Day 1: Last time sampling this was 2011. Bought on auction. Good overall with boysenberries, soy, pepper, spices, minerals and tar. Medium plus finish and smooth wine. 92 points. Day 2: Still life left in this one on day 2. Soy, black pepper, blueberries, boysenberries, spices and tar. Medium finish and still very good. 92 points Recommendation: A fun auction purchase for around $40. Would not buy another one but good to see these can go 20 years.
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One of the most interesting older Aussie wines I've had. Decanted for sediment. Huge Nose - eucalyptus and dark fruit. Big, bold wine. Initially taste before airing had a flavor of "cough syrup" but after a couple hours of air that was gone. Super smooth. Very complex wine that kept changing over time. Lots of eucalyptus, mint, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, pepper. Honestly kept getting better. Had a few ounces left over the next day and it was still singing. Who would have ever guessed these wines would have aged so well. Drink now or continue to hold. Just Amazing.
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Big bold Aussie Shiraz. Chocolate, tobacco and black current. Decanted for 3 hours could have had more. Still drinking well but color is turning. Drink up folks
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I have 3 bottles of this left, it has aged beautifully. Decided to try it tonight with a filet & NY strip. I decanted for about an hour; intially tasted coffee and chocolate notes. Over time started to taste dark fruits with a long finish. About 4 hours later the fruit is stil there with a long silky finish. Note to self give a longer decant next time … excellent wine !
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Outstanding! Aussie Shiraz from the early 2000's had the tendency to be too ripe, too high in alcohol and terrible with food. But give them some time and they often become really good. In this case, it is now much more mellow. The fruit still shows through, but it has tamed down. It now shows a seamless texture. Really, really nice bottle. (On another note, I find that CellarTracker really helps with "drink by" dates. Even though the CT drinking range for this wine ended in 2017 and RP said to drink by 2020, 45 percent of the bottles are still in cellars. Wine drinkers vote with their corkscrews. Just look to the "In Cellars" percent and the "Consumed" percent to see what other serious wine drinkers think about the drink by date.
Not quite at the perfect point of its aging curve, but getting close. Lovely red fruit presentation with plum, cherry and berries, with light spice and light pepper. I know all the BS about how you can't taste more than one or two flavors at a time. WELL Duh! When was the last time that you only took one tiny sip of a wine. I drank this with family over a dinner of Tomahawk rib eye, cauliflower with garlic and cilantro, Broccoli and onion in a spicy red pepper sauce with cashews and - for the rest, French Fries. This was an outstanding wine in its youth and it has blossomed even more as the complexity of fruit alternatives comes to the forefront while and roughness of youth recedes. I bought this from WINEX 15 years ago for $45. Was it worth the wait. Yes. Could I have done better by investing the $45 and buying the bottle now? With perfect provenance it probably would have been cheaper to invest and buy now, but there is an advantage to knowing from whence it came and exactly how it was stored in the 15 years.
Note also that I think I have gotten stricter as a grader. I suggested 14 years ago that with age this might poke its nose over 95 points as it improved. It has improved, but my score dropped. I think I've just had more really outstanding wines in the interim, because I remember the bottle I drank 14 years ago and this was better.
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Dark garnet color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. At this age, there are still remnants of high octane lifting the black fruits with hints of smoky leather. The palate is full bodied with a velvety texture and enough alcohol to heat up the back of the throat. Once that settles, however, flavors of ripe blackberries, black olives emerge but simultaneously balanced by medium acidity. Secondary flavors of dried meat, pain grille, cloves, and peppercorn glide through the long, spicy finish. This is an excellent Australian Shiraz which has aged quite gracefully with enough structure for the medium term. Drink now until 2029.
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Last bottle. Really enjoyed this. Fruit has faded somewhat but still has good structure. No heat, smooth and fully resolved. I would say drink now but the last reviewer thought it could last for up to ten years. Just depends on how you prefer your wine.
