Deep mahogany. Super sweet jubé fruit, with blackberry jam, prune juice, some spice, cassis, dark chocolate and old leather furniture. Full-bodied, richly textured this is a strapping wine, old school with plenty of black jam fruits yet just enough acidity to stop it from becoming a thickly sweet jam. Generous, supple tannins and although showing its age, still hanging in there. Elements of menthol, liquorice and more chocalate show as the wine evolve in the glass.
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Terroir-istes International - Australia-Central Victorian Reds (Groot Constantia): (Tasted Blind) A deep black-red colour. Intense black fruit aromas accompanied by dried forest floor suggest some maturity. Restrained yet brooding, the palate exhibits a powerful menthol note along with leather, smoke, spice and raw meat, all suggesting a GSM styling. It is classy and finishes long, a powerful wine with complexity enhanced by its tertiary notes. Closes with flavours of Christmas cake and port. The only issue is whether it is drying out.
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Not decantered but consumed over 2 nights. Night 1: Deep purple colour with aromas of menthol, chocolate, spice and cedar on the nose. Not much fruit to speak of. The palate again didn't have much fruit to speak of, with some chocolate, mint and quite a bit of acid. At this point I started thinking that this wine was going down the same path as the Majella we had a few nights before. Decided to leave uncorked over night and try again the next day.
Night 2: Remarkable what a difference some air can do for wine. The wine the following evening was a completely different beast. Strong aromas of chocolate, black fruit and plum leapt out of the glass. There was still hints of menthol and cedar but you really had to search for them. The palate was more of the same. Lots of black plum/berry flavours coupled with a supporting cast of spice/pepper, chocolate and oak which melded together to form a very lovely, balanced wine. Definitely not a fruit bomb like some of the stuff coming out of the Barossa these days, but a savoury little number. Great mouthfeel and finished with a swish of fine/silky tannins. 14.9% alcohol but you wouldn't know it. It is still in primary school and could do with a few more years in the cellar before it is drinking at its peak. Very impressive wine and definitely drinking way above its price point. Just make sure you give it a day of air if you want to drink one now!
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9/28/2023 - Zabelc Likes this wine: 90 Points
21 years later, still delicious; full-bodied and prominent fruit character, plum, blackberry and licorice.
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10/25/2019 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep mahogany. Super sweet jubé fruit, with blackberry jam, prune juice, some spice, cassis, dark chocolate and old leather furniture. Full-bodied, richly textured this is a strapping wine, old school with plenty of black jam fruits yet just enough acidity to stop it from becoming a thickly sweet jam. Generous, supple tannins and although showing its age, still hanging in there. Elements of menthol, liquorice and more chocalate show as the wine evolve in the glass.
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2/1/2016 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 89 Points
Terroir-istes International - Australia-Central Victorian Reds (Groot Constantia): (Tasted Blind) A deep black-red colour. Intense black fruit aromas accompanied by dried forest floor suggest some maturity. Restrained yet brooding, the palate exhibits a powerful menthol note along with leather, smoke, spice and raw meat, all suggesting a GSM styling. It is classy and finishes long, a powerful wine with complexity enhanced by its tertiary notes. Closes with flavours of Christmas cake and port. The only issue is whether it is drying out.
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9/5/2012 - jerrylindstrom wrote: flawed
Not drinkable, corked
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12/18/2010 - DominkF wrote: 96 Points
All known black berries. Some hint of curry. Just perfect. One of the best wines ever...
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11/2/2008 - pepmi wrote: 85 Points
Thick, berry jam. Muscular and lacking in any finesse. Overdominates and quickly becomes the centerpiece of the meal.
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1/11/2007 - Pool Boy wrote: 90 Points
Plum, deep and tasty without being overly extracted. Very nice. 90 pts.
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12/24/2006 - neighborbill wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple color and intense black fruit flavors along with good mouthfeel and moderate tannin.
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1/24/2006 - sthugo wrote: 90 Points
Not decantered but consumed over 2 nights. Night 1: Deep purple colour with aromas of menthol, chocolate, spice and cedar on the nose. Not much fruit to speak of. The palate again didn't have much fruit to speak of, with some chocolate, mint and quite a bit of acid. At this point I started thinking that this wine was going down the same path as the Majella we had a few nights before. Decided to leave uncorked over night and try again the next day.
Night 2: Remarkable what a difference some air can do for wine. The wine the following evening was a completely different beast. Strong aromas of chocolate, black fruit and plum leapt out of the glass. There was still hints of menthol and cedar but you really had to search for them. The palate was more of the same. Lots of black plum/berry flavours coupled with a supporting cast of spice/pepper, chocolate and oak which melded together to form a very lovely, balanced wine. Definitely not a fruit bomb like some of the stuff coming out of the Barossa these days, but a savoury little number. Great mouthfeel and finished with a swish of fine/silky tannins. 14.9% alcohol but you wouldn't know it. It is still in primary school and could do with a few more years in the cellar before it is drinking at its peak. Very impressive wine and definitely drinking way above its price point. Just make sure you give it a day of air if you want to drink one now!
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1/22/2006 - Freerider wrote: 94 Points
delcious, good balance of peppery bite and berry flavors
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3/6/2005 - Rupert wrote: 89 Points
Opaque, black, thick, deep, fruity, sweet-oak coming through. Not overpowering - I liked it a lot.
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