PnP - didn't think it would stand up to decating, given its almost 20 YO. To be fair it did come apart a bit over the evening, but still extreamly impressive for a <£10 wine even back in 2008 when I bought it. Its by no means completely dead. While this may sound like damning with faint praise, its actually a very enjoyable wine. While any fruit has gone, its got lovely tertiary flavours, forest floor, smoked meats, with just the slightest hint of tannin left and a slight lick of acidity keeping everything in check. A nice length slightly drying finish. Yes, i'm not going to claim its not past its best, but still a surprisingly enjoyable glass! I'm sure the current release won't last this long...they just don't make e'm like they used it!
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What can I say, sometimes one needs a good glass of Shiraz for pulled pork sandwiches, and this does the trick. Oh man, there is blueberry pie here, dark and ripe fruit, sweetness, too much of it, and some tertiary notes of smoked meat, flowers and spices, notably pepper. Still warm, still tannic, but also, I have to say, a great match with pulled pork. There you go.
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Still dark red with hints of orange on the rim. Quite tertiary on the nose, dark forest fruit, with background notes of undergrowth and forest floor. On the palate, a little hollow, good tannin\acid balance with some dark\tertiary flavors. Probably past its best, but certainly not dead yet, and still quite enjoyable. Pretty sure the current release won't last this long, they don't make them like this at this price point any more.
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A little spice, some red and blue fruit. Medium to short finish. Consumed over a couple days at cellar temperature. Some softening and better integration on the second day, but also with less intensity. A bit boring, but an OK QPR.
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Dark brick. Evolution is evident on the nose, with very mature, somewhat cooked fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, eucalypt, soya sauce and coriander. Med+ bodied, tannins are soft and juicy and acidity is sufficient, but has lost its freshness since last tasted. Fairly long. Obviously going downhill.
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This is the second bottle I've tried. Was hoping for some improvement ... ANY improvement with a few years in the cellar. Alas, no joy for this sad swill that I really cannot find a single good word to say about. Hot, tart, and artificial. I'm actually reluctant to even attempt to use it to cook with.
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Nice QPR. Nose and taste had some spicy characteristics. Nice and bold shiraz. More classic than I remembered the last bottle being. Less complex than the hihger rated (and higher priced) shiraz, but well worth the price paid. There is a bit of tart, sour cherry that lingers into the finish and detracts from the experience.
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very dark deep colour. nose at the beggining slightly minty - well sometimes happnes:) but then - vanilla (limited), tart red fruits - and finally vilolets and a lot of sweet accents. taste: this is very elegant shiraz, very delicate - light-mid bodied- fresh. really velvety, tannins at the back but ripe and quite managebale, in the finish - cherries and chocolatte. Accidity is well balanced and good enough - unripe sweet cheirries so it gives this more sweetie vibe. well - this is kind of elegant thin but sweet-alcohol type of shiraz. Bewitching anyway. Drink and enjoy. really 89+
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Quite enjoyable simple pleasure. Good for fruit concentration and depth, medium to full body, plum, dark cherry, finishes with light acidity smooth tannins , spice and some heat.
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A nice Shiraz, but not of the jammy, fruit forward variety. This one was a little more subtle and understated, but given its price, a nice value for the money.
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Yup, this is Barossa Shiraz for sure. Big, heady wine (14.5% alcohol as per label), inky color, highly extracted candied fruit with marks of chocolate from oak maturation. It is almost impossible for me to drink a wine like this - way too rich, sweet and alcoholic.
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More restrained that I expected but upon drinking it, recalled why it caught my attention in the first place. Oak and tobacco. Full bodied, rich red and black fruits. Definitely feeling the heat when not with food. Smoky oak on the nose.
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Full body, cedar, dark berry, oak. Not as good as I remembered drinking previous vintage, perhaps my palate has changed. Lacking acidity with slight tannins,soft, finish was powdery and sweet.
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Spectator gave this wine a 90+ rating. In the glass this was purple with ruby hues around the edges. The nose is black cherry, pepper, and a little smoke. This is tight on the palate without much fruit initially. The red fruit comes into play mid palate, leading to a pleasant finish with cherry, rasberry, and oak. This tasted a little young to me, but I was disappointed by what I perceived as a lack of fruit. I don't think aging will help that aspect of the wine.
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Signs of cork seepage made me nervous, but the wine was fantastic nonetheless -- notes of blueberry, cassis, and a touch of cedar. Clearly, however, the wine is advanced, most likely due to the seepage. Drink remaining bottles, bought from same source, within the next 12 months.