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Good to see it so well aged and definitely the ripeness of youth has not inhibited its ageing capacity and this has easily another decade of life in it. Ripe still and juicy sweet new world feel but also with a secondary feel and lots of character. Very good and great value for money. 89-91
Bought this on WineBid, label obscured slightly so can’t see exact alcohol but I’m guessing around 15% based on nose and finish. Screw cap. Dark crimson, dark core. Great nose of green leaf, black and red fruit pie, tobacco. Med+ weight, still has decent acid and noticeable tannins. Some stewed fruit and heat in mouth, that gives way to long layered (and I mean layers) finish: aged black shiraz that offers up black berry jam, creosote, molasses sourdough bread, soy, coca cola float. If stored well, this wine has 7-10 years of enjoyable drinking - and might have extended window given the stelvin closure. I’m guessing this wine was around $20 USD in 2004; worth 4x that today.
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first of three bottles had some definite seepage at the top of the cork when I pulled off the capsule; the bottle was drinkable but just barely -- heavy, slightly stewed and unimpressive. The second and third bottles absolutely sang, though -- perfect corks and a big, Aussie bouquet that just hits you in the face from a foot away. I have three more I'll check the corks on before opening. Would score these an 86, 94 and 94 so an average 91 with upside sounds about right.
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I am a snob. I don’t like Aussie shirazes Grange excepted). They are too thick and overly fruited and... flavorful... delicious... hedonistic, I believe, is the proper term. Yum... slurp... uh oh... wow... I guess this wine, which I’ve had a million bottles of and always felt middling about, is striking me pretty right tonight. It will stain my tongue and teeth with blackberry syrup, eau du tar, I could swear a bit of syrup from the can of canned pineapple... too much alcohol, but let’s face facts, sometimes that’s what works! Every well crafted wine has a place in time, and I guess this one’s is tonight...
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Decanted around 6 pm and tasted over about 4 hours with a little left for the next day. This was rich and fruit forward with a smokey and very savory character. It showed blueberry and blackberry along with ripe black cherry and pleasing acidity and minerality, low tannin. I have liked the aged Aussie Shiraz I have had from my cellar over the last year or so that were purchased in the early 2000’s quite a bit more than early in their lives. This was nicely layered and complex with a great mouthfeel and lots of secondary savory and earthy flavors.
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This bottle is showing mature, and still a bit tannic around the edges. It has all the fruit, aromatics, and grit you would want for an awesome McV Aussie shiraz, but those tannins still haven't melted quite off yet. Didn't distract too much from the rest of the wine, but I think this wine would even be nicer 3-4 years down the lane. I'll try it again then. Definitely not a cocktail wine. Enjoy with the appropriate grilled meats.
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A beautiful bottle of aged Shiraz from a lovely producer. Double decanted in the event there was sediment but there was hardly any (cork was pristine as well). Where some Aussie Shiraz can come across boozy and out of sync, this is a great restrained example. Followed over a few hours and the aromatics didn’t change much...mostly raspberry fig, baking spices, tobacco and smoked meats accompanied by a touch of age. The palate was a reality check...totally youthful. Vibrant, juicy and tart strawberries, rhubarb and black cherries. Fleshy. Gained some weight as it opened showing liqueur, boysenberries, licorice and overripe mixed dark fruits. Beautiful example of aged Aussie Shiraz. Not getting any better, but not falling off a cliff any time soon.
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Fairly sophisticated flavors. I thought of Mitolo as closer to a Two Hands style producer but this one proved me wrong. Showing well, should continue to do so for years to come.
klar, dunkles rubinrot, hohe Viskosität sauber, intensives Aroma nach dunklen Kirschen, Kirschlikör, Mokka, mit der Zeit immer intensivere Nase trocken, saftige Säure, seidige Tannine, ausgeprägter Geschmack nach Kirschen, Gewürznoten, langer Abgang
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7.2.2020:++ Umwerfend, ein toller Bussi, Zedernholz, Rauch, Tabak, etwas Gewürze wie Piment und Süßholz, Rosen, super Sauerkirsche, tolle Kirchenfenster, sehr gute Süße/Säure, super Spasswein, leider letzte Flasche.
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Opened cold from cellar and warmed. Blackish, lots of sediment. Licorice nose, refined and silky. Solid structure. Secondaries such as leather, licorice, iodine. Black tea, black cherry, black currant. Mature and sophisticated.
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Very extreme, tight and sharp tannins and bite when bottle first opened, almost to the point of thinking something was off with the bottle. But the next day, the wine had rounded out to show fresh cherry, plum, cinnamon-dusted red apple wedges. Full bodied and balanced, this was a wonderful surprise. I will decant the next bottle I have amply.
