From my late father’s s is a very pleasant surprise. Still plenty of deep fruit, and a velvety mouthfeel that picks up some finishing grip. Seems like there’s still some runway on this, and it strikes a balance between sunshiny ripe and structured. I am pleased to have more bottles to work through, and will look to spread them out over the next five years or so.
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PNP. Still very dark with only a slight brown tinge at the edge. The nose initially was closed but the first sip was full of fruit. Blackcurrant and blackberry. Good balance, and great length. Still has some hard tannins. After 90 mins in a glass, the nose was still restrained, but blackberry aromas. The tannins had softened and now the dominant fruit was sweet cherries. A very good wine, but so different to a Cote Rotie of the same bottle age.
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Ripe and jammy upon opening but not OTT. Gave it a half hr in small decanter to open up and the aromatics became a lot more lean and interesting with a lot more structure and layering evident. This kept improving with air. A nice effort that should continue to show well for the next few years.
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Fragrant nose of cracked pepper and blackberries. Medium to full weight. Savory finish. Imagine a mid tier Cote-Rotie but then eliminate any microbial induced earthiness or cured blood notes and keep only the fruit and the oak, and this is what I believe you would have. Pleasant but not striking in any way.
P.S. Unfortunately, fell apart on the second day, with the acids becoming disjointed.
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Black cherries jam, animal, loads of cherries, almost too much, vanilla... Fresh red fruit and ripe red cherries, loads of integrated tannin, nice balance.
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Bottle from long term storage. First taste for more than a decade. Still a very solid wine after all these years. Decanted and left for an hour, good nose, nice fruit, very enjoyable sup if not particularly deep & meaningful. Faded a bit 24 hours post decanting but still more than passable. Terrific when considering it was a $25 wine from 2002!
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Continuing my recent exploration of Aussie reds, I popped & poured in Copake last nite. Nose of sweet red fruit. Medium body, still good fruit here--strawberries, ripe cherries and I get some blackberry nuances as well. Also nice spice, with generous hints of eucalyptus, tobacco and leather. Surprised how well this wine has held up over the years, and happy to still have this bottle--no doubt due to this excellent producer.
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Much more enjoyable than our last bottle three years ago. Harmonious strawberry and bing cherry notes with a sweet, spicy core and long, lavish finish.
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This wine has a medium body, medium + tannin, medium - acidity, medium + alcohol and low sweetness. Visually the wine is a medium garnet with an orange hue on the rim. Notes of stewed strawberries, nutmeg, tobacco, spiciness and hints of eucalyptus on the nose. The palate had dark fruit, leather and pencil shavings. The weight of the wine in the mouth is intense and Coates the entire palate with fruity tannins. The finish is long and leaves a tartness in the mouth. Love these old Australian wines.
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Surprised that this is still drinking so well. Medium/full bodied, almonds on the nose. Bit of chocolate on the tongue. Last bottle and really enjoyed it.
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Thought this would be over the hill, but it’s still powering along nicely (maybe due to being in perfect storage since release). There’s a still solid wall of dense dark fruit, leather, dry earth and savoury spice. Couldn’t detect much viognier on the nose, but it may have all blended in to make a lighter, smoother fragrance by now. Palate is medium bodied, extremely fine tannins, leading to a spice finish. Loads of sediment.
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Bing cherry fruit with strawberry jam, strong charcoal, and that distinct McClaren Vale sour cream note which I detest throughout. (Would have been fine to someone with no aversion to charcoal and sour cream.)
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Great Aussie Shiraz, still holding strong. Raspberry-liquor and well delineated fruits in the nose. Medium bodied palate and length. Elegant and smooth, just a little drying at the end. Drink now or within the coming years.
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I was pleasantly surprised by this Laughing Magpie. I was expecting it to be too old, but found that it still had nice bright fruit, good acidity, and mellow tannnins. The nose was a bit light, but in the mouth it was big and round with still quite a bit of power. I liked it.
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dark red, in color. black pepper, dark fruit, smoked meat, tea, on the nose. blackberry, black pepper, smoky, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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Blackcurrant, cherries and other dark fruits, some iron and cedar. Nice rounded fruits on the palate and medium long lingering on. Even the third day still doing well with our spicy meal.
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Drank from an awesome friends cellar. I have not had good d'Arenberg experiences. I expected more from the wines. This one delivered. Great nose. Decant this bad boy for a couple hours. Medium finish,does not improve too much after time. A great drop to open with an Amery companion. Drink now cos it aint got much left to offer.
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Opened for an hour and a half prior to tasting. No signs of brown in the colour. Great fragrance, strong, slight floral, damp, ash. A bit jammy in the mouth, good coating. Medium finish but probably masked by the jamminess and opinion skewed by the great nose. Look I am not a D'Arenberg ra-ra boy, not usually a fan, but I like this wine and this is my last of six of these. Drink now, it will keep for a year or so but will not get any better, dont risk it, just drink.
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Nice aromatics, I think that's the viognier. Overall though I find this a little on the heavy side, mostly a reflection of my falling out of love with big Aussie fruit bombs. I get the sense it's as mellow as it's going to get. It hasn't lost anything and it's not falling apart as had been forecast by many "experts", it's just too brawny, too obvious, too fruity. Fun to drink twice a year, but not much more than that...
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Full bodied, but youthful for its 11 years. Still fruit forward, and perhaps a little "hot". Went exceptionally well with a steak marinated in a combination of Thai fish sauce, Belizan hot pepper sauce and mirin! Opened up after an hour - not too complex, but interesting savoury notes to complement the fruit. Needs food to show at its best.
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Dark centre, fading at the rim. Lovely nose of boysenberry, some spice. Medium/full body, the wine is fruit forward with complex secondary notes of spice, and road tar. Slightly tart finish. At peak but could easily go another 5 years, possibly longer. Excellent value.
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Surpisingly good shape given the drinking window. Great nose, definite floral whiff from viogner. Very smooth, fully resolved tannins. Even at 14.5% alcohol, it doesn't dominate. Finish lingers pleasantly but not impressively.
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Better than the previous bottle with some complexity emerging on the palate. Still pretty primary on the nose though with blackcurrants and a floral touch. Nice. One of the best d´Arenberg wines I have drunk.
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Dark ruby color, nose of earth, blackberries and some tobacco. On the palate, still good fruit, mostly plums and blackberries, good acidity, some tannins, and forest floor. A lot of sediment throughout the pour. Decant next time. Not the most complex wine, but not expected to be. The wine is still in fine form after all these years.
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Showing no signs of fading, this wine benefits from the lift of the Viognier, otherwise jammyness would be a problem. Heavy nose of blackberry and earth tones (no heat), once tasted I got blackberry, plum, cigar box, and tobacco. This had a ton of sediment at the bottom, a testament to the extraction level. I don't go looking for subtlety when I open Australian Shiraz, so no points off for lacking it.
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Deep dark purple color, with lots of blackberry, cherry and spice. Still holding up nicely and might have rated this higher, but due to a ton of sediment, this required decanting and waiting a while before this could be enjoyed.
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This was an interesting wine. Being that it was 10 years old, we were surprised at the amount of acidity that was left and also at the amount of fruit. It was full bodied and rather long on the palate.
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Not a massive bouquet but a subtle oak smell permitted the glass along with a faint aroma of overripe plums. Dry, with lots of fine tannins, the taste doesn't linger long on the palate but is a pleasant fruity drop. The balance is good, the Shiraz doesn't dominate like it easily could, and though it tastes good now I think it could be cellared for another few years.
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Time has been good for the evolution of this wine. Gave this 1 hr decant although it smelled good right out of the bottle. Dark red fruit aromas with spice and nuances you will generally associate with old world Syrah. This is now well into secondary aromas and flavors that contrast with the fruit sweetness this exhibited upon release. Now with notes of plum, Coco hints of earth/Forrest floor and a nice smooth texture. The finish is medium with a slight steak of mineral and a nice broad chewy lingering taste. Would go great with a nice hunk of beef on the grill. I was pleased that i stashed some of this until now as it is in a great place in it's evolution. Time to drink.
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SI found this forgotten bottle when we moved. Tasted now, six years after the first bottle of this wine, provides intersting contrast. Definitely still big, fleshy and dominated by dark fruit, it's noticably more subdued, less flashy. While I tend more towards old world syrah and drink very little Oz shiraz, I found myself prefering the young version of this wine. What little it gained over time (integration, mellower finish) pales in comparison to the loss of verve and explosive aromatics of the younger bottle. Liked 'em both, to my surprise strongly favored the bottle 6 yrs ago.
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Concentrated blackberry with pomegranite juice and vanilla, pepper spice, eucalyptus, coffee mocha, toasted almond; licorice finish. Good balance; good structure. Creamy thick texture, integrated tanins, not too hot. Delicious.
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Decanted 30 min. Beautiful aromas of berries and plums, with some oak showing up as well. On the palate, this is just way, WAY too sweet. Tastes almost like a dessert wine or port. Over-the-top ripeness, getting rather pruney. Some cocoa on the finish, but the overly-ripe, sweet fruit makes this hard to enjoy without food.
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The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, Red Currant, and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Juicy. The wine finishes Medium.
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This bottle needed time in the glass. Good colour and bouquet - big, ballsy Mclaren Vale stuff. Lots of dark fruit on the palate but the finish was a tad harsh and a little bitter. Still plenty of vanilla going on but not sure if this one is starting to go over the edge. Still good but not as good as previous bottles.
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Quality ripe juicy fruit, but struggled to hold my interest after I'd finished my steak. Blueberry and some vanilla on nose. Blackcurrant, blueberry, touches of vanilla and dark chocolate in the mouth. Acid prominent, not much tannin, good level of alcohol. Fairly short finish.
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Blueberry on the nose, rather muted for an Aussi wine on the palate. Still holding up well which was a surprise - I'd had this a couple of years ago and it seemed to be fading. Integrated fruit, and enough acidity to hold its end up. Pleasant wine, but nothing special - little complexity, but good balance.
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Surprisingly pleasant. Nice aromatics and bright flavors with nothing out of place. Even paired nicely with a beef stew which it stood up to but didn't dominate.
