Random purchase in a wine store that had a 30% off sale. Buying old Australian wine is like kissing frogs - you get a lot of slime and occasionally a princess.
It looks like brown scarlet with legs. It smells like hot raspberry. It tastes better. Gobs of red fruit, mouth puckering tannins,enough acidity to hold it together. This is delicious and not as hot as the 16% alc might suggest. I haven’t tasted a wine like this before. Imagine a slender Grenache going to a fancy dress ball in costume as a big brawny Shiraz. This is light to medium bodied but it feels bigger. Delicious with rotisserie chicken and garlic bread.
The $68 I paid was a fair price .I’ll buy this again.
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This is drinking really well, spicy, tannins rounded, a wall of pure fruit, and no perceptible alcohol. Sampled via Coravin, so I will update this note over the next few weeks as I work my way through the rest of the bottle.
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Popped and poured into glasses and left there for about an hour. Nose was very hot initially and I wasn't optimistic but over the course of the hour it filled out and developed more dark fruit, tar and spice notes. Palate was big and rich but disappointingly had little complexity or nuance. Both my wife and I noted how disappointed we were given how much we used to love this wine. It was really just a big Aussie wine. Tiring to drink alone. Better with the lamb chops. Would not buy again.
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Drinking ripe and ready. PNP'd this bottle. No need to decant. Very dark raspberry, black cherry, and black berry. This is no ordinary Grenache. Like the cliche - this one is full throttle. I would have liked to seen a little more complexity, and back of the gasoline a little. The fun part is that a little savory component came out about 1.5 hrs in to the bottle. Make a slab of baby back ribs and enjoy.
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A fun wine drinking well. This is mainly Grenache based, and you can taste it in the lighter, clearer fruit taste. Aging well, and still has some legs, but not getting any better.
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I thought this wine was exceptional. Thank you my sis for sending this from overseas. Colour is super Dark, hint of purple rim. Nose is full of coffee and milk chocolate, earth, dark fruits. On the mouth, full bodied, rich and lucious, delicious flavours of chocolate, coffee beans, black fruits, mingled together. Finishes with mouth pluckering tannins and refreshing acidity. Already good to go with splash decant and pour back to the bottle and enjoy. Should improve over next 5 years. Very good effort for the tough vintage. I could almost mistaken that this could have come from priorate spain. I got 3 of 2012 Eclipse, and 3 of reserve shiraz 2012 directly from cellar door. I will lay them down for 2 years before cracking them.
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A powerful Grenache/Shiraz blend from South Australia that, for my palate, reveals too much of its 16% alcohol. Plenty of ripe fruits and dark chocolate on the nose, with a plush palate; dominated by spirity, big, bold fruit and decently supported by dusty tannins. Although acids are definitely in the background, the wine avoids being soupy. Although this is reported to be aged in only ~15% new barrels, the finish is quite drying. Although this may appeal to some, it's strong points are not what I'm looking for in a wine.
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Decanted and drank with friends. It was a wonderful wine but I agree with some of the previous notes that it is still quite young. Given the alcohol it was smooth and drank well but felt a bit too tight. Definitely can age for a few more years. Glad I have 3 more to try after more time in the cellar.
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A Bunch of Wines on a Saturday Afternoon: As much as I liked the 06, I thought this was a underwhelming. Ruby in color with some purple hues. The nose is dusty with red raspberries. On the palate, this is thin with some black raspberries. Short finish. I found only a slight, if that, resemblance to the 07.
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Brought to tasting tonight. Very nice wine but I don't think it had enough air. It was still fantastic but struck me as a little closed still. I brought it home and the last sip was the best. Very well made wine and it was hard to believe it had 16% alcohol. Nicely balanced. Would buy again.
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Friends over for dinner (My place): Dark red color with a youthful hue. Intense aromas jumping out of the glass with notes of ripe raspberry, cherry and blackberries, as well as licorice, eucalyptus and dark chocolate. Equally intense on the palate with loads of fruit first, very primary but well backed by licorice and dark, bitter chocolate. Actually it has quite the bitter midpalate. Good struture and integrated tannins promises for the future - but drinking really, really well right now. A real pleaser.
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More powerful than the 2006. This wine should stay in the cellar for at least 5 years, probably longer. The wine is balanced, but the tannins are just too powerful.
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Not sure if I had a different bottle to the previous reviewer, but this was certainly NOT a 99pt wine. Which, however, is not to say it wasn't good... maybe too young.
Fruit forward, but more tropical than berry (hints of passion fruit on the nose perhaps?)... The Grenache much more than the shiraz. Medium bodied and a nice balance, but no fireworks... A little insipid in the mouth with an 8-10 second finish. Not much complexity, but solidly pleasant. A good lithe wine that will compliment subtler fare - nothing too rich.
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Huge nose of ripe black and red berries. Perfect velvety mouth feel continues from entry to mid palate, building on spice with a full bodied explosion of powerful sweet fruit that is balanced exceptionally by ripe tannins. Super long finish....could even be a hundred pointer if comparing to 06 which was RP97.
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1/23/2021 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Random purchase in a wine store that had a 30% off sale. Buying old Australian wine is like kissing frogs - you get a lot of slime and occasionally a princess.
It looks like brown scarlet with legs. It smells like hot raspberry. It tastes better. Gobs of red fruit, mouth puckering tannins,enough acidity to hold it together. This is delicious and not as hot as the 16% alc might suggest. I haven’t tasted a wine like this before. Imagine a slender Grenache going to a fancy dress ball in costume as a big brawny Shiraz. This is light to medium bodied but it feels bigger. Delicious with rotisserie chicken and garlic bread.
The $68 I paid was a fair price .I’ll buy this again.