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Cork disintegrated when trying to open. Thought this would be a poorly presenting bottle, but was pleasantly surprised. Great blackberry fruit, although somewhat flat on the mid-palate. Definitely nearing the end of it's life but still showing well. Drink now - 2021.
Nose is reminiscent of a good bourbon - oak and alcohol: in a very good way. Nice tannic structure supporting dark druits, chocolate and dried herbs. Lighter bodied than expected with a nice moderate finish with a luxurious mouthfeel. Will seek this out in other vintages.
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YES - 95 pts. This is drinking so beautifully now. Deep dark fruits, controlled oak, long finish. Such a brilliant Syrah in the perfect place. Grab a bottle and wallow in it.
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Excellent. Very dark in the glass. No signs of ageing. Full bodied, lots of dark fruit, good acidity, not sweet. No fruit bomb here. This was the last red opened and it was the best. Great to drink now but it does not seem to be fading at all so no rush.
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Dark fruit, underbrush, oak and minerality are all holding hands. Wonderful texture. Age has really helped bring this wine in balance. Good complexity. I don't think this will get any better. Enjoy now.
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The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry. It tastes like blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity. A solid wine, smooth with good depth, no real identify to the flavour, but nice to drink.
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My first bottle of this opened in 2016 had to much acidity. This bottle still has plenty of acidity but it has much improved balance. Pop and pour. Under screwcap. The color is a beautiful clear blackish garnet. No cloudiness. The aroma is fresh and pleasant. On the palate intense black currant, eucalyptus, spiciness, maybe even some cranberry, and a bit of a lip numbing tannic bite. Nice balance with well integrated flavors. long finish. I would say this wine will continue to evolve for 5-10 more years.
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My last of 4 bottles. Sweet oak, cedary and juicy dark cherry. Still a huge wine with some acidity at back end. Can't say it has evolved at all compared to my first bottle.
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The dark fruit is still dancing in rhythm. The structure has lost a step. All in all, this is still a really good Shiraz from down under. Drink it now.
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I always have to mentally prepare myself for these big Aussie wines. This one did not disappoint. Right out of the gate - an explosive amount of flavor - black cherry, eucalyptus, mint, vanilla, pepper, oak. Full body, huge mouthfeel, velvety smooth. Alcohol is still quite evident and a bit heavy on the oak, but all else is great. Drink now or continue to hold. Update: Had a glass or so left over, vacu-vin'd it, and drank following night. Found it more approachable and better balanced. So, I will hold my last one for at least 3 more years before consuming.
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Wow! Dark fruit is front and center here with garrigue and licorice trying to sneak in. Great depth and structure are present in this wine with amazing texture and appeal. Just an awesome example of an old school Shiraz.
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Dark garnet color; still has some purple on the rim. Like my notes a little over six years ago: "aromas of black cherry, blueberry, leather, earthiness, spice. Big, rich and explosive fruit. ... Flavors of black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate, spice. Great balance. Drinking quite well now; don't know how it can get much better. I'll consume the next bottle in the fairly near future. Score 94+.
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In really good window. Decant for about one hour . Opens up with fruity complex bouquet. Nice ripe cherry, chocolate, mild pepper. Soft round edges and full bodied. Soft tannins
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Screwcap. ABV 15%. Very good nose, floral and clean. Sweet and smooth on the attack, still some tannins on mid-palate but nothing obtrusive. A touch heat at finish but not too obvious. No over extraction, thank God, unlike so many of them. Still some oaks lingering at backend, so if you are sensitive to oak, may not be your style. I am battle-trained on heavy oak rubbish wines for years, so this is nothing to me. Good length and complexity, should last for a while too.