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Magenta, hints of brown. On the nose there is lashings of stewed plum with a hint of violets and perfume lingering from the Viognier (co-fermented). With eight years the sweet fruit has loosened into a supple smooth-tannined elegance. Soft, still juicy, divine. Top wine. Now to 2-3 yrs.
ED: Posting this in 2020 it is amazing to see such positive recent comments- my window was surely conservative!
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Unmistakably Aussie- big, brawny, not subtle. Still in all it's round and lush with only a bit of an edge to it. I was hoping for more given the press it got that year. I guess this is a good wine, but will likely never be a blockbuster. I'm sure it's got 5 more years or more in it.
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Two 2002 Aussie Shiraz/Viogniers - Yalumba & d'Arenberg: Compared to the Yalumba this has a more earthy yet cleaner aroma. Less oak masking things. Bright fruit on the palate. This is actually starting to show a bit like a bordeaux. I don't think I would guess it as Aussie shiraz. Showed even better on the second day. This wine delivered and considering the price, it over delivered.
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Very dark maroon. Slow, thick legs. The nose is very musky (think muskmelon w/ b.o.), with a little graphite, mint and incense in the background. The musk carries through to the palate in an agreable way.The fruit is on the darker side: lots of mocha/dark chocolate, a little earth in the background. The tannins are lush and well-balanced with the fruit. The finish is strong and clean, with nice lingering undertones. Very enjoyable with food (grilled chicken with melted goat cheese in my case), or as a stand-alone bottle (which is how I'm drinking now, on the second night). A nice bottle, and would buy more from this winemaker.
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Still holding up quite well. Full nose that doesn't take much time to open up. Full-bodied and smooth in the mouth with only a few light tannins at the end. Reasonably acidic, making this a good food wine for something robust.
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Still starts off as a bit of a fruit bomb, but a few minutes in the decanter changes it. Initially its like drinking blackcurrent wine gums, with a big depth of flavour, but a bit 1 dimensional. In the decanter it puts on weight though and the wine becomes slightly silky and a bit more rounded. Impressive stuff but I think this is still a couple of years from its peak.
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Delicious wine and very similar to when i tasted this three years ago. Ripe mulberry, blue berry and blackberry fruit on the nose - hints of herbs and licourice, thick and rich on the palate but with with really nice balance of soft tannins and juicy acidity - no jamminess. Long ripe length of flavour on the finish. Some notes of chocolate and cherry on the finish. Overall an excellent wine and way, way better than the 2000 Brothers in Arms from last night.
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first off the case. dark color, spicy nose, smell of vanilla on the fruit. heavy wine, a bit syrupy, hasnt realy come together. oh well maybe next one better or this will get better as it opens
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Full on bouquet, lots of herbs, savoury, leather, spice, red fruits. Lots of flavours happening here. Really enjoyed this wine and I think it will be good for a good few years yet. 90pts
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Rich nose, with cherry medicine, leather, coffee and strawberry jam. On the palate, massive and with a hint of sweetness but not overly jammy. Nice layers of complexity, and seems to be at its peak for age. As noted in other reviews, this wine has some sediment and needs a little air to open up, so bust out the decanter.
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By appearance is starting to show some age. Some sweetness initially then taken over with more savoury characters and still with a balanced tannic finish. Don't think that this will improve much more.
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This is shedding its youthful freshness. Not a bad thing but this seems to be at an in between stage at the moment. Aromas of tobacco, earth and leather. The acid it s slightly sour. The fruit is very ripe but moving to the back. In someways this was Bordeaux like. Very nice and should continue to progress.
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To the nose: an enticing plummy leather. The eye sees a medium garnet. The tongue finds a nice blend of raspberry, tart wooded fruit, earth and green pepper with a spicy undertone and medium tannins. A medium finnish completes this pleasant quaff. The wine makes a nice pairing with grilled and well season poultry. The wine is not quite at its peak.
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Yummy wine, drinking at peak. Round, dark fruit with some vanilla tones. The group consensus was a hearty thumbs up and we should look for other vintages.
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at it's peak - past experience suggests drink up now. Deep red-purple. Lots on the nose - Raspberry jam, blackberry, typical MV chcocolate hints, cedar, apricot, cloves, vaguley meaty. Palate - raspberry, dark fruits, large tannins, "thick" amost caramel finish. Moderate length.
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Decanted 40 minutes. This has come around and was better than expected. Nose of green olive, tar, and black fruits. Palate of blueberries and blackberries. Tannins not fully resolved but are soft. Little to no alcohol present. It could use more time in the bottle to possibly gain complexity.
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A good Shiraz but there are better. Good in the beginning but after about an hour is declined very fast. It became even a little bitter. Good fruit at the start but it even developed a bit of a nasty smell after about an hour. I don't want any more.
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Very deep red, almost inky; Clean, boisterous nose, of overt blackcurrant; this is a big wine drinking at its prime. Bags of fruit and the tannins have softened from its youth. Full-bodied, exuberant ripe black fruit flavours with a good finish. I'm unfamiliar with how Aussie wines develop, but this seems to have everything in place for the next few years. Consistent notes. Very good. Estimated maturity 2008-2014+
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This wine was packed with dense blueberry, chocolate, and vanilla with flowers and ripe fruit on the nose. Finish has a bit of caramel. Not everyone's style, but for what it was, it's a great example. This will last for many years, and it would be interesting to see it evolve.
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Dark color with a highlight of rich ruby red...brusque nose showing nuances of game and earth with a sense of ripe dark fruit underneath. Clipped entry that quickly firmed up at midpalate with edgy framework holding the fruit back after a quick pop and pour...this did open a tad over time, but maintained a rustic personality thru the finish. Not as evolved as I would have expected.
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disappointing versus other d'arenberg shiraz's from '02, very little to suggest that it was anything but a good value shiraz. not a bad nose, not a foul taste and an okay finish. just nothing special
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I've had both this and the 2001 in the past month. Both were enjoyable, mature wines, and the bouquets were impressive on both -- complex, with licorice, smoke, blackberry and other dark fruits. I found them less impressive on the palate -- the finish seemed a bit tart and clipped to me -- perhaps just unexpected.
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Deep purple/inky with ruby edges. Blackberries, cherries , vanilla and oak with a bit of blueberry on the nose. very bold and still quite tannic. the oak is a bit harsh on the palate, but is accented by equally strong cherries blackberries. The wine also has notes of vanilla cream and espresso coming out. The Finish has some lingering fruit, but it is overpowered by dusty characteristics and heat
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Very deep red, almost inky; Clean, boisterous nose, of ripe plum, vanilla, eucalyptus, mocha and oak; this is a big, full-throttle wine still very much in its youth, but drinking well. Bags of fruit and the tannins are still evident, but beginning to soften. Full-bodied, exuberant ripe black fruit flavours with a good finish. Also something faintly medicinal about it. Doesn't have too much class - more the Can-Can than a Pas de Deux. You can tell I'm Old World rather than New! This has a long life ahead of it. Estimated maturity 2008-2020+
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Very nice. At this stage of its evolution, there's not a lot of influence from the viognier. The shiraz, however, is very good. Still some tannin, and a lot of dark fruit.
This is a GREAT QPR wine!!!
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The best bottle of this I'v had so far. Definitely more balanced, with better integrated oak than previous examples. Not much complexity, but a solid, enojoyable wine. Should continue to drink well for a couple more years.
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Day 1 Full bodied and minty to me. Hasn't changed a bit from the first bottle 4 years ago. A bit disjointed now with too much upfront spice (mint, eucalyptus) to enjoy now. Will let last bottles rest a while longer. I don't think it is in danger of going south. Day 2 Just what this wine needs...... open and keep on counter for 24 hours! This wine has lost most of the mint characteristic and is fully balanced tonight. Dark fruits, semi sweet tannins with a long earthy follow thru. Very smooth and enjoyable tonight. Glad I didn't dump this one, as I did think about it.
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Like others have previously stated, this wine has reached its peak and is drinking well now. Smooth integration with lots of cassis and blackberry notes and racy acidity. Medium finish.
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I agree completely with the notes by Moorese (1/4/2008). Couldn't say it better myself. This is peaking now and could cellar for another 3-5 yrs. Excellent and always enjoyable.
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Inky, oily, and black with notes of licorice, stewed blackberries, and some earthy funk, this wine has much to recommend and some to criticize. The fruit is ripe but not too sweet, with dense blackberries, pepper, game, and mentholated tobacco. There is grip and definition. There is also a bit of heat and a medicinal quality on the finish. The viognier may be giving this bottle some lift, but it doesn't seem to be adding much aromatically. The finish is clean but modest. I'd be interested to try this bottle with more time, but frankly I enjoyed it more in its more youthful stage.
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Jammy dark fruits, apricot pit, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. The nicely weighted palate adds a little earthiness. The finish is still a little tart and tannic. Shows a gamy edge after a hour or so. This wine is pleasant enough but has gone sideways since release.
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Drank with Ez and Daz. I found this wine a bit boring. There was nothing really intriguing to keep me wanting more. Pleasant but not to my taste. It also felt a little old for an '02 which was surprising given the community's drinking window - may have closed down?
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This remains a truly fun wine to drink. All the expected shiraz notes with just a touch of softness. Dark purple, plenty of fruit and smooth. I would expect this vintage to drink well over the next 5+ years.
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Opened one last night with a leg of lamb for dinner. It had been a couple of years and the time in the bottle has not harmed this wine in any way, in fact it was even better than I had remembered it. Lots of fruit still, blackberry and blueberry with a strong spicy component. Not at all tannic or hot. Very enjoyable.
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Dark red core with lighter rim. Nose is very nice with red berries, cherry, floral, baking spice and a little dark fruit showing up later. Palate is nice with red fruit, spice. It has big flavor, must have lost its big fruit with time. A little heat on finish and a little meatiness. Nice, but definately going downhill from here.
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Nice fruit and concentration, but a bit heavy on the oak for my taste. There is clearly some good material here, and if the oak somehow manages to integrate, this will be a very good wine down the road.