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Dark red. Strong aromas of blueberries, violet, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and a noble animal note. Full bodied, opulent and lush with soft tannins, rich fruit and balancing acidity. Long finish. A very well made and typical Barossa Shiraz at a bargain price.
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Very dark ruby, about 95% saturated, slight fade at rim. Mild, varietally-correct nose of blackcurrant and dark berries, along with a small American oak profile. Surprised to only get a slight alcohol presence in the aroma - I expected it to scream. It shows more on the palate, though. Usual Shiraz flavor with vanilla, pepper, cherry, etc but it's all a little subdued and the tannins are confused. Low, flabby acidity, medium body. Certainly no extracted bomb and it has a nice long finish. Just seems to be missing a little oomph and it fell apart quickly. Pretty bottle, though (4+9+12+6) = 81
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Neither Jo or I liked this bottle. Gritty tannins, so so finish, fruit there but thin and not appetizing. Maybe would have been better next year, but not worth finding out.
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Makansutra event @ Spice Junction (Spice Junction): WS highly recommended this wine as a smart buy and I agree but this is for drinking now. Just released, this wine already has balanced dark red cherries with "crayons". Mild dark choc coffee on the finish.
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Deep purple and opaque. Dark and rich blackberry, but not as hot as previous bottles. I find this to be a nice example of a Barossa Shiraz. Food friendly, and not over on the dark side like a Mollydooker! Nice fruit and medium finish.
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2nd time around for me on this bottle. I really think it is a good value. Nose of cherry, vanilla, and a little bit of a custard thing going on as it opened up...also some blueberry but more faint than my previous notes. Nice mouth feel with a decent finish. Pretty one dimensional (just mainly fruit) but not too much (as I find these Aussie wines tend to have). At $12-$15 I really like this and I think it is a perfect wine to have around for non-serious wine drinking friends because they will really like it.
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Nice so far. Not as extracted/intense as some of the high alc. shiraz's coming out these day. Good balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity. A tad thin, but certainly good QPR.
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Aroma: cherry vanilla; Taste: some pepper & chocolate, full mouthfeel and pleasant silky finish; med. tannins; tastes not overly alcoholic; some complexity; highly agreeable by itself. Good value for money ($13.50 at Costco) and worth buying again.
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If you are going to drink a young Aussie Shiraz for less than $15, then it does not get much better than this. Well-structured, elegant, with good yet restrained cherry and plum fruit character, and attractive secondary aromatics of spice-box, cigar, and wet earth. It drinks well now and will improve for another 7-10 years.
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I have recorded a note previously. Without belaboring the point, this is a tremendous wine with complexity, and it's widely available at a great price. Obviously good grapes and quality winemaking.
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Very pleasant, moderate complexity. Some tannins, but not all that much, and I really don't understand the 2008-2015 drinking window recommendations. It's certainly fine now, perhaps a tiny bit on the early side. I don't see a path to 7 years later, but I am also not skilled as estimating how long a wine will last. This was better after being open for an hour. When I really think about details it's hard to justify the rating, but overall this was very nice. One of the best wines I've had at this price.
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Dark ruby color. Scents of dark fruits and dark chocolate with some earthiness. Tastes of dark fruit with a hint of blueberry and chocolate. Nice tannins. We only let it breathe for about 30 minutes, which wasn't enough. The wine may have gotten a better score had we decanted more
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Dark purple. Medium bodied, decent tanins. Casis, tobacco, leather, dark cherry and salinity on the palette. Damn good. Better in a couple yrs i think.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nnose of blueberry, plum, and cherry. Nice attack of fruit but not the overpowering New World style I expected. Mid palate had the earthy and pepper taste that I was hoping for and the finish was fairly long and smooth transitioning from fruit to chocolate to vanilla. The tannins were evident on the back of the mouth but not harsh at all. This is a fantastic value at around $12.00 and I will certainly be buying more. It paired wonderfully with the morrocan seasoned lamb dish we had.
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Very dark in color with strong aromas-full body with moderate acidity-big berry flavors emphasizing blueberry-the finish is long. This wine is tighly wound with a chewy fruit core and high acidity. Like Lennon said, "let it breath".
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It was like watching two very good defensive teams play. You respect the talant and know that you should be enjoying the game, but somehow you are left unfullfilled. You miss the explosive offense. Had I not known the wine was a Barossa Shiraz, I may have enjoyed it more. It is a good quality wine for the price and I think it will age nicely, but it is not a big, bold Australian Shiraz as you may expect. Nice balance and structure.
