2021 - CRUSHER Likes this wine: 95 Points
bittersweet chocolate with blackberry and blueberry. excellent
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3/1/2020 - thalver wrote:
For my tastes this is drinking very well. Big, but neither huge nor hot and blowsy as some aged Aussie shiraz wines from this period can be. flavorful, with resolved tannins, but enough acidity and structure to provide balance. I can't see this getting better, but maybe....92-93-ish
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10/3/2019 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a very interesting wine that needs an hour or more to open. Candied blueberries, slightly sour blackberries, menthol, some herbs and a surprisingly effervescent acidity quality.
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6/23/2019 - Jbrad wrote: 96 Points
If you have ever paid $150+ for great Hermitage without tasting the Oracle, you’ve missed out. Earth. Smoke. Violet. Spice. Dark fruit. This wine is nothing short of captivating. I’ve been surprised more than a few times in finding great wine, this is one of the more pleasant surprises. The ‘02 is singing now and for another several years to go.
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5/31/2019 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
More Eucalyptus than anyone would have expected. A love or leave it wine for some. I enjoyed it. The black fruits are still overripe but not jammy.
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8/23/2018 - crazywineguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very much alive out of Magnum. Perfect cork with just rim staining. Huge deep wine with blueberry, mocha elements. drinking very nicely indeed. Could it be a tad too concentrated (fruit intensity exceeding other components)? Surely has another decade or more left in it.
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5/26/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened out of magnum, still going strong with plenty of time left in it. Definitely got better as we drank it. Deep fruits in the nose and flavor, blueberries, blackberries, and currants, along with licorice and mocha. Elegant wine with nice complexity, full bodied, and a long finish.
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8/2/2016 - michelvl wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with my previous notes.
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4/10/2016 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
This so much more than a fruit bomb. Blackberries, overripe blue berries, spice, vanilla Oak and 30 second finish. Smooth but more than a mouthful.
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1/11/2015 - michelvl wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with my previous notes, still growing.
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7/6/2014 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is classic Clare. THe fruit is rich and well integrated with the structural element. Perfect drinking window. Time to drink up.
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12/25/2013 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thick and brooding, meat and oaky nose, deep purple color and fruit opens in the mouth. Complex and thick, quite a mouthful!
Still a bit of heat, this has decades left.
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10/11/2013 - patwjr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped & poured. Dark fruit, subtle. Still hiding its potential (?) and not the wow factor I was hoping for 5 years after my last one. Not sure if it needed a decant, more cellar time or this is as good as it'll get. Very nice, but a bit disappointing.
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9/28/2013 - MOCGator wrote: 98 Points
Massive sublime Shiraz.
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12/6/2012 - cadamson wrote: 90 Points
Well made. Big and dark, tar, cocoa, dark fruit, pretty well integrated. Some sort of x factor prevents it from being really outstanding, cannot put my finger on it. Good, not great.
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2/9/2012 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened for quite some time to decant! Very lively!
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12/19/2011 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 90 Points
One dimensional but very rich and deep shiraz. Raspberry and Cherry fruit, smoothed out considerably.
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7/17/2011 - tonsta wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful wine. Tasted very tight and not much sign of being 9 years old. Dark fruit and gravelly tannins. Certainly not over-extracted.
I'll Drink my last bottle in 2016.....
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4/25/2011 - Praxis wrote: 96 Points
Thick reddish orange color with aroma of reddish spicy fruit. This unfiltered shiraz is super concentrated and offers tons of rich fruit with beautiful oak integration. This full-bodied wine is big and powerful but smooth and refined at the same time. Its truly a remarkable and well made wine that should continue to drink well through the decade.
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2/19/2011 - IAMVLAD wrote: 90 Points
very understated for an aussie shiraz. beautifully balanced and wonderful frut.
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12/31/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
delicious bottle of Shiraz. I think that this bottle has additional upside. My last unfortunately.
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12/26/2010 - IAMVLAD wrote: 90 Points
very pleasant musky nose and typical kilikinoon mouth feel. i would drink up as the fruit may be beginning to fade.
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7/6/2010 - dtirsell wrote: 92 Points
Shared with some of my ex-Oracle friends, they got a kick of it. This is a wonderful wine, big, ruby red color, well integrated, long finish and smooth.