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Dark ruby with black fruits, creme de cassis, and oak on the nose. Very forward black currant fruit on the palate with a hint of acidity and clove. Oaky tannins may need a bit more time to integrate. This a full-throttle fruit bomb, finishing a tad shorter than one would expect given the upfront flavors. Silky mouthfeel and fun to drink. Popped and poured, so some aeration may smooth out some of the edges. Plenty of life yet. Should be a great match with the ribs and plum sauce planned for tomorrow.
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Nez de fruit noir avec eucalyptus et de….l’asphalte, ce que je trouve souvent chez les shiraz australiens. Attaque franche, fruit très mûr, riche et concentré, le creux en milieu de bouche et la finale un peu fluide révèlent toutefois les limites du cru. L’ensemble est d’une fraicheur correcte, mais un peu "trop", toute cette richesse tombe un peu sur le cœur à la longue. La note de Parker laisse songeur mais il faut s’y faire, l’Australie le rend un peu gaga!
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At Brisbane: Perfectly ready, a beautiful colour (palid but with golden edges) for a cherry candy; Very silky, black licorice with smoked at finishing.
Ribetes dorados, "kojak" de cereza, regaliz negro, muy sedoso con ahumados al final.
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It exhibits the natural characteristics of a cool climate shiraz. Eucalyptus, mentol and spicy aromas fill the glass. Dark purple color, intense and concentrated. Medium to full body with a unit taste, reminiscent of a cote rotie. Very enjoyable. Drink now-2012.
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Seems to get better every time I open one. maybe I just don't remember how good they really are. I would say it is at peak and should hold for 5 more years.
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A nicely integrated nose of black fruits, anise, toffee, wood smoke and apricot. Smooth and medium weight. A bright cherry note joins the darker fruits on the smoky palate. Pleasing balanced finish. Seems ready now and over the next 2-3 years. Better than the overripe, shrill '01.
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This bottle tasted simpler and more evolved than the last bottle I opened. Enjoyable, but nothing special. I'll open another sometime soon to see if this was a representative bottle.
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Stood up for 24 hours and decanted for sediment. As with the '03 this is a tannic wine that needs air. After one and a half hours of air this wine was signing. Great nose of Blackberry, flowers and cherry. This wine coats the mouth with a finish that goes on for ever. I think this wine will go for another 5+ years and actually get better with more bottle time.
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Very fruit forward wine. Did not decant, but would have been helpful. Strong acdity that dissapated as the wine openjed a bit ov er time (drank over 1 1/2 - 2 hours). Long finish with berries and spice.
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Not decanted, but opened on a night I know I won't finish it. Dark red/purple color. Slightly charred nose with wonderful deep shiraz blueberries and a terrific floral quality. Very full-bodied with tongue-gripping tannin, but so much fruit behind it that the ripe shiraz dark fruit with its minty side shows through. Long finish. I detect a relatively low acidity, giving this a fat sensation in the mouth. Overall a beautiful wine, worthy of a low-90s score now, with significant potential for improvement when it loses it's baby fat and sheds some tannin.
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Very dark plum in colour with a tinge of garnet on the rim, deep ripe intense blackberry and blueberry on the nose, tinge of mint, herbs and wood on the nose, deep and full bodied, not jammy but ripe, with a sweet blackberry midpalate and a dry mildly tannic blueberry, currant finish. There is decent, acidity here. It is rich but definitely not jammy or over the top. This should be very good with another 4-5 years to add another layer of complexity, and should last well beyond that.
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Dark and rich looking with a firm nose of dark ripe fruit, spice, pepper, and maybe just a little smoke. This is a gripper, that for it's strength is very well balanced and not shy on the attack and finish...good spice and a bite of pepper to keep the fruit from being dominate.
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A big beautiful nose full of blueberries and floral aromas. Wow, aromatically this one is firing on all cylinders. On the palate it's a blockbuster as well... with vibrant blueberry fruit flavors, a bit of mint, and that classic smoothe Aussie shiraz attack, structured with a bit of notable oak framing. Interestingly, I couldn't detect the impact of the Viognier... perhaps a bit of acidity not normally present?... In any case, this is not a shy wine.
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A complex, beautiful wine, with a nose of blackberry & black raspberry jam, grilled beef, iron, and black pepper. Flavors are supported by sweet, but somewhat noticable tannin, with some beef blood, carob, and peaches (wow, I love syrah-viognier blends!)
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Started very jammy but quickly revealed its structure. Aromas of dark fruit, figs, iron and creosote. Excellent volume in the mouth with good but simple fruit. Surprisingly structured on the finish with strong acid and some remaining tannin. Will last a couple more years but I do not think that it will ever have a great deal of complexity.
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The group favorite of four bottles poured tonight. Nice intense purple and blue fruit, some pepper on the finish and sweet tannin. I would guess optimal drinking is now and over the next year or two.
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Tasting not from memroy. Consistent with my last tasting. The blueberry nose that I found so abundant a year ago has seemed to have recede somewhat, still wonderful fruit that get a great lift from the Viognier component.
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Dark purple-red, almost black, and wow, what an expressive, explosive nose--blueberries, flowers, almost a mintiness jump out of the glass, and then a sweet, smooth entry with a mid-palate loaded with more vibrant dark fruits and a persistent floral element. This got right up to the border of cloying without crossing over, as there is enough of a tannic and acid backbone to give this structure and interest. Long, sustained finish with hints of plum, more of that minty/floral note, and ripe tannins. I've no clue what to expect as this ages, but was impossible to resist the flashy (but balanced) show this bottle put on.
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Opened this to have a glass with lunch and then head out for a 2 hour bike ride through the hills, followed by 2 hours racing around the Rose Bowl. Okay, I had two glasses, but who's counting.
Nose of cassis, ripe purple fruits (is that possible) or is it blackberries/blueberries with an interesting floral component. I think violet. Initial drink hard tar and coffee which has softened in the last hour to drying tannins, blackerries, tar, coffee, and a violets. Very nice but I think this needs decanting to show its best. Should decant 2 hours or so. A very nice $20 wine. I'll have to post on the rest tonight or tomorrow. Gearing up for Tony Velebil Freedom Fest Sat Night.
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Shiraz-Viognier Designation vs Cote Rotie (The Club Birmingham): Looked forward to including this in the Shiraz-Viognier flight, but it was awful! Hugely unpleasant green volatile aromatics up front, poured it out. Previous reviews were enthusiastic, this must have been a bad bottle...will not rate
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deep,purple color. nose of black fruit and some pepper. on the palate soft tannins,more black fruit. nice finish. this is a great syrah. lot of life left here.
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Deep ruby in color, no evidence of aging. Nose of plum and dark fruits with some pepper. Thick mouthfeel. Out of the bottle I found it a little grapey on the palate, but this quickly resolved with airtime. Some oak present, but not overwhelming. Mostly earthy blackberry flavors predominate. Moderate tannins present, but not too drying. Quite nice. Continued to consume this over 3 nights in total and it held up very well over time. Drinking well now, but no need to drink now as it should last a while.
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Black/purple to the rim. Huge nose of blueberry. On the palate, blueberry and mocha, with rounded, full mouthfeel. The tannins are young and not totally integrated, but this is going to be lovely. Room for another 3 pts in the future.
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An earlier vintage of this wine was my "red wine epiphany" so I've admittedly got a soft spot. The nose, as always is terrific, blackberries, pepper, flowers, no overt citrus notes like I've had previously. Terrificly balanced wine, lots of fruit, smoke, curry spices, and a hint of lemon from the Viognier. It's a little more tannic in the mouth and not nearly as jammy as when it was younger, maybe 1/3 of the way though shedding its baby fat. I can't wait to see where this wine ends up...could easily get 95 from me in a couple more years if everything contiunes to evolve...as it is, probably 93...but too stingy.
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This bottle a little less exuberant than some in the past. Initially reticent nose, opened up with Black fruit and flowers (violets?) after about 1/2 hour. On palate not as full bodied as I recall; This bottle is closer to the 2003 in character. Still a great value.
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Fantastic nose of blueberries, dark fruit, and spice with nuances of black pepper, smoke, and eucalyptus. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry with a hint of pepper.
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This showed very well, better than any of the West Coast bottles I'd had before. Consumed after dinner at 160Blue for Paul's birthday. Served a little too cold but it had that great Magpie nose.
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<BradS and Shannon> On the nose - Blackberries, blueberries, some floral notes and vanilla. After the nose, this was a let down. Sure there was some of the proverbial Aussie fruit but i thought it was overshadowed by green tannins, acidity, bug spray and wood. I thought this wine was a little disjointed and out of balance and outclassed by the Novy SLH. It did improve (and tack on a few points) with a few hours of air. I hope (given I have 3 in the cellar) that these will either improve with age OR this was an off bottle.
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Clearly, luscious blueberries are evident, stems and all, just oozing from the nose. Even after a few hours, the nose. In the mouth, a hint of citrus orange. Finish is medium in length finishing with not so subtle tannins and doesn’t really linger after that. Overall, a vice good wine.
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[Metro Cafe] Blueberry on the nose and overwhelming on the palate accompanied by apricot and tannins on teh finish. Shiraz/Viogner blends are typically not my thing but a very nice wine nevertheless.
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The Magpie kicked off with a bold fruity nose and flavors of tangy blueberry. It followed with more round, warm fruit and black pepper notes. The finish was moderately long and lush.
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Cracked a bottle of this wine with friends over a dinner of grilled Mallard ducks. Delicious!!! This wine has an incredible nose. The palate offers good complexity and a wounderful fruit flavors with a good long finish. Better than the last time I had this wine. A real winner and pretty good QPR. For those of you lucky enough to own a few. Drink up!!!!
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This wine has pulled itself together now and is drinking freakingly wonderful! Blood orange and apricot notes poke through all the gloriously ripe blackberry & pepper nuances of the Shiraz. Awesome, head turning wine.
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Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering. I grabbed a bottle off the shelf and bagged it to see if I could fool the folks at the local wineshop. Wow, what a nose! This has a lot more Viognier lift than I noticed in the bottle I opened the other day. This is decidedly Aussie yet very vibrant and pretty, must more elegant and focused than many Australian examples. Delicious!