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Not as big as other Barossa shirazes, however very good for the price. I get a full nose which to me was primarily berries with a hint of something eles, pepper? On the palate I had spice, berries, roasted coffee and charcoal. A fair amount of complexity and layering for this price point. It had a medium finish. I might be a little early on this and would like to see how this is in 2-4 years.
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Oak, sour cherry, bit of blackberry on the nose, the pallet shows, black fruit all the way (cherries, blackberries, current), vanilla and hint of spice and mint on the finish, alcohol is the on the finish making the balance a bit off. But for a Cost Co value (12.00) not to bad.
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Soft tones for an Aussie Shiraz with good fruit- berries mostly and enough structure to create a full taste and good finish- a good everyday drinking wine that is well balanced and excellent value
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Some might think I am committing a bit of infanticide opening another bottle of this now but it is so approachable it is difficult to resist. It is also not the most expensive Shiraz in the world so it isn't such a big deal. I have enough bottles as to make opening now feasible. I really like this wine. A medium, edging toward dark, purple in color with a touch of amber on the edges it has a nice full nose of cherries, plum, earth and spice. On the palate it was full of cherry and earth with plum, chocolate, tobacco and black pepper. It came together nicely and was well balanced. Not overly complex but complex enough. A nicely intense, though not overdone, flavor intensity throughout. A smooth tannic structure is what make it so drinkable now but it should age well for 5 or so more years. I'm not sure mine will last that long. Great quality for the price. Excellent value and an excellent wine.
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Appearance: clear, ruby, medium intensity, white watery meniscus, tears fast to form and fall Nose: clean, medium+ intensity, youthful, grapy aroma, mineral, vanilla, sweet spice, plums Palate: dry, acid is medium plus, tannin is medium (ripe, smooth), body is medium plus, alcohol is medium, length is medium plus, flavor intensity is medium plus, flavors include vanilla, rhubarb, plums, spice, oak, blackberry Quality: quality is good. Very nice balance of ripe fruit, acid, and tannin with good skin contact and seems as if aged in small barriques. Length is long.
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Dark saturated color. Strong, aroma of pepper and eucalyptus. Same flavors followed by ripe plum. This wine is thick in the mouth with a rich texture and lingering finish. Light oak influence but integrated and not apparent. This is big and straight forward without subtlety. Good now but youthful and will benefit from a few years maturity. Very good at the table with rich, powerful flavors and very good overall. Inexpensive.
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A solid Shiraz with great potential. Mid-purple color. Definite chocolate notes on the nose. Cherry, pepper, and earthy elements on the palate, which is a bit tight right now. Excellent chalky finish. Good value. Perhaps a bit too early to drink; will certainly improve with both more time in the bottle and decanting. I recommend coming back to the ’05 in two more years.
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Had this wine over dinner at Aqua in Hilton Head, South Carolina. I didn't really write down my notes and thoughts on this but I wanted to quickly comment that it was incredible for the price point. So much so that I got back to our villa, went online and ordered a case. I will come back in and provide more detailed tasting notes when I open up the next bottle. I remember my mouth filled with cherries and spice along with some hints of blackberries. It was well balanced now but I am certain it is going to get better with another 4 years or so. More notes to come with the next bottle.
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Very dark and intriguing color. Fruity nose with hints of earth. Fills your mouth with oak from the first sip. Hints of cherry and tobacco are overpowered by the heavy oak and tar, which makes the experience somewhat dull. I certainly expected more complexity. Over all a pleasant Aussie Shiraz without the too common excess of pepper and alcohol. However it lacks the extra nuances that makes wine drinking the pleasure of my choice.
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Nose of dark fruit, earth and spices, mouth full of fine tannins, this needs more time. I even decanted for 3 hours. For 15$, this shows great potential.
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3/31/2024 - trepak wrote: 89 Points
PnP - didn't think it would stand up to decating, given its almost 20 YO. To be fair it did come apart a bit over the evening, but still extreamly impressive for a <£10 wine even back in 2008 when I bought it. Its by no means completely dead. While this may sound like damning with faint praise, its actually a very enjoyable wine. While any fruit has gone, its got lovely tertiary flavours, forest floor, smoked meats, with just the slightest hint of tannin left and a slight lick of acidity keeping everything in check. A nice length slightly drying finish. Yes, i'm not going to claim its not past its best, but still a surprisingly enjoyable glass! I'm sure the current release won't last this long...they just don't make e'm like they used it!
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1/5/2021 - pbaek wrote:
What can I say, sometimes one needs a good glass of Shiraz for pulled pork sandwiches, and this does the trick. Oh man, there is blueberry pie here, dark and ripe fruit, sweetness, too much of it, and some tertiary notes of smoked meat, flowers and spices, notably pepper. Still warm, still tannic, but also, I have to say, a great match with pulled pork. There you go.