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Eerily similar notes to my 2006 tasting showing jeep jammy fruits, blackberries, black cherries, and licorice. However, much softer now and very well balanced. Still a very impressive wine
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From a bottle with screwcap: A pleasant surprise. I've almost come to dread opening my remaining bottles of big, highly rated Aussie shiraz. This was opened on a cool evening to pair with chili. Not a bad match, big enough to stand up to it, but not as in-your-face as when young. No obvious American oak (I dont know if this made with French oak or if it has just essentially integrated) Somewhat tamer flavors than in years past, and a finish that lasted and lasted. 94ish
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Has it really been three years since I last drank one of these? Pop and pour, medium weight, with a silky mouth feel and a 10 second front palate finish. Enjoyable with a variety of foods, but is less suited for beef than Italian, Indian, or even seafood at this phase of it's life. While enjoyable, wouldn't necessarily even know this is an Oz shiraz. Drink during 2017.
Great berry bomb with underlying white pepper. Make sure to spend some time with the nose before tasting. Perfect balance and ready to go. Medium acidity with a long finish. If you are not pairing Australian Shiraz with Indian food, you are missing the boat. Tremendous!
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No notes from last night but I distinctly remembering it was delicious, in a beautiful place and has a handful of years left. It definitely needed an hour or two to open.
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This bottle was a bit strange - it changed no less that 5 times from opening until we finished on day 2. Was at it's best when we drank the last third of the bottle. Musty at the start, opened up, then flatened out, then reemerged. Crazy bottle.
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Plum, mint and fir on the nose, with ripe flavors of those bad years in Aussieland. Its calmed down some, with moderate ripe plum, blackberry, cracked pepper flavors. Short finish, with drying tannins. Never up to it. These were not great years down under. Drink now, those drying tannins are up to something.
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Natural cork. On first night, I found the tar overpowering, both on the nose and palate. The alcohol was also too noticeable. But on night #2 the alcohol was completely hidden, the tar was still present but not overpowering, and blue fruits were showing through. Score is based on night #2. It seems to me that there is still plenty of time to drink this.
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375 and screw cap. Just amazing, tons of fruit and surprising density on the palate. Never thought this would hold up so well, seemed like it was still new, 5 years old at most. I don't have much experience with wines over 10 years old with screw caps but if this is the norm screw caps might be the way to go.
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I was somewhat disappointed with this. The fruit has settled down a bit, but rather than harmony it seems to reveal some of the hard edges. Not going in a good direction right now.
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Nice enough McLaren Vale shiraz. It's holding up really well. Blueberries, plums, blackcurrants, some cedar, working well with tannins that still have some life. This was actually a bit better on day 2.
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Drank along side a 2005 - which was a better wine overall. The 2004 was still good, but where the 2005 was very new world the 2004 was very old world. The fruit was more measured, the nose was more earthy, tasted like a it had big mix of cabernet in it. One left to drink.
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Bought from Dan Murphy's in Melbourne 10 years ago and stored at 13C. Pulled from cellar and let sit for 24Hrs at ~19C room temperature before opening.
Color is deep dark purple. On opening, this is an extracted fruit dominant sweet spicy flavors of black berries. There's good complexity once you get past the full frontal fruit dominant initial wave.
Full bodied, longish 10s finish, I liked this better after an hour of air time. Tannins are well integrated, this wine is in drinking window now but it's got enough structure to hold for another 5+ years.
My palate has changed over the years and I'm less fond of fruit bombs today than when I bought this 10 years ago. My 92 score is in context of other Aussie fruit bombs. If you're a Bordeaux drinker, you'd score it much lower.
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Cork drying, but extracted intact, with barely stained end. Deep and dark purple. Fresh aromas, most interesting was the strong whiff of blueberry. This bottle has reached a point where I could appreciate it more. . .rich and dense, it seems to have melded all of its elements more than three years ago. Last bottle, sadly.
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Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, mulling spice, and iron. Full bodied on the palate with very focused black fruit flavors, mouth coating with a long finish.
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Dark inky purple, subtle nose of black cherry, blackberry, black licorice, black currant and leather, big ripe palate with juicy if not forward plum, black currant, spice and cherry, finish is a touch hot with more black and blue fruits, hints of minerality, candied cherry, mocha and concord grape
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I think I may have waited too long to open this. Still quite tannic, but there's a slightly stewed quality to the abundant black and blue berry fruit and camphor. Not getting much pleasure from the nose. The acidity helps the palate, but not enough. This is a dense and very dark colored wine (we're talking eggplant purple).