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This wine has a very intense nose of roasted plum with obvious notes of eucalyptus and some tar. On the palate this is dark and brooding, showing some iodine on the front palate and then exploding with a mouthful of blue and black fruits, finishing with a huge kick of tannins. As approachable as the wine is, it also has a huge amount of structure.
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Blueberry, blueberry, blueberry. The nose is all blueberry. The plush midbody continues with spice added to the blueberry. The wine finishes with pleasant almost sweet tannins. A very nice wine.
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It certainly has an exotic lifted spicy nose, the licourice/tarry notes being outshone by the wild perfume present in the aromas. The tannins are fine, and persistent, but the acid is indeed quite low. I can see why some love the wine and some hate it. It seems to carry the 14.5% quite well, at least initially, but subsequent glasses do pall a little. Still, it's not bad, although any more than $25 and it's really pushing the value-for-money envelope. Enjoyable, yes - a great BBQ wine, but not a long term ager, that's for sure.
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($38) Dense, totally opaque appearance. WOW! Nose of honey and apricots overlaying black berry fruit with a small nuance of toasty French oak. Yum! Delicious, rich black fruits in a frame that offers moderate acidity to keep the wine humming. Finishes with more Viognier aromas in the finish. I love this stuff.
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Inky black colour with tinges of dark garnet. Stains the glass. Aromas of vanilla, cassis, black cherry cough syrup, black licorice, rosemary, and peach. Full-bodied; plenty of tannins - almost mouth-searing. Figs, black licorice, sage, and alcohol on the palate. Long finish, ~ 45s, with black fruits, vanilla, and peaches, but very dry. This needs time; minimum 2-3 years. It's really a brute of a wine right now. 89 points with the potential to add another couple if this mellows out.
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Aromatic, blackberry fruit nose with vanilla, cookie dough, blueberry and a perfumed, floral lift. Full, concentrated and gripping palate; good, youthful finish. 3.5/5
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Deep, dark purple/ruby red in color. This wine is think and dense. Aromas of black fruit and anise are draped in a floral and purfume nose. Full-bodied and thick on the tongue with a hit of sweetness to the oak. Wine is well balanced and a medium to long finish.
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($40) Dinner at Oishii with Mom & Dad: Pretty nose of overripe apricots and peaches. Sweetish black fruit on the palate. Full bodied, with good concentration. Nice.
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Presented to the Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting group, personally purchased the day prior. Bright disc. Opaque black/purple robe with dark purple rim. Clean nose, showing intense ripe plum, vanilla, crushed blackberries and toasted oak. The tannins are huge but very ripe, and the alcohol is reasonable as long as the wine is appropriately served at 65-68 degrees. The full-bodied palate carries similar ripe black fruit flavors as for the nose, leading to a medium, fairly smooth finish.
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1/24/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:
From my late father’s s is a very pleasant surprise. Still plenty of deep fruit, and a velvety mouthfeel that picks up some finishing grip. Seems like there’s still some runway on this, and it strikes a balance between sunshiny ripe and structured. I am pleased to have more bottles to work through, and will look to spread them out over the next five years or so.
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10/28/2023 - john thorne Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP. Still very dark with only a slight brown tinge at the edge. The nose initially was closed but the first sip was full of fruit. Blackcurrant and blackberry. Good balance, and great length. Still has some hard tannins. After 90 mins in a glass, the nose was still restrained, but blackberry aromas. The tannins had softened and now the dominant fruit was sweet cherries. A very good wine, but so different to a Cote Rotie of the same bottle age.
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8/15/2023 - bon vivant wrote: 91 Points
Ripe and jammy upon opening but not OTT. Gave it a half hr in small decanter to open up and the aromatics became a lot more lean and interesting with a lot more structure and layering evident. This kept improving with air. A nice effort that should continue to show well for the next few years.
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3/1/2023 - chatters wrote: flawed
First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): "Served blind
Corked. FLAW"
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12/9/2021 - juffer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fragrant nose of cracked pepper and blackberries. Medium to full weight. Savory finish. Imagine a mid tier Cote-Rotie but then eliminate any microbial induced earthiness or cured blood notes and keep only the fruit and the oak, and this is what I believe you would have. Pleasant but not striking in any way.
P.S. Unfortunately, fell apart on the second day, with the acids becoming disjointed.
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11/15/2021 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Black cherries jam, animal, loads of cherries, almost too much, vanilla... Fresh red fruit and ripe red cherries, loads of integrated tannin, nice balance.
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6/3/2021 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Nose: 90-91; Palate: 90-91
My #4, Group's #1; Tasted blind.
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4/8/2021 - bon vivant wrote: 92 Points
This is maturing in a much better way then anticipated. Drinking very well and looks like it will continue to do so for a while.
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7/31/2020 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good cork; dark colour; surprisingly youthful; dark sweet fruit,spice, well-resolved tannins; good soft texture; lots of life yet
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5/11/2020 - PJM0208 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bottle from long term storage.
First taste for more than a decade.
Still a very solid wine after all these years.
Decanted and left for an hour, good nose, nice fruit, very enjoyable sup if not particularly deep & meaningful.
Faded a bit 24 hours post decanting but still more than passable.
Terrific when considering it was a $25 wine from 2002!
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4/4/2020 - cephomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Continuing my recent exploration of Aussie reds, I popped & poured in Copake last nite. Nose of sweet red fruit. Medium body, still good fruit here--strawberries, ripe cherries and I get some blackberry nuances as well. Also nice spice, with generous hints of eucalyptus, tobacco and leather. Surprised how well this wine has held up over the years, and happy to still have this bottle--no doubt due to this excellent producer.
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2/27/2020 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Much more enjoyable than our last bottle three years ago. Harmonious strawberry and bing cherry notes with a sweet, spicy core and long, lavish finish.
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1/30/2019 - Optimus Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has a medium body, medium + tannin, medium - acidity, medium + alcohol and low sweetness. Visually the wine is a medium garnet with an orange hue on the rim. Notes of stewed strawberries, nutmeg, tobacco, spiciness and hints of eucalyptus on the nose. The palate had dark fruit, leather and pencil shavings. The weight of the wine in the mouth is intense and Coates the entire palate with fruity tannins. The finish is long and leaves a tartness in the mouth. Love these old Australian wines.
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1/5/2019 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprised that this is still drinking so well. Medium/full bodied, almonds on the nose. Bit of chocolate on the tongue. Last bottle and really enjoyed it.
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10/8/2018 - awkiii Likes this wine: 91 Points
still great and fruity
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8/15/2018 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thought this would be over the hill, but it’s still powering along nicely (maybe due to being in perfect storage since release). There’s a still solid wall of dense dark fruit, leather, dry earth and savoury spice. Couldn’t detect much viognier on the nose, but it may have all blended in to make a lighter, smoother fragrance by now. Palate is medium bodied, extremely fine tannins, leading to a spice finish. Loads of sediment.
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7/15/2017 - Bil Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cork was shot but the wind was still holding up well. Lots of fruit, rich, still drinking well
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7/8/2017 - VinCapitan wrote: 91 Points
sweeter raspberry, cherry cola, dark glycerol, blackberry fruited, good gear. Holding up really well. props for a good aged wine
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6/26/2017 - Vino_Rosso Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of body still. Last one unfortunately. A classic really.
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4/9/2017 - Neecies Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Bing cherry fruit with strawberry jam, strong charcoal, and that distinct McClaren Vale sour cream note which I detest throughout. (Would have been fine to someone with no aversion to charcoal and sour cream.)
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1/22/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 91 Points
Amazingly young-tasting 15-year-old cheap wine, quite drinkable.
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12/26/2016 - mats13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a great place right now.
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12/24/2016 - Rogerk Likes this wine: 87 Points
Cork disintegration
Tyres and creosote
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12/8/2016 - Ary wrote: 90 Points
Great Aussie Shiraz, still holding strong. Raspberry-liquor and well delineated fruits in the nose. Medium bodied palate and length. Elegant and smooth, just a little drying at the end. Drink now or within the coming years.
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10/2/2016 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great example of mature Oz shiraz - fully developed, spicy tannin, hint of earth, still some red fruit and some refreshing acidity on the finish.
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1/21/2016 - IndyTom Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was pleasantly surprised by this Laughing Magpie. I was expecting it to be too old, but found that it still had nice bright fruit, good acidity, and mellow tannnins. The nose was a bit light, but in the mouth it was big and round with still quite a bit of power. I liked it.
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1/30/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
BIG BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE WITH DRIED PLUMS, CHOCOLATE, AND HINTS OF FLORAL. BLACKBERRIES, LICORICE, AND BLACK CHERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. LONG FINISH.
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11/3/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 86 Points
dark red, in color. black pepper, dark fruit, smoked meat, tea, on the nose. blackberry, black pepper, smoky, on the palate. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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7/14/2014 - Ary wrote: 88 Points
Blackcurrant, cherries and other dark fruits, some iron and cedar. Nice rounded fruits on the palate and medium long lingering on. Even the third day still doing well with our spicy meal.
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4/24/2014 - Redwineobsessed Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank from an awesome friends cellar. I have not had good d'Arenberg experiences. I expected more from the wines. This one delivered. Great nose. Decant this bad boy for a couple hours. Medium finish,does not improve too much after time. A great drop to open with an Amery companion. Drink now cos it aint got much left to offer.
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4/24/2014 - red.red.vino wrote: 91 Points
Opened for an hour and a half prior to tasting. No signs of brown in the colour. Great fragrance, strong, slight floral, damp, ash. A bit jammy in the mouth, good coating. Medium finish but probably masked by the jamminess and opinion skewed by the great nose.
Look I am not a D'Arenberg ra-ra boy, not usually a fan, but I like this wine and this is my last of six of these.
Drink now, it will keep for a year or so but will not get any better, dont risk it, just drink.
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2/12/2014 - Cigar nuke wrote: 89 Points
Still plenty of fruit. Blackcurrents +++. Smells like Ribena.