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12/11/2020 - Sevenoaks Likes this wine:
Enjoyed
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7/4/2017 - chelidon Likes this wine: 86 Points
Fading a bit, and not as solid or integrated as it was a year ago. Drink 'em if you got 'em, sooner rather than later.
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4/11/2016 - trepak wrote: 88 Points
Still dark red with hints of orange on the rim. Quite tertiary on the nose, dark forest fruit, with background notes of undergrowth and forest floor. On the palate, a little hollow, good tannin\acid balance with some dark\tertiary flavors. Probably past its best, but certainly not dead yet, and still quite enjoyable. Pretty sure the current release won't last this long, they don't make them like this at this price point any more.
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11/2/2015 - arabic0804 Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Disappointing
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1/25/2013 - joet626 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good. Spice on the initial taste and a rich, smooth mid-palate and finish. Very nice!
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12/9/2012 - Grenik wrote: 87 Points
A little spice, some red and blue fruit. Medium to short finish. Consumed over a couple days at cellar temperature. Some softening and better integration on the second day, but also with less intensity. A bit boring, but an OK QPR.
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1/27/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 85 Points
Dark brick. Evolution is evident on the nose, with very mature, somewhat cooked fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, eucalypt, soya sauce and coriander. Med+ bodied, tannins are soft and juicy and acidity is sufficient, but has lost its freshness since last tasted. Fairly long. Obviously going downhill.
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10/29/2011 - Santroy wrote: 91 Points
Great! Nice fruit and nose. Glad we saved for 6 yrs.
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9/15/2011 - SINATRA wrote: 90 Points
loved the dark color - awesome nose, taste was equally good - better as it opened up - would buy more if I could locate it!
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6/10/2011 - RSColeman wrote:
Very good
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5/26/2011 - Myrtle wrote: 70 Points
This is the second bottle I've tried. Was hoping for some improvement ... ANY improvement with a few years in the cellar. Alas, no joy for this sad swill that I really cannot find a single good word to say about. Hot, tart, and artificial. I'm actually reluctant to even attempt to use it to cook with.
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4/6/2011 - Annie1 wrote: 83 Points
Nice shiraz. Nothing special.
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3/30/2011 - mikesvins wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with prior notes, the heat detracts from what otherwise would be a tasty and pleasant wine.
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2/27/2011 - sweaty wrote: 88 Points
Drinks nice right now.
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11/25/2010 - Grenik wrote: 88 Points
Nice QPR. Nose and taste had some spicy characteristics. Nice and bold shiraz. More classic than I remembered the last bottle being. Less complex than the hihger rated (and higher priced) shiraz, but well worth the price paid. There is a bit of tart, sour cherry that lingers into the finish and detracts from the experience.
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11/10/2010 - Jeffyboy wrote: 89 Points
very dark deep colour. nose at the beggining slightly minty - well sometimes happnes:) but then - vanilla (limited), tart red fruits - and finally vilolets and a lot of sweet accents. taste: this is very elegant shiraz, very delicate - light-mid bodied- fresh. really velvety, tannins at the back but ripe and quite managebale, in the finish - cherries and chocolatte. Accidity is well balanced and good enough - unripe sweet cheirries so it gives this more sweetie vibe. well - this is kind of elegant thin but sweet-alcohol type of shiraz. Bewitching anyway. Drink and enjoy. really 89+
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11/8/2010 - mikesvins wrote: 87 Points
Quite enjoyable simple pleasure. Good for fruit concentration and depth, medium to full body, plum, dark cherry, finishes with light acidity smooth tannins , spice and some heat.
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10/4/2010 - dstraub wrote: 88 Points
Seems to be getting softer and more expressive with age. It went great with our pizza and is a good value.
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6/25/2010 - jelam wrote: 89 Points
very nice and well rounded velvety shiraz
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5/17/2010 - dstraub wrote: 87 Points
A nice Shiraz, but not of the jammy, fruit forward variety. This one was a little more subtle and understated, but given its price, a nice value for the money.
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4/10/2010 - pbaek wrote:
Yup, this is Barossa Shiraz for sure. Big, heady wine (14.5% alcohol as per label), inky color, highly extracted candied fruit with marks of chocolate from oak maturation. It is almost impossible for me to drink a wine like this - way too rich, sweet and alcoholic.