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Purple red with lightening around the edges. Typical Shiraz nose with blackberry and blueberry rock candy, vanilla, caramel, bbq smoke and charcoal. The palate reveals waves of sweet, creamy black/blueberry pie, graphite, low acidity, moderate tannins and a saline edge that gets pronounced in the back-end. I have had better bottles, drink up.
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If you have a quantity of this vintage, it is time to start opening bottles. It has reach a point of excellent drinkability and there may be no higher peak for this wine. Excellent.
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Nose: Slightly stewed with age with aromas of concrete and dark fruits. Palate: First part of bottle was Vinituried into glass but last part was just poured. Flavors of dark fruits with some stone minerals. This didn't give up much (similar to last notes on 1/24/09) even though the wine is far more evolved. Last bottle and glad I opened it. Last bottle was better. If you have some drink up now.
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Excellent. Has turned into a fantastic wine. Deep purple hues with wonderful lush fruit. Don't notice the alcohol or tannins. Long pleasant finish. Good stuff.
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Corked! Just as well they switched to screw cap closure the following year. That said, there is discernible blueberry, licorice and fruit in the mouth to suggest my last bottle may still pay dividends.
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This wine has improved tremendously int he bottle. Bought a case and was a little disappointed over the years - and unfortunately gifted a few bottles. Has turned into a complex, smooth, refined wine with black fruits and a lingering finish. Very nice.
18th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Lyon Down Inn): Middle of the pack and a very nice wine with ripe black fruit, anise, pepper, and tar. Medium length, resolved tannins. Again, don't wait too long, 91 on day 2.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry. It's overly tannic and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a long finish - Loaded with berries. Nose is luscious and concentrated fruit. Can still use a few more years or a little decanting.
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Medium dark red. Amazing nose of cassis, licorice, tar, smoke, crushed violets, and more. Shiraz is not my style, but will say that this is certainly one of the greatest Australian Shiraz I have tasted. Concentrated but balanced though out. Ending with noticeable, but soft and integrated tannins.
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Better than average Aussie Shiraz, not over the top in any way, very well balanced with moderate alcohol. Rich plummy, went down easily. Notes from memory a day later.
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Purple red in color, tons of sediment on the side of the bottle. Depp pitched aromas of blackberry pie, vanilla, salted caramel, camphor/incense sticks. A soft and fruity palate reveals ripe, crushed black berries, dark chocolate, wood spice and noticeable salinity on the finish. This has shed all its oak and tannins and needs to be drunk up.
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Brought to a party, no detailed notes. Uncorked but not decanted for 2 hrs; toned-down shiraz, thick and syrupy but not overpowering. Prunes, port-like notes
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My last of six bottles. Unfortunately this dropped off a cliff. During the first few years it gradually got better and better. For me it was at its best at six years of age. It's matured and there is a shell remaining of what this was. What remains is showing overripe fruit and heat. It was a good run, but I'm glad I only left a bottle. 15% ABV
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Dirtier than I remember but a fine DEEP dark purple wine
Purple n dark red violet color; sophisticated, tarts, dried berry, plum nose; good, deep, black fruit, tart blackberry and light pepper palate; heavy ass-finish
Good $50 wine
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Bottom line, a classic from the over-extracted Australian Shiraz era. It is definitely, completely over the hill. Too much alcohol, too much ripe fruit, no capacity for aging. Should 1) not have purchased this and 2) certainly should have drunk them very young. My mistakes.
Dark cherry in colour but not inky dark. Nose is pure, pretty intense, but not overly powerful, more fragrant, dark cherry, berry, pure, not much secondary aromas. Full bodied, well balanced (at least when served on the cool side), mellow tannins, decent cherry acidity.
Overall this is a little innocuous. Certainly does not scream Barossa shiraz, but also doesn't scream anything else. I like the balance and the power in the palate, especially since it does not come across as large-scaled, but this lacks complexity that 10 years should bring, I've had a few of these highly rated Parker wine that fails to really impress.
drank with TPP at his house, nice wine but was soft and simple relative to the Diamond Creek Gravelly we had just prior, nice drink but nothing special, this continues to be a wine people find easy and pleasant
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This is an terriffic WINE and finally BY NOW - really ripe and in TIME you can enjoy - the Alcohol is in the right LEVEL - instead of Burning most rafinesse Tones Music of This wine away --