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2/12/2014 - grossie wrote: 88 Points
Nice aromatics, I think that's the viognier. Overall though I find this a little on the heavy side, mostly a reflection of my falling out of love with big Aussie fruit bombs. I get the sense it's as mellow as it's going to get. It hasn't lost anything and it's not falling apart as had been forecast by many "experts", it's just too brawny, too obvious, too fruity. Fun to drink twice a year, but not much more than that...
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11/10/2013 - trufflehunter wrote: 84 Points
Fruit has faded on this a dit disappointing
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8/3/2013 - MrBennett Likes this wine: 89 Points
Full bodied, but youthful for its 11 years. Still fruit forward, and perhaps a little "hot". Went exceptionally well with a steak marinated in a combination of Thai fish sauce, Belizan hot pepper sauce and mirin! Opened up after an hour - not too complex, but interesting savoury notes to complement the fruit. Needs food to show at its best.
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8/3/2013 - Stirling Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark centre, fading at the rim. Lovely nose of boysenberry, some spice. Medium/full body, the wine is fruit forward with complex secondary notes of spice, and road tar. Slightly tart finish. At peak but could easily go another 5 years, possibly longer. Excellent value.
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7/24/2013 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Patina: Floral, rose, stewed fruits, cherry, good structure and well-aged. Very supple, tasty and tertiary.
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7/13/2013 - redz wrote: 91 Points
consistent notes with below.
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7/5/2013 - skinut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surpisingly good shape given the drinking window. Great nose, definite floral whiff from viogner. Very smooth, fully resolved tannins. Even at 14.5% alcohol, it doesn't dominate. Finish lingers pleasantly but not impressively.
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4/22/2013 - mychurch wrote: 91 Points
Better than the previous bottle with some complexity emerging on the palate. Still pretty primary on the nose though with blackcurrants and a floral touch. Nice. One of the best d´Arenberg wines I have drunk.
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4/17/2013 - redz wrote: 91 Points
deep purple, full of sediment , slightest bronze. a litle acidic, berries, long finish.
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4/8/2013 - cephomer wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby color, nose of earth, blackberries and some tobacco. On the palate, still good fruit, mostly plums and blackberries, good acidity, some tannins, and forest floor. A lot of sediment throughout the pour. Decant next time. Not the most complex wine, but not expected to be. The wine is still in fine form after all these years.
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3/27/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showing no signs of fading, this wine benefits from the lift of the Viognier, otherwise jammyness would be a problem. Heavy nose of blackberry and earth tones (no heat), once tasted I got blackberry, plum, cigar box, and tobacco. This had a ton of sediment at the bottom, a testament to the extraction level. I don't go looking for subtlety when I open Australian Shiraz, so no points off for lacking it.
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3/24/2013 - Philippe_C wrote: 92 Points
Powerful nose of black cherries jam... very ripe and concentrated, almost sweet juice... good if you like the style
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3/22/2013 - soyhead wrote: 91 Points
savory intermixed with sweet dark berry
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2/1/2013 - folsomarndt wrote: 90 Points
Deep dark purple color, with lots of blackberry, cherry and spice. Still holding up nicely and might have rated this higher, but due to a ton of sediment, this required decanting and waiting a while before this could be enjoyed.
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12/29/2012 - wicho wrote: 90 Points
This was an interesting wine. Being that it was 10 years old, we were surprised at the amount of acidity that was left and also at the amount of fruit. It was full bodied and rather long on the palate.
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12/13/2012 - JRo wrote: 90 Points
Delicious! Still drinking extremely well - wish I had another case...
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12/8/2012 - GSW wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking well though on the downslope.
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7/31/2012 - Husks wrote: 88 Points
Not a massive bouquet but a subtle oak smell permitted the glass along with a faint aroma of overripe plums. Dry, with lots of fine tannins, the taste doesn't linger long on the palate but is a pleasant fruity drop. The balance is good, the Shiraz doesn't dominate like it easily could, and though it tastes good now I think it could be cellared for another few years.
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6/24/2012 - Russtigo wrote: 93 Points
Just delicious
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5/19/2012 - kenv wrote: flawed
Cooked or over the hill. Dried out with high alcohol.
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4/25/2012 - bon vivant wrote:
Time has been good for the evolution of this wine. Gave this 1 hr decant although it smelled good right out of the bottle. Dark red fruit aromas with spice and nuances you will generally associate with old world Syrah. This is now well into secondary aromas and flavors that contrast with the fruit sweetness this exhibited upon release. Now with notes of plum, Coco hints of earth/Forrest floor and a nice smooth texture. The finish is medium with a slight steak of mineral and a nice broad chewy lingering taste. Would go great with a nice hunk of beef on the grill. I was pleased that i stashed some of this until now as it is in a great place in it's evolution. Time to drink.
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1/19/2012 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Delicious and drinking beautifully. Good balance and structure, not over the top.
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10/7/2011 - Livo wrote:
Past its best
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9/20/2011 - Veloman wrote:
SI found this forgotten bottle when we moved. Tasted now, six years after the first bottle of this wine, provides intersting contrast. Definitely still big, fleshy and dominated by dark fruit, it's noticably more subdued, less flashy. While I tend more towards old world syrah and drink very little Oz shiraz, I found myself prefering the young version of this wine. What little it gained over time (integration, mellower finish) pales in comparison to the loss of verve and explosive aromatics of the younger bottle. Liked 'em both, to my surprise strongly favored the bottle 6 yrs ago.
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7/4/2011 - jayw wrote: 91 Points
Concentrated blackberry with pomegranite juice and vanilla, pepper spice, eucalyptus, coffee mocha, toasted almond; licorice finish. Good balance; good structure. Creamy thick texture, integrated tanins, not too hot. Delicious.
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5/21/2011 - RPerro wrote: 85 Points
Decanted 30 min. Beautiful aromas of berries and plums, with some oak showing up as well. On the palate, this is just way, WAY too sweet. Tastes almost like a dessert wine or port. Over-the-top ripeness, getting rather pruney. Some cocoa on the finish, but the overly-ripe, sweet fruit makes this hard to enjoy without food.
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5/12/2011 - adippa Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine looks Purple colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Blackberry, Red Currant, and Black currant (cassis).
It tastes like Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis).
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Juicy.
The wine finishes Medium.
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4/2/2011 - empire80 wrote: 89 Points
Full flavoured, earthy tannins, drank on its own but probably needed a steak to bring out its best?
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3/12/2011 - aczarnowski wrote: 90 Points
Blueberry compote and sweet tobacco nose. Tannins fully integrated.
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2/19/2011 - Mivvy wrote: 85 Points
This bottle needed time in the glass. Good colour and bouquet - big, ballsy Mclaren Vale stuff. Lots of dark fruit on the palate but the finish was a tad harsh and a little bitter. Still plenty of vanilla going on but not sure if this one is starting to go over the edge. Still good but not as good as previous bottles.
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1/25/2011 - Avid Wino wrote: 88 Points
Quality ripe juicy fruit, but struggled to hold my interest after I'd finished my steak. Blueberry and some vanilla on nose. Blackcurrant, blueberry, touches of vanilla and dark chocolate in the mouth. Acid prominent, not much tannin, good level of alcohol. Fairly short finish.
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12/21/2010 - GSW wrote:
From 375, and popped & poured. This remains a fun wine and an excellent QPR. Perfect with grilled meat.
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12/14/2010 - Winevestor wrote: 89 Points
Blueberry on the nose, rather muted for an Aussi wine on the palate. Still holding up well which was a surprise - I'd had this a couple of years ago and it seemed to be fading. Integrated fruit, and enough acidity to hold its end up. Pleasant wine, but nothing special - little complexity, but good balance.
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12/10/2010 - Mivvy wrote: 88 Points
Very dark. More vanilla than I can remember from prior bottles. Very dense, dark fruit with fine tannins.
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11/7/2010 - Topper wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly pleasant. Nice aromatics and bright flavors with nothing out of place. Even paired nicely with a beef stew which it stood up to but didn't dominate.
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10/24/2010 - grossie wrote: 90 Points
Similar experience to last bottle. Maybe worth a point more, but it will never be a wine of great refinement as far as I can tell.
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10/9/2010 - sjw_11 wrote: 94 Points
Magenta, hints of brown. On the nose there is lashings of stewed plum with a hint of violets and perfume lingering from the Viognier (co-fermented). With eight years the sweet fruit has loosened into a supple smooth-tannined elegance. Soft, still juicy, divine. Top wine. Now to 2-3 yrs.
ED: Posting this in 2020 it is amazing to see such positive recent comments- my window was surely conservative!
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6/13/2010 - ShannonGroomes wrote: 92 Points
dark rich fruits, long finish,
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6/11/2010 - reichken wrote: 89 Points
Big bold bbq wine. still all forward fruit with a touch of vanilla (is it the wood or the viognier?) its a fun bottle but a bit all over the place
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6/1/2010 - grossie wrote: 89 Points
Unmistakably Aussie- big, brawny, not subtle. Still in all it's round and lush with only a bit of an edge to it. I was hoping for more given the press it got that year. I guess this is a good wine, but will likely never be a blockbuster. I'm sure it's got 5 more years or more in it.
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5/22/2010 - jasonh wrote: 92 Points
Two 2002 Aussie Shiraz/Viogniers - Yalumba & d'Arenberg: Compared to the Yalumba this has a more earthy yet cleaner aroma. Less oak masking things. Bright fruit on the palate. This is actually starting to show a bit like a bordeaux. I don't think I would guess it as Aussie shiraz. Showed even better on the second day. This wine delivered and considering the price, it over delivered.
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5/13/2010 - oldgrowth45 wrote: 90 Points
Very dark maroon. Slow, thick legs. The nose is very musky (think muskmelon w/ b.o.), with a little graphite, mint and incense in the background. The musk carries through to the palate in an agreable way.The fruit is on the darker side: lots of mocha/dark chocolate, a little earth in the background. The tannins are lush and well-balanced with the fruit. The finish is strong and clean, with nice lingering undertones. Very enjoyable with food (grilled chicken with melted goat cheese in my case), or as a stand-alone bottle (which is how I'm drinking now, on the second night). A nice bottle, and would buy more from this winemaker.