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3/20/2010 - Kiwas wrote: 86 Points
Good wine for 12 dlls at costco
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2/5/2010 - ey1294 wrote: 86 Points
Plenty of fruit and spice. The wine is light on nose and finish.
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2/1/2010 - Yiannis wrote: 91 Points
Cork-sealed this time. Consistently excellent once again.
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1/13/2010 - maxmanx wrote: 90 Points
Still very nice & smooth. Ready to drink.
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1/11/2010 - Yiannis wrote: 91 Points
This time it was screw-cap sealed. Nevertheless, my previous note applies. Barossa shiraz character was slightly more obvious this time. A bargain.
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1/7/2010 - df1962 wrote: 87 Points
Good dark reddish black color. Spicy brambly aroma. Smooth with zippy acidity at the end fruit is mostly reddish. Somewhat faded.
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10/18/2009 - DB Lawton wrote: 88 Points
Smokey oak and a good amount of fruit, but it did not really impress as other vintages of this wine have. Solid and respectable.
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9/20/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote:
More restrained that I expected but upon drinking it, recalled why it caught my attention in the first place. Oak and tobacco. Full bodied, rich red and black fruits. Definitely feeling the heat when not with food. Smoky oak on the nose.
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7/30/2009 - 97 Point Red wrote: 87 Points
Ok
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7/3/2009 - maxmanx wrote: 91 Points
Back to normal AKA good. Not sure what was wrong with the previous bottle. Thick fruit, oak and tobacco.
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6/27/2009 - maxmanx wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as I remembered it. Maybe a badly stored bottle?
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6/15/2009 - Ombibulous wrote: 81 Points
In a flight at Crust. Still a decent Aussie Shiraz, but not outstanding in its flavour, intensity, or length of finish. Good (81.5).
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5/8/2009 - awinejourney wrote: 90 Points
Bright red appearance. Fruity nose. Very nice/solid value.
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4/30/2009 - alandf wrote: 88 Points
Some nice smoke and oak and dark fruit.
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4/27/2009 - J2K wrote: 85 Points
Full body, cedar, dark berry, oak. Not as good as I remembered drinking previous vintage, perhaps my palate has changed. Lacking acidity with slight tannins,soft, finish was powdery and sweet.
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4/7/2009 - bigdogflow wrote: 89 Points
Very dark color. Big dark fruit nose and taste with a medium finish.
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3/21/2009 - Chrisinroch wrote: 88 Points
nice shiraz, good representative of aussie shiraz. well balanced, not hot. Warm fruit, nice peppery finish.
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3/15/2009 - RonB wrote: 88 Points
Smooth, easy to drink Shiraz that was enjoyed by all. Medium body. Deep purple color. Would buy again.
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1/30/2009 - nogohawk wrote: 89 Points
Not bad for the $
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1/30/2009 - chrwhite wrote: 85 Points
Spectator gave this wine a 90+ rating. In the glass this was purple with ruby hues around the edges. The nose is black cherry, pepper, and a little smoke. This is tight on the palate without much fruit initially. The red fruit comes into play mid palate, leading to a pleasant finish with cherry, rasberry, and oak. This tasted a little young to me, but I was disappointed by what I perceived as a lack of fruit. I don't think aging will help that aspect of the wine.
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1/27/2009 - mghomula wrote:
Did not taste this time out.
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1/27/2009 - Li6 wrote: 90 Points
Signs of cork seepage made me nervous, but the wine was fantastic nonetheless -- notes of blueberry, cassis, and a touch of cedar. Clearly, however, the wine is advanced, most likely due to the seepage. Drink remaining bottles, bought from same source, within the next 12 months.
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1/25/2009 - team-blackburn wrote: 85 Points
Just OK
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1/23/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 86 Points
Didn't like this as much as our last bottle. A little rougher and less elegant.
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1/12/2009 - Yiannis wrote: 91 Points
Dark red. Strong aromas of blueberries, violet, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and a noble animal note. Full bodied, opulent and lush with soft tannins, rich fruit and balancing acidity. Long finish. A very well made and typical Barossa Shiraz at a bargain price.
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1/8/2009 - Guitar George wrote: 88 Points
Nothing to add from the last tasting.
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1/8/2009 - raydawgone wrote: 90 Points
Spicy, peppery notes with dark, viscous ripe berries. Outstanding value.
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1/4/2009 - nogohawk wrote: 87 Points
Nice for the price - berry
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12/30/2008 - GoodToGrape wrote: 86 Points
Enjoyable, but uninspired. One dimensional, not memorable.
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12/23/2008 - merryberry wrote: 85 Points
Purple with some garnet to the edge. Nose of dark fruit. Just a little tart, not much heat, long fruity finish. A little flabby. Overall - meh.