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6/20/2010 - Fatdoi wrote: 93 Points
very fine sexy musky nose, smooth dark berries with hint of oak barrel background..... 30+ second finish, smooth as..... nice
5+12+17+4=93
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3/28/2010 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 96 Points
WOTN. This is a fantastic wine. loved by all. Big rich mouthfeel, with tons of dark fruit.You just can't do much better than one of Kevin Mitchell's wines.
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12/4/2009 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 95 Points
Delicious w/o a decant. I will certainly get better in another year or so.
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6/30/2009 - michelvl wrote: 94 Points
Enormous promise and richness embedded.Still quite hot and needs to come down for it to develop into 96-97 point monster. It has that potential but careful cellaring for another 3-4 years will tell. This wine will be good for another 15-20 so not a bad investment at all. I agree with most of the higher rated comments of my cellartracker panellists as described but even though I read them before opening the bottle, I had to sample personally :-).
For those who cannot wait and want to enjoy the wine now, there is solace in the fact that it is very approachable and a fine tipple but do heed the decanting advice! 2 hours minimum.
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5/31/2009 - kenv wrote: 84 Points
Rich, intense, jammy, alcoholic nose. Big young tannic, hot, and alcoholic. Drinkable, but not pleasant at this point, even with lamb chops. Don't know if it will come into balance. I will wait a few years to try again. I generally like big Aussie Shiraz.
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4/5/2009 - jerhardt wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with the last bottle. Big, a bit sweet, with lots of wintergreen. Good if you like the style, but not my favorite.
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1/3/2009 - thalver wrote: 95 Points
decanted. Much more accessible than I had expected, with smooth round tannins. big but not flabby. drink remaining bottle in a couple/few years
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10/11/2008 - patwjr wrote: 94 Points
Tannic and so much oak initially - wow, had to put it down for awhile. After an hour, oak chills out and dark, deep fruit nose & taste comes through. Thicker than the Covenant bottling of the same winery & vintage. Even more delicious after 1.5-2 hours. Decant this one for a few hours before drinking or hold for 5+ more years.
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10/2/2007 - LPskeleton wrote:
A nice blue and blackberry compote, combining with sweet tobacco, eucalyptus, aloe and boysenberry. Not rating further as I found my palate to be very tired from a long night of tasting.
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11/1/2006 - jerhardt wrote:
I wasn't as blown away by this wine as others tasters have noted. Big and brooding, to me, the nose was dominated by a mint/ eucalyptus component, which is not my favorite. I would have liked it more with some earthy gamey notes, which I was not able to pick up. Maybe more age or decanting will help...
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10/28/2005 - WestJohnson wrote: 95 Points
Now that I'm 12 750s and 4 magnums into this wine, I thought I'd better try a bottle! Casual family dinner at 5 Seasons Brewing in Atlanta. For a brew pub, this place has the most wine friendly food - and better yet, the corkage is a small pour for Dennis, the general manager.
Had the Oracle with roast suckling pig. The lighting was too dark to really see to color of the wine, but it looked quite inky and thick in the glass. Great nose of blackberries, crushed stone, and cigar box spice. Very mouthfilling, with silky, fine tannins, and a long finish. This is an excellent young shiraz, that seems to have the bones to have a long life ahead. This is drinking great now, but I expect that it will continue to develop for a few years and then hold for several more. Drink 2005 to 2012.
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9/9/2005 - rooview wrote: 95 Points
Dense, inky purple colour. Intense aroma of ripe blackberries, plums, licorice allsorts and typical Clare Valley herbs. Strong flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants with a little chocolate and spice. Outstanding length. Beautifully structured. Overwhelmingly hedonistic now. This has outstanding potential. Look forward to seeing this in five years... and another five after that.
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7/31/2005 - GreenDrazi wrote: 95 Points
Syrah/Shiraz Wine Dinner (Atlanta - Food Studio): Nose that started of medicinal, but evolved very nicely after 30 minutes. Flavors of rich black fruit with anise and light black pepper with a hint of mint. Nice, smooth, supple palate from the start to the nice lingering finish.
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