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4/13/2010 - batphone wrote: 89 Points
Reyn brought this wine
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4/3/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Big hit with the inlaws and the wife. Much in the Aussie style.
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3/23/2010 - vanpe003 wrote:
No detailed notes, but I found this to be fairly average. 86-88 pts.
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2/17/2010 - Ryan D wrote:
Still holding up quite well. Full nose that doesn't take much time to open up. Full-bodied and smooth in the mouth with only a few light tannins at the end. Reasonably acidic, making this a good food wine for something robust.
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1/14/2010 - kenthargis wrote: 87 Points
Pretty good with earthy flavors and slight hint of the viognier on the nose. Wouldn't necessarily get again, but enjoyable.
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12/29/2009 - Mivvy wrote: 89 Points
Similar to previous notes.
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11/22/2009 - Ryan D wrote:
A bit too fruit forward and "Australian" for my tastes.
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11/2/2009 - mychurch wrote: 91 Points
Still starts off as a bit of a fruit bomb, but a few minutes in the decanter changes it. Initially its like drinking blackcurrent wine gums, with a big depth of flavour, but a bit 1 dimensional. In the decanter it puts on weight though and the wine becomes slightly silky and a bit more rounded. Impressive stuff but I think this is still a couple of years from its peak.
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11/1/2009 - rdfech01 wrote: 88 Points
A blend aimed to please. Has nice aromatics with the viognier tempering the shiraz. Dark blueberry fruit. Good intensity. Shomewhat short finish.
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10/31/2009 - calgarywino wrote: 85 Points
Not a good example. Really tart on the finish. No fruit left at all and really not an enjoyable bottle.
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9/26/2009 - mlawren1 wrote: 88 Points
First few glasses starting to show the age, bit of stewed fruit. After about half hour though it really opens up again to a nice fruity wine.
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9/20/2009 - Poorob wrote: 93 Points
delicious - the blend really brings out the best in the shiraz, wish i had more.
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9/16/2009 - Mivvy wrote: 89 Points
Getting a bit more complex as it ages. Like the savoury theme and nice long finish.
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8/8/2009 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Delicious wine and very similar to when i tasted this three years ago. Ripe mulberry, blue berry and blackberry fruit on the nose - hints of herbs and licourice, thick and rich on the palate but with with really nice balance of soft tannins and juicy acidity - no jamminess. Long ripe length of flavour on the finish. Some notes of chocolate and cherry on the finish. Overall an excellent wine and way, way better than the 2000 Brothers in Arms from last night.
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7/4/2009 - ogres3 wrote:
July 2009 at the in laws. A fan favorite
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7/3/2009 - reichken wrote: 87 Points
deep dark color
tastes like blueberry juice
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6/24/2009 - reichken wrote: 86 Points
first off the case. dark color, spicy nose, smell of vanilla on the fruit. heavy wine, a bit syrupy, hasnt realy come together. oh well maybe next one better or this will get better as it opens
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6/17/2009 - trufflehunter wrote: 90 Points
Full on bouquet, lots of herbs, savoury, leather, spice, red fruits. Lots of flavours happening here. Really enjoyed this wine and I think it will be good for a good few years yet. 90pts
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6/16/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 90 Points
Rich nose, with cherry medicine, leather, coffee and strawberry jam. On the palate, massive and with a hint of sweetness but not overly jammy. Nice layers of complexity, and seems to be at its peak for age. As noted in other reviews, this wine has some sediment and needs a little air to open up, so bust out the decanter.
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5/30/2009 - Mivvy wrote: 88 Points
By appearance is starting to show some age. Some sweetness initially then taken over with more savoury characters and still with a balanced tannic finish. Don't think that this will improve much more.
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5/29/2009 - jasonh wrote: 89 Points
This is shedding its youthful freshness. Not a bad thing but this seems to be at an in between stage at the moment. Aromas of tobacco, earth and leather. The acid it s slightly sour. The fruit is very ripe but moving to the back. In someways this was Bordeaux like. Very nice and should continue to progress.
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4/28/2009 - Gringo wrote: 89 Points
To the nose: an enticing plummy leather. The eye sees a medium garnet. The tongue finds a nice blend of raspberry, tart wooded fruit, earth and green pepper with a spicy undertone and medium tannins. A medium finnish completes this pleasant quaff. The wine makes a nice pairing with grilled and well season poultry. The wine is not quite at its peak.
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2/6/2009 - BonnieM wrote:
Yummy wine, drinking at peak. Round, dark fruit with some vanilla tones. The group consensus was a hearty thumbs up and we should look for other vintages.
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2/5/2009 - grossie wrote: 89 Points
Nice nose, but not that exciting on the palate. Still a little tight, but I wonder if it'll improve.
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1/18/2009 - mlawren1 wrote: 88 Points
Mouthful of blackberries and blue berries with a strong vanilla undertone. Nice wine but things just aren't in balance enough to be a great wine.
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1/8/2009 - mattwoolley wrote: 86 Points
at it's peak - past experience suggests drink up now. Deep red-purple. Lots on the nose - Raspberry jam, blackberry, typical MV chcocolate hints, cedar, apricot, cloves, vaguley meaty. Palate - raspberry, dark fruits, large tannins, "thick" amost caramel finish. Moderate length.
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12/27/2008 - Vino Me wrote: 87 Points
Haggis opend this bottle on Kauai. No formal notes. 87 points.
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12/24/2008 - aczarnowski wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 40 minutes. This has come around and was better than expected. Nose of green olive, tar, and black fruits. Palate of blueberries and blackberries. Tannins not fully resolved but are soft. Little to no alcohol present. It could use more time in the bottle to possibly gain complexity.
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12/24/2008 - bobohansen wrote: 83 Points
A good Shiraz but there are better. Good in the beginning but after about an hour is declined very fast. It became even a little bitter. Good fruit at the start but it even developed a bit of a nasty smell after about an hour. I don't want any more.
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11/17/2008 - nskelsey wrote: 91 Points
Very deep red, almost inky; Clean, boisterous nose, of overt blackcurrant; this is a big wine drinking at its prime. Bags of fruit and the tannins have softened from its youth. Full-bodied, exuberant ripe black fruit flavours with a good finish. I'm unfamiliar with how Aussie wines develop, but this seems to have everything in place for the next few years. Consistent notes. Very good. Estimated maturity 2008-2014+
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11/5/2008 - monkeylug wrote: 92 Points
This wine was packed with dense blueberry, chocolate, and vanilla with flowers and ripe fruit on the nose. Finish has a bit of caramel. Not everyone's style, but for what it was, it's a great example. This will last for many years, and it would be interesting to see it evolve.
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11/3/2008 - Tejano wrote:
Dark color with a highlight of rich ruby red...brusque nose showing nuances of game and earth with a sense of ripe dark fruit underneath. Clipped entry that quickly firmed up at midpalate with edgy framework holding the fruit back after a quick pop and pour...this did open a tad over time, but maintained a rustic personality thru the finish. Not as evolved as I would have expected.
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9/6/2008 - Poorob wrote:
disappointing versus other d'arenberg shiraz's from '02, very little to suggest that it was anything but a good value shiraz. not a bad nose, not a foul taste and an okay finish. just nothing special
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8/25/2008 - MJHDC wrote:
I've had both this and the 2001 in the past month. Both were enjoyable, mature wines, and the bouquets were impressive on both -- complex, with licorice, smoke, blackberry and other dark fruits. I found them less impressive on the palate -- the finish seemed a bit tart and clipped to me -- perhaps just unexpected.
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7/28/2008 - Mivvy wrote: 87 Points
Still dark ruby. Coffee and vanilla on the nose. Palate full - vanilla, blackberries with firm tannins - in balance.
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6/29/2008 - twatterson wrote: 89 Points
Deep purple/inky with ruby edges. Blackberries, cherries , vanilla and oak with a bit of blueberry on the nose. very bold and still quite tannic. the oak is a bit harsh on the palate, but is accented by equally strong cherries blackberries. The wine also has notes of vanilla cream and espresso coming out. The Finish has some lingering fruit, but it is overpowered by dusty characteristics and heat
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3/28/2008 - aroby wrote: 89 Points
Better than the previous bottle. Good balance, alcohol not as obvious. Decent fruit with some menthol / eucalyptus. Pleasant, but not great.
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3/25/2008 - nskelsey wrote: 91 Points
Very deep red, almost inky; Clean, boisterous nose, of ripe plum, vanilla, eucalyptus, mocha and oak; this is a big, full-throttle wine still very much in its youth, but drinking well. Bags of fruit and the tannins are still evident, but beginning to soften. Full-bodied, exuberant ripe black fruit flavours with a good finish. Also something faintly medicinal about it. Doesn't have too much class - more the Can-Can than a Pas de Deux. You can tell I'm Old World rather than New! This has a long life ahead of it. Estimated maturity 2008-2020+
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3/13/2008 - budman wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. At this stage of its evolution, there's not a lot of influence from the viognier.
The shiraz, however, is very good. Still some tannin, and a lot of dark fruit.
This is a GREAT QPR wine!!!
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3/11/2008 - Spencer wrote: 89 Points
The best bottle of this I'v had so far. Definitely more balanced, with better integrated oak than previous examples. Not much complexity, but a solid, enojoyable wine. Should continue to drink well for a couple more years.
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3/4/2008 - tbone wrote:
Day 1
Full bodied and minty to me. Hasn't changed a bit from the first bottle 4 years ago. A bit disjointed now with too much upfront spice (mint, eucalyptus) to enjoy now. Will let last bottles rest a while longer. I don't think it is in danger of going south.
Day 2
Just what this wine needs...... open and keep on counter for 24 hours! This wine has lost most of the mint characteristic and is fully balanced tonight. Dark fruits, semi sweet tannins with a long earthy follow thru. Very smooth and enjoyable tonight. Glad I didn't dump this one, as I did think about it.
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3/2/2008 - mimik wrote: 92 Points
Like others have previously stated, this wine has reached its peak and is drinking well now. Smooth integration with lots of cassis and blackberry notes and racy acidity. Medium finish.