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12/1/2008 - jbshows wrote: 86 Points
OK. A little austere and rustic. Still a good value though.
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11/30/2008 - dirtyharry wrote: 88 Points
good every day wine. fruit on the thin side.. oak coming thru.
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11/19/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry and cherry on the nose ad palate. Enjoyable.
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11/14/2008 - the wino wrote: 87 Points
This is very nice, just not the extracted fruit bomb like most aussie shiraz. If you're looking for something a little lighter this is great fruit.
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11/10/2008 - fingers wrote: 81 Points
Very dark ruby, about 95% saturated, slight fade at rim. Mild, varietally-correct nose of blackcurrant and dark berries, along with a small American oak profile. Surprised to only get a slight alcohol presence in the aroma - I expected it to scream. It shows more on the palate, though. Usual Shiraz flavor with vanilla, pepper, cherry, etc but it's all a little subdued and the tannins are confused. Low, flabby acidity, medium body. Certainly no extracted bomb and it has a nice long finish. Just seems to be missing a little oomph and it fell apart quickly. Pretty bottle, though (4+9+12+6) = 81
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11/8/2008 - appleforest wrote: 84 Points
Disappointing compared to previous bottles - a bit thin.
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11/2/2008 - Arch57 wrote: 86 Points
Nice full bodied wine. This paired well with our grilled rib-eyes and it had that fruit forward component going. Good value as well.
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11/1/2008 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Consistent Notes. This is a great not too over the top Shiraz. Food freindly and brimming with good fruit. Will buy more!
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10/30/2008 - Li6 wrote: 88 Points
More restrained than previous bottles; solid core of black fruits with some meat and mulling spices.
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10/29/2008 - bvwino wrote: 83 Points
Neither Jo or I liked this bottle. Gritty tannins, so so finish, fruit there but thin and not appetizing. Maybe would have been better next year, but not worth finding out.
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10/28/2008 - ocattorney wrote: 83 Points
dark in color. Tight nose, some red fruit coming through. Taste was thin with black berries and some oak. Simple wine.
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10/25/2008 - ticktock wrote: 88 Points
Big thick fruit. Good for the price. Definitely a good 4th bottle.
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10/20/2008 - Alex H wrote: 81 Points
Makansutra event @ Spice Junction (Spice Junction): WS highly recommended this wine as a smart buy and I agree but this is for drinking now. Just released, this wine already has balanced dark red cherries with "crayons". Mild dark choc coffee on the finish.
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10/17/2008 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Deep purple and opaque. Dark and rich blackberry, but not as hot as previous bottles. I find this to be a nice example of a Barossa Shiraz. Food friendly, and not over on the dark side like a Mollydooker! Nice fruit and medium finish.
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10/16/2008 - DT-Mills wrote: 90 Points
Very Good Day wine
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10/11/2008 - witkinddavis wrote: 89 Points
Full body, strong on the tongue
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10/9/2008 - pdrago wrote: 90 Points
2nd time around for me on this bottle. I really think it is a good value. Nose of cherry, vanilla, and a little bit of a custard thing going on as it opened up...also some blueberry but more faint than my previous notes. Nice mouth feel with a decent finish. Pretty one dimensional (just mainly fruit) but not too much (as I find these Aussie wines tend to have). At $12-$15 I really like this and I think it is a perfect wine to have around for non-serious wine drinking friends because they will really like it.
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10/1/2008 - neurovino wrote: 89 Points
Nice so far. Not as extracted/intense as some of the high alc. shiraz's coming out these day. Good balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity. A tad thin, but certainly good QPR.
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9/21/2008 - Epic Tale wrote: 89 Points
Aroma: cherry vanilla; Taste: some pepper & chocolate, full mouthfeel and pleasant silky finish; med. tannins; tastes not overly alcoholic; some complexity; highly agreeable by itself. Good value for money ($13.50 at Costco) and worth buying again.
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9/19/2008 - Maestro wrote: 88 Points
If you are going to drink a young Aussie Shiraz for less than $15, then it does not get much better than this. Well-structured, elegant, with good yet restrained cherry and plum fruit character, and attractive secondary aromatics of spice-box, cigar, and wet earth. It drinks well now and will improve for another 7-10 years.
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9/17/2008 - bvwino wrote: 90 Points
Very fruit forward, nice silky tannins, full bodied, great feel. Very nice bottle. Not like the previous bottles at all, almost like a different wine.
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9/15/2008 - mclancy10006 wrote: 90 Points
Good Shiraz from Lehmann and would buy again. Like the silky tannins on the palate...