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5/16/2020 - Eric wrote:
This is drinking really well, spicy, tannins rounded, a wall of pure fruit, and no perceptible alcohol. Sampled via Coravin, so I will update this note over the next few weeks as I work my way through the rest of the bottle.
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11/22/2019 - hiker_guy wrote:
haven't had one of these in years.
Popped and poured into glasses and left there for about an hour.
Nose was very hot initially and I wasn't optimistic but over the course of the hour it filled out and developed more dark fruit, tar and spice notes.
Palate was big and rich but disappointingly had little complexity or nuance. Both my wife and I noted how disappointed we were given how much we used to love this wine. It was really just a big Aussie wine. Tiring to drink alone. Better with the lamb chops.
Would not buy again.
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10/22/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full bodied wine with black cherries, black raspberries, earthiness, and hints of floral. Medium to long finish.
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1/3/2017 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 92 Points
Drinking ripe and ready. PNP'd this bottle. No need to decant. Very dark raspberry, black cherry, and black berry. This is no ordinary Grenache. Like the cliche - this one is full throttle. I would have liked to seen a little more complexity, and back of the gasoline a little. The fun part is that a little savory component came out about 1.5 hrs in to the bottle. Make a slab of baby back ribs and enjoy.
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1/2/2017 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fun wine drinking well. This is mainly Grenache based, and you can taste it in the lighter, clearer fruit taste. Aging well, and still has some legs, but not getting any better.
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10/12/2014 - Uglypinga wrote:
Woody, minty nose. The palate seems advanced with odd almost rancid fruit. Drying finish. Not a fan.
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11/26/2013 - groper1234 wrote: 93 Points
I thought this wine was exceptional. Thank you my sis for sending this from overseas. Colour is super Dark, hint of purple rim. Nose is full of coffee and milk chocolate, earth, dark fruits. On the mouth, full bodied, rich and lucious, delicious flavours of chocolate, coffee beans, black fruits, mingled together. Finishes with mouth pluckering tannins and refreshing acidity. Already good to go with splash decant and pour back to the bottle and enjoy. Should improve over next 5 years. Very good effort for the tough vintage. I could almost mistaken that this could have come from priorate spain. I got 3 of 2012 Eclipse, and 3 of reserve shiraz 2012 directly from cellar door. I will lay them down for 2 years before cracking them.
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7/9/2012 - yotaiwan wrote: 88 Points
at this point is seem a little rough, acidic and over rated
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12/13/2011 - JonathanP wrote: 86 Points
A powerful Grenache/Shiraz blend from South Australia that, for my palate, reveals too much of its 16% alcohol. Plenty of ripe fruits and dark chocolate on the nose, with a plush palate; dominated by spirity, big, bold fruit and decently supported by dusty tannins. Although acids are definitely in the background, the wine avoids being soupy. Although this is reported to be aged in only ~15% new barrels, the finish is quite drying. Although this may appeal to some, it's strong points are not what I'm looking for in a wine.
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10/26/2011 - madia wrote: 93 Points
Noon Eclipse Vertical and some excellent Mollydookers (Mersch offices, Giva't Coach): Dark and completely opaque purple color. Bombastic – a lot of ripe fruits, smoke and also a Full bodied but elegant, excellent acidity and predominant tannins assure a few more years of development. Still young!
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8/14/2011 - Rolster72 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and drank with friends. It was a wonderful wine but I agree with some of the previous notes that it is still quite young. Given the alcohol it was smooth and drank well but felt a bit too tight. Definitely can age for a few more years. Glad I have 3 more to try after more time in the cellar.
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2/26/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 87 Points
A Bunch of Wines on a Saturday Afternoon: As much as I liked the 06, I thought this was a underwhelming. Ruby in color with some purple hues. The nose is dusty with red raspberries. On the palate, this is thin with some black raspberries. Short finish. I found only a slight, if that, resemblance to the 07.
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1/25/2011 - hiker_guy wrote:
Brought to tasting tonight. Very nice wine but I don't think it had enough air. It was still fantastic but struck me as a little closed still. I brought it home and the last sip was the best.
Very well made wine and it was hard to believe it had 16% alcohol. Nicely balanced.
Would buy again.
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8/8/2009 - Terkel wrote: 93 Points
Friends over for dinner (My place): Dark red color with a youthful hue. Intense aromas jumping out of the glass with notes of ripe raspberry, cherry and blackberries, as well as licorice, eucalyptus and dark chocolate. Equally intense on the palate with loads of fruit first, very primary but well backed by licorice and dark, bitter chocolate. Actually it has quite the bitter midpalate. Good struture and integrated tannins promises for the future - but drinking really, really well right now. A real pleaser.
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7/6/2009 - Hammerhead wrote: 95 Points
More powerful than the 2006. This wine should stay in the cellar for at least 5 years, probably longer. The wine is balanced, but the tannins are just too powerful.
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5/9/2009 - Amrussell wrote: 88 Points
Not sure if I had a different bottle to the previous reviewer, but this was certainly NOT a 99pt wine. Which, however, is not to say it wasn't good... maybe too young.
Fruit forward, but more tropical than berry (hints of passion fruit on the nose perhaps?)... The Grenache much more than the shiraz. Medium bodied and a nice balance, but no fireworks... A little insipid in the mouth with an 8-10 second finish. Not much complexity, but solidly pleasant. A good lithe wine that will compliment subtler fare - nothing too rich.
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3/8/2009 - dmk wrote: 98 Points
WOW!
Huge nose of ripe black and red berries. Perfect velvety mouth feel continues from entry to mid palate,
building on spice with a full bodied explosion of powerful sweet fruit that is balanced exceptionally by ripe tannins.
Super long finish....could even be a hundred pointer if comparing to 06 which was RP97.
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