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2/16/2008 - Haggis wrote: 91 Points
I agree completely with the notes by Moorese (1/4/2008). Couldn't say it better myself. This is peaking now and could cellar for another 3-5 yrs. Excellent and always enjoyable.
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1/28/2008 - GSW wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with earlier notes. Still a fun wine and no sign of tiring. Fragrant, fruit-driven, hedonistic.
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1/9/2008 - djs wrote: flawed
Totaly overwhelmed with brett
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1/4/2008 - Moorese wrote: 88 Points
Inky, oily, and black with notes of licorice, stewed blackberries, and some earthy funk, this wine has much to recommend and some to criticize. The fruit is ripe but not too sweet, with dense blackberries, pepper, game, and mentholated tobacco. There is grip and definition. There is also a bit of heat and a medicinal quality on the finish. The viognier may be giving this bottle some lift, but it doesn't seem to be adding much aromatically. The finish is clean but modest. I'd be interested to try this bottle with more time, but frankly I enjoyed it more in its more youthful stage.
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12/10/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 89 Points
Jammy dark fruits, apricot pit, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. The nicely weighted palate adds a little earthiness. The finish is still a little tart and tannic. Shows a gamy edge after a hour or so. This wine is pleasant enough but has gone sideways since release.
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11/22/2007 - Evil Homer wrote: 90 Points
Dark, thick, ruby red in the glass. Very gamey, earthy on the nose. Nice bouquet. Fruity, nice tannins witha long finish. Very enjoyable.
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11/11/2007 - aroby wrote: 89 Points
Hadn't had this wine for 2+ years. Not as interesting, not as fruity as previously. Alcohol predominates, fruit is fading.
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10/13/2007 - awkiii wrote: 90 Points
Great asw usual. Julie said it was oaky at first but tasted great after breathing
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10/6/2007 - ajr wrote: 87 Points
this time seemed to have too much oak on the palate. otherwise fine.
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10/3/2007 - mjpaustin wrote:
Big, black, jammy Aussie wine. Pleasant, but that is all. A bit overpowering with lamb.
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9/10/2007 - rkwine wrote: 91 Points
We love this wine. Jammy and smooth, wonderful finish.
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9/9/2007 - GSW wrote: 92 Points
Still a pleasure.
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8/27/2007 - tcfishler wrote: flawed
Corked
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8/26/2007 - tonsta wrote: 88 Points
Drank with Ez and Daz. I found this wine a bit boring. There was nothing really intriguing to keep me wanting more. Pleasant but not to my taste. It also felt a little old for an '02 which was surprising given the community's drinking window - may have closed down?
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8/22/2007 - GSW wrote: 92 Points
This remains a truly fun wine to drink. All the expected shiraz notes with just a touch of softness. Dark purple, plenty of fruit and smooth. I would expect this vintage to drink well over the next 5+ years.
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8/14/2007 - dinwiddie wrote: 90 Points
Opened one last night with a leg of lamb for dinner. It had been a couple of years and the time in the bottle has not harmed this wine in any way, in fact it was even better than I had remembered it. Lots of fruit still, blackberry and blueberry with a strong spicy component. Not at all tannic or hot. Very enjoyable.
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8/7/2007 - caboychuck wrote:
Dark red core with lighter rim. Nose is very nice with red berries, cherry, floral, baking spice and a little dark fruit showing up later. Palate is nice with red fruit, spice. It has big flavor, must have lost its big fruit with time. A little heat on finish and a little meatiness. Nice, but definately going downhill from here.
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7/28/2007 - Spencer wrote: 88 Points
Nice fruit and concentration, but a bit heavy on the oak for my taste. There is clearly some good material here, and if the oak somehow manages to integrate, this will be a very good wine down the road.
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7/5/2007 - Deb293 wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby with black fruits, creme de cassis, and oak on the nose. Very forward black currant fruit on the palate with a hint of acidity and clove. Oaky tannins may need a bit more time to integrate. This a full-throttle fruit bomb, finishing a tad shorter than one would expect given the upfront flavors. Silky mouthfeel and fun to drink. Popped and poured, so some aeration may smooth out some of the edges. Plenty of life yet. Should be a great match with the ribs and plum sauce planned for tomorrow.
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6/17/2007 - mlawren1 wrote:
Nice plums and cherries with a hint of spice on the finish. Great now but could probably still go another few years
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6/9/2007 - d'Artagnan wrote: 88 Points
Nez de fruit noir avec eucalyptus et de….l’asphalte, ce que je trouve souvent chez les shiraz australiens. Attaque franche, fruit très mûr, riche et concentré, le creux en milieu de bouche et la finale un peu fluide révèlent toutefois les limites du cru. L’ensemble est d’une fraicheur correcte, mais un peu "trop", toute cette richesse tombe un peu sur le cœur à la longue. La note de Parker laisse songeur mais il faut s’y faire, l’Australie le rend un peu gaga!
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5/5/2007 - mlawren1 wrote:
Great fruit flavors, smooth flavor. Drank well the second night as well.
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4/21/2007 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
At Brisbane: Perfectly ready, a beautiful colour (palid but with golden edges) for a cherry candy; Very silky, black licorice with smoked at finishing.
Ribetes dorados, "kojak" de cereza, regaliz negro, muy sedoso con ahumados al final.
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3/3/2007 - cvvhrn wrote: 85 Points
Nice dark red color. Hints of sumac and sour plums on the nose with sour fruit and cassis on the palate and a nice finish.
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1/9/2007 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
It exhibits the natural characteristics of a cool climate shiraz. Eucalyptus, mentol and spicy aromas fill the glass. Dark purple color, intense and concentrated. Medium to full body with a unit taste, reminiscent of a cote rotie. Very enjoyable. Drink now-2012.
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12/27/2006 - vintage61 wrote: 93 Points
Seems to get better every time I open one. maybe I just don't remember how good they really are. I would say it is at peak and should hold for 5 more years.
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11/2/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 90 Points
A nicely integrated nose of black fruits, anise, toffee, wood smoke and apricot. Smooth and medium weight. A bright cherry note joins the darker fruits on the smoky palate. Pleasing balanced finish. Seems ready now and over the next 2-3 years. Better than the overripe, shrill '01.
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10/22/2006 - deanda wrote: 90 Points
very tart and acidic upon opening. Did not decant --> a mistake. Formed up int ehglass adn bottle. Frutiy and full.
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8/12/2006 - Spencer wrote: 87 Points
This bottle tasted simpler and more evolved than the last bottle I opened. Enjoyable, but nothing special. I'll open another sometime soon to see if this was a representative bottle.
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6/27/2006 - sailcappy wrote: 85 Points
Must have had a bad bottle
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6/18/2006 - Seanr7 wrote: 93 Points
Stood up for 24 hours and decanted for sediment. As with the '03 this is a tannic wine that needs air. After one and a half hours of air this wine was signing. Great nose of Blackberry, flowers and cherry. This wine coats the mouth with a finish that goes on for ever. I think this wine will go for another 5+ years and actually get better with more bottle time.
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6/3/2006 - deanda wrote: 92 Points
Very fruit forward wine. Did not decant, but would have been helpful. Strong acdity that dissapated as the wine openjed a bit ov er time (drank over 1 1/2 - 2 hours). Long finish with berries and spice.
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5/22/2006 - grossie wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted, but opened on a night I know I won't finish it. Dark red/purple color. Slightly charred nose with wonderful deep shiraz blueberries and a terrific floral quality. Very full-bodied with tongue-gripping tannin, but so much fruit behind it that the ripe shiraz dark fruit with its minty side shows through. Long finish. I detect a relatively low acidity, giving this a fat sensation in the mouth. Overall a beautiful wine, worthy of a low-90s score now, with significant potential for improvement when it loses it's baby fat and sheds some tannin.
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5/21/2006 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Very dark plum in colour with a tinge of garnet on the rim, deep ripe intense blackberry and blueberry on the nose, tinge of mint, herbs and wood on the nose, deep and full bodied, not jammy but ripe, with a sweet blackberry midpalate and a dry mildly tannic blueberry, currant finish. There is decent, acidity here. It is rich but definitely not jammy or over the top. This should be very good with another 4-5 years to add another layer of complexity, and should last well beyond that.
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5/5/2006 - Tejano wrote: 91 Points
Dark and rich looking with a firm nose of dark ripe fruit, spice, pepper, and maybe just a little smoke. This is a gripper, that for it's strength is very well balanced and not shy on the attack and finish...good spice and a bite of pepper to keep the fruit from being dominate.
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4/2/2006 - Old_Winyards wrote: 92 Points
A big beautiful nose full of blueberries and floral aromas. Wow, aromatically this one is firing on all cylinders. On the palate it's a blockbuster as well... with vibrant blueberry fruit flavors, a bit of mint, and that classic smoothe Aussie shiraz attack, structured with a bit of notable oak framing. Interestingly, I couldn't detect the impact of the Viognier... perhaps a bit of acidity not normally present?... In any case, this is not a shy wine.
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2/5/2006 - bknysak wrote: 93 Points
A complex, beautiful wine, with a nose of blackberry & black raspberry jam, grilled beef, iron, and black pepper. Flavors are supported by sweet, but somewhat noticable tannin, with some beef blood, carob, and peaches (wow, I love syrah-viognier blends!)
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1/8/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 90 Points
Started very jammy but quickly revealed its structure. Aromas of dark fruit, figs, iron and creosote. Excellent volume in the mouth with good but simple fruit. Surprisingly structured on the finish with strong acid and some remaining tannin. Will last a couple more years but I do not think that it will ever have a great deal of complexity.
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12/31/2005 - GlenD wrote: 92 Points
The group favorite of four bottles poured tonight. Nice intense purple and blue fruit, some pepper on the finish and sweet tannin. I would guess optimal drinking is now and over the next year or two.
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11/13/2005 - Roughl wrote: 91 Points
Delicious !
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11/4/2005 - Mark wrote: 91 Points
Tasting not from memroy. Consistent with my last tasting. The blueberry nose that I found so abundant a year ago has seemed to have recede somewhat, still wonderful fruit that get a great lift from the Viognier component.