Shame I had to drink this Lehmann while saying good by to another Lehman...
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9/15/2008 - walkers wrote:
Classic Aussie shiraz, but with good structure. Extracted, but not over the top like many. would buy again.
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9/14/2008 - smartcor@yahoo.com wrote: 89 Points
A very good shiraz. Great color and nice tannins.
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9/2/2008 - bahiadave wrote:
Quite good. A great deal at costco. What a good reasonably priced Aussie Shiraz should be.
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8/22/2008 - esb wrote: 89 Points
I have recorded a note previously. Without belaboring the point, this is a tremendous wine with complexity, and it's widely available at a great price. Obviously good grapes and quality winemaking.
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8/18/2008 - bvwino wrote: 89 Points
Much better than my last bottle. Very dark in color and tastes of nice dark fruit. Soft tannins and drinking nicely.
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8/15/2008 - appleforest wrote: 87 Points
Very pleasant, moderate complexity. Some tannins, but not all that much, and I really don't understand the 2008-2015 drinking window recommendations. It's certainly fine now, perhaps a tiny bit on the early side. I don't see a path to 7 years later, but I am also not skilled as estimating how long a wine will last. This was better after being open for an hour. When I really think about details it's hard to justify the rating, but overall this was very nice. One of the best wines I've had at this price.
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8/12/2008 - mgribble94 wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine for the price.
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8/10/2008 - GEMon wrote: 89 Points
Dark ruby color. Scents of dark fruits and dark chocolate with some earthiness. Tastes of dark fruit with a hint of blueberry and chocolate. Nice tannins. We only let it breathe for about 30 minutes, which wasn't enough. The wine may have gotten a better score had we decanted more
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8/6/2008 - vardaman wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple. Medium bodied, decent tanins. Casis, tobacco, leather, dark cherry and salinity on the palette. Damn good. Better in a couple yrs i think.
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8/4/2008 - pdrago wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nnose of blueberry, plum, and cherry. Nice attack of fruit but not the overpowering New World style I expected. Mid palate had the earthy and pepper taste that I was hoping for and the finish was fairly long and smooth transitioning from fruit to chocolate to vanilla. The tannins were evident on the back of the mouth but not harsh at all. This is a fantastic value at around $12.00 and I will certainly be buying more. It paired wonderfully with the morrocan seasoned lamb dish we had.
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7/29/2008 - GreatLibations wrote: 86 Points
Very dark in color with strong aromas-full body with moderate acidity-big berry flavors emphasizing blueberry-the finish is long. This wine is tighly wound with a chewy fruit core and high acidity. Like Lennon said, "let it breath".
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7/12/2008 - Grenik wrote: 87 Points
It was like watching two very good defensive teams play. You respect the talant and know that you should be enjoying the game, but somehow you are left unfullfilled. You miss the explosive offense. Had I not known the wine was a Barossa Shiraz, I may have enjoyed it more. It is a good quality wine for the price and I think it will age nicely, but it is not a big, bold Australian Shiraz as you may expect. Nice balance and structure.
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7/6/2008 - bvwino wrote: flawed
Disappointing. Kind of flat, think it was a flawed bottle. Expected more. Will see with others.
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7/4/2008 - mghomula wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
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7/3/2008 - mghomula wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
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6/28/2008 - AZ Cat wrote:
(3) Nice nose but a lot of fruit and acid. Didn’t care for the finish. Monica like much better than I did.
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6/27/2008 - Guitar George wrote: 88 Points
Not as big as other Barossa shirazes, however very good for the price. I get a full nose which to me was primarily berries with a hint of something eles, pepper? On the palate I had spice, berries, roasted coffee and charcoal. A fair amount of complexity and layering for this price point. It had a medium finish. I might be a little early on this and would like to see how this is in 2-4 years.
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6/17/2008 - Noto Bene wrote: 88 Points
Very gulpable, simple, smooth mid week wine that you don't have to think to hard about, will buy again for that reason.
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6/16/2008 - maxmanx wrote: 91 Points
Nicely balanced wine. Fruit, soft tannins, nice finish. Good value!
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6/5/2008 - Cheshire wrote: 88 Points
Oak, sour cherry, bit of blackberry on the nose, the pallet shows, black fruit all the way (cherries, blackberries, current), vanilla and hint of spice and mint on the finish, alcohol is the on the finish making the balance a bit off. But for a Cost Co value (12.00) not to bad.
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6/4/2008 - dmcella wrote: 87 Points
Cherry and dark chocolate notes. Relatively subdued for an Australian Shiraz. Well integrated tannins. Not thrilling, but quality. Wouldn't seek out.
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5/29/2008 - stevewinebets wrote: 88 Points
Soft tones for an Aussie Shiraz with good fruit- berries mostly and enough structure to create a full taste and good finish- a good everyday drinking wine that is well balanced and excellent value
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5/21/2008 - mghomula wrote: 91 Points
Some might think I am committing a bit of infanticide opening another bottle of this now but it is so approachable it is difficult to resist. It is also not the most expensive Shiraz in the world so it isn't such a big deal. I have enough bottles as to make opening now feasible. I really like this wine. A medium, edging toward dark, purple in color with a touch of amber on the edges it has a nice full nose of cherries, plum, earth and spice. On the palate it was full of cherry and earth with plum, chocolate, tobacco and black pepper. It came together nicely and was well balanced. Not overly complex but complex enough. A nicely intense, though not overdone, flavor intensity throughout. A smooth tannic structure is what make it so drinkable now but it should age well for 5 or so more years. I'm not sure mine will last that long. Great quality for the price. Excellent value and an excellent wine.
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5/19/2008 - awinestory wrote: 75 Points
Appearance: clear, ruby, medium intensity, white watery meniscus, tears fast to form and fall Nose: clean, medium+ intensity, youthful, grapy aroma, mineral, vanilla, sweet spice, plums Palate: dry, acid is medium plus, tannin is medium (ripe, smooth), body is medium plus, alcohol is medium, length is medium plus, flavor intensity is medium plus, flavors include vanilla, rhubarb, plums, spice, oak, blackberry Quality: quality is good. Very nice balance of ripe fruit, acid, and tannin with good skin contact and seems as if aged in small barriques. Length is long.
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5/12/2008 - esb wrote:
Dark saturated color. Strong, aroma of pepper and eucalyptus. Same flavors followed by ripe plum. This wine is thick in the mouth with a rich texture and lingering finish. Light oak influence but integrated and not apparent. This is big and straight forward without subtlety. Good now but youthful and will benefit from a few years maturity. Very good at the table with rich, powerful flavors and very good overall. Inexpensive.
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5/11/2008 - Tyler wrote: 89 Points
Very good Shiraz, very smooth
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5/1/2008 - MLD11 wrote:
Thirst Thursday First Tasting (Home): Lots of people liked the immediacy of this wine.
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4/13/2008 - BrandrB wrote: 86 Points
A solid Shiraz with great potential. Mid-purple color. Definite chocolate notes on the nose. Cherry, pepper, and earthy elements on the palate, which is a bit tight right now. Excellent chalky finish. Good value. Perhaps a bit too early to drink; will certainly improve with both more time in the bottle and decanting. I recommend coming back to the ’05 in two more years.
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4/13/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 89 Points
Thick, spicy and fruity. But- oh, so dull and oaky. Short aftertaste. Expected more complexity and finesse. Techincally ok, though.
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4/11/2008 - mghomula wrote: 90 Points
Had this wine over dinner at Aqua in Hilton Head, South Carolina. I didn't really write down my notes and thoughts on this but I wanted to quickly comment that it was incredible for the price point. So much so that I got back to our villa, went online and ordered a case. I will come back in and provide more detailed tasting notes when I open up the next bottle. I remember my mouth filled with cherries and spice along with some hints of blackberries. It was well balanced now but I am certain it is going to get better with another 4 years or so. More notes to come with the next bottle.
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3/28/2008 - rsime wrote: 75 Points
Not impressed
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3/1/2008 - joe blum wrote: 89 Points
dark inky color, medium body. soft tannins needs a year to age; however, was okay after using an aireator.
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2/10/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 88 Points
Very dark and intriguing color. Fruity nose with hints of earth. Fills your mouth with oak from the first sip. Hints of cherry and tobacco are overpowered by the heavy oak and tar, which makes the experience somewhat dull. I certainly expected more complexity. Over all a pleasant Aussie Shiraz without the too common excess of pepper and alcohol. However it lacks the extra nuances that makes wine drinking the pleasure of my choice.
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1/11/2008 - marcb7 wrote: 90 Points
Nose of dark fruit, earth and spices, mouth full of fine tannins, this needs more time. I even decanted for 3 hours. For 15$, this shows great potential.
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12/28/2007 - neurovino wrote: flawed
Cooked.
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7/4/2007 - Ombibulous wrote: 82 Points
Had a glass of this wine at the Galway Arms in Chicago, Lincoln Park, while visiting Steve with Ma & Pa. Good.
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