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9/24/2005 - ragtop1967 wrote: 91 Points
Really wish I had more than 1 bottle left. Incredibly fruity in a very balanced way.
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8/12/2005 - John wrote: 90 Points
drinking better than ever
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6/20/2005 - Veloman wrote:
Dark purple-red, almost black, and wow, what an expressive, explosive nose--blueberries, flowers, almost a mintiness jump out of the glass, and then a sweet, smooth entry with a mid-palate loaded with more vibrant dark fruits and a persistent floral element. This got right up to the border of cloying without crossing over, as there is enough of a tannic and acid backbone to give this structure and interest. Long, sustained finish with hints of plum, more of that minty/floral note, and ripe tannins. I've no clue what to expect as this ages, but was impossible to resist the flashy (but balanced) show this bottle put on.
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6/2/2005 - tonyvelebil wrote: 92 Points
Opened this to have a glass with lunch and then head out for a 2 hour bike ride through the hills, followed by 2 hours racing around the Rose Bowl. Okay, I had two glasses, but who's counting.
Nose of cassis, ripe purple fruits (is that possible) or is it blackberries/blueberries with an interesting floral component. I think violet. Initial drink hard tar and coffee which has softened in the last hour to drying tannins, blackerries, tar, coffee, and a violets. Very nice but I think this needs decanting to show its best. Should decant 2 hours or so. A very nice $20 wine. I'll have to post on the rest tonight or tomorrow. Gearing up for Tony Velebil Freedom Fest Sat Night.
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5/25/2005 - 1800kidney wrote: flawed
Shiraz-Viognier Designation vs Cote Rotie (The Club Birmingham): Looked forward to including this in the Shiraz-Viognier flight, but it was awful! Hugely unpleasant green volatile aromatics up front, poured it out. Previous reviews were enthusiastic, this must have been a bad bottle...will not rate
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5/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Really nice and lovely. Surprisingly interesting. 5/05
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5/1/2005 - ajr wrote: 92 Points
deep,purple color. nose of black fruit and some pepper. on the palate soft tannins,more black fruit. nice finish. this is a great syrah. lot of life left here.
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4/22/2005 - Wusman wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby in color, no evidence of aging. Nose of plum and dark fruits with some pepper. Thick mouthfeel. Out of the bottle I found it a little grapey on the palate, but this quickly resolved with airtime. Some oak present, but not overwhelming. Mostly earthy blackberry flavors predominate. Moderate tannins present, but not too drying. Quite nice. Continued to consume this over 3 nights in total and it held up very well over time. Drinking well now, but no need to drink now as it should last a while.
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4/19/2005 - poohboo wrote: 86 Points
Disjointed and unbalanced. Disappointing.
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3/30/2005 - GlenD wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Dark fruits, good intensity, and a little tanninc bite on the finish. Tannins are still resolving.
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3/11/2005 - basis wrote: 91 Points
Black/purple to the rim. Huge nose of blueberry. On the palate, blueberry and mocha, with rounded, full mouthfeel. The tannins are young and not totally integrated, but this is going to be lovely. Room for another 3 pts in the future.
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3/10/2005 - prafferty wrote: 94 Points
An earlier vintage of this wine was my "red wine epiphany" so I've admittedly got a soft spot. The nose, as always is terrific, blackberries, pepper, flowers, no overt citrus notes like I've had previously. Terrificly balanced wine, lots of fruit, smoke, curry spices, and a hint of lemon from the Viognier. It's a little more tannic in the mouth and not nearly as jammy as when it was younger, maybe 1/3 of the way though shedding its baby fat. I can't wait to see where this wine ends up...could easily get 95 from me in a couple more years if everything contiunes to evolve...as it is, probably 93...but too stingy.
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3/7/2005 - SteveT wrote: 90 Points
This bottle a little less exuberant than some in the past. Initially reticent nose, opened up with Black fruit and flowers (violets?) after about 1/2 hour. On palate not as full bodied as I recall; This bottle is closer to the 2003 in character. Still a great value.
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2/12/2005 - rlysecky wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic nose of blueberries, dark fruit, and spice with nuances of black pepper, smoke, and eucalyptus. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry with a hint of pepper.
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12/13/2004 - prafferty wrote:
This showed very well, better than any of the West Coast bottles I'd had before. Consumed after dinner at 160Blue for Paul's birthday. Served a little too cold but it had that great Magpie nose.
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12/12/2004 - SadEdjo wrote:
dark purple. floral plum spice with long clean unctuous finish.
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12/3/2004 - lorenzo wrote: 80 Points
<BradS and Shannon>
On the nose - Blackberries, blueberries, some floral notes and vanilla.
After the nose, this was a let down.
Sure there was some of the proverbial Aussie fruit but i thought it was overshadowed by green tannins, acidity, bug spray and wood. I thought this wine was a little disjointed and out of balance and outclassed by the Novy SLH. It did improve (and tack on a few points) with a few hours of air. I hope (given I have 3 in the cellar) that these will either improve with age OR this was an off bottle.
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11/26/2004 - Mark wrote: 91 Points
Clearly, luscious blueberries are evident, stems and all, just oozing from the nose. Even after a few hours, the nose. In the mouth, a hint of citrus orange. Finish is medium in length finishing with not so subtle tannins and doesn’t really linger after that. Overall, a vice good wine.
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11/22/2004 - 97mjr wrote:
[Metro Cafe] Blueberry on the nose and overwhelming on the palate accompanied by apricot and tannins on teh finish. Shiraz/Viogner blends are typically not my thing but a very nice wine nevertheless.
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11/21/2004 - Old_Winyards wrote: 92 Points
The Magpie kicked off with a bold fruity nose and flavors of tangy blueberry. It followed with more round, warm fruit and black pepper notes. The finish was moderately long and lush.
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10/14/2004 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
Cracked a bottle of this wine with friends over a dinner of grilled Mallard ducks.
Delicious!!! This wine has an incredible nose. The palate offers good complexity and a wounderful fruit flavors with a good long finish. Better than the last time I had this wine. A real winner and pretty good QPR. For those of you lucky enough to own a few. Drink up!!!!
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8/31/2004 - TomH wrote: 94 Points
This wine has pulled itself together now and is drinking freakingly wonderful! Blood orange and apricot notes poke through all the gloriously ripe blackberry & pepper nuances of the Shiraz. Awesome, head turning wine.
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7/23/2004 - Eric wrote:
Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering. I grabbed a bottle off the shelf and bagged it to see if I could fool the folks at the local wineshop. Wow, what a nose! This has a lot more Viognier lift than I noticed in the bottle I opened the other day. This is decidedly Aussie yet very vibrant and pretty, must more elegant and focused than many Australian examples. Delicious!
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7/20/2004 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
This wine has a very intense nose of roasted plum with obvious notes of eucalyptus and some tar. On the palate this is dark and brooding, showing some iodine on the front palate and then exploding with a mouthful of blue and black fruits, finishing with a huge kick of tannins. As approachable as the wine is, it also has a huge amount of structure.
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5/26/2004 - flashvictor wrote: 91 Points
Blueberry, blueberry, blueberry. The nose is all blueberry. The plush midbody continues with spice added to the blueberry. The wine finishes with pleasant almost sweet tannins. A very nice wine.
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5/15/2004 - graemeg wrote:
It certainly has an exotic lifted spicy nose, the licourice/tarry notes being outshone by the wild perfume present in the aromas. The tannins are fine, and persistent, but the acid is indeed quite low. I can see why some love the wine and some hate it. It seems to carry the 14.5% quite well, at least initially, but subsequent glasses do pall a little. Still, it's not bad, although any more than $25 and it's really pushing the value-for-money envelope. Enjoyable, yes - a great BBQ wine, but not a long term ager, that's for sure.
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5/10/2004 - eldoctore wrote:
Not my style. Unbalanced stewed plums, sweet, with little structure. To try again. (59 views)
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5/4/2004 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($38) Dense, totally opaque appearance. WOW! Nose of honey and apricots overlaying black berry fruit with a small nuance of toasty French oak. Yum! Delicious, rich black fruits in a frame that offers moderate acidity to keep the wine humming. Finishes with more Viognier aromas in the finish. I love this stuff.
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4/10/2004 - ChimpanA wrote: flawed
Corked.
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3/20/2004 - futronic wrote: 89 Points
Inky black colour with tinges of dark garnet. Stains the glass. Aromas of vanilla, cassis, black cherry cough syrup, black licorice, rosemary, and peach. Full-bodied; plenty of tannins - almost mouth-searing. Figs, black licorice, sage, and alcohol on the palate. Long finish, ~ 45s, with black fruits, vanilla, and peaches, but very dry. This needs time; minimum 2-3 years. It's really a brute of a wine right now. 89 points with the potential to add another couple if this mellows out.
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3/2/2004 - Double-A Likes this wine: 88 Points
Aromatic, blackberry fruit nose with vanilla, cookie dough, blueberry and a perfumed, floral lift. Full, concentrated and gripping palate; good, youthful finish.
3.5/5
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1/25/2004 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
Had this wine at a charity tasting/auction. Definately the WOTN for me. Very easy drinking with very rich and opulent fruit.
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1/11/2004 - Tom_B wrote: 92 Points
Deep, dark purple/ruby red in color. This wine is think and dense. Aromas of black fruit and anise are draped in a floral and purfume nose. Full-bodied and thick on the tongue with a hit of sweetness to the oak. Wine is well balanced and a medium to long finish.
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9/3/2003 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($40) Dinner at Oishii with Mom & Dad: Pretty nose of overripe apricots and peaches. Sweetish black fruit on the palate. Full bodied, with good concentration. Nice.
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8/29/2003 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
Presented to the Vintage Wines, Ltd. tasting group, personally purchased the day prior. Bright disc. Opaque black/purple robe with dark purple rim. Clean nose, showing intense ripe plum, vanilla, crushed blackberries and toasted oak. The tannins are huge but very ripe, and the alcohol is reasonable as long as the wine is appropriately served at 65-68 degrees. The full-bodied palate carries similar ripe black fruit flavors as for the nose, leading to a medium, fairly smooth finish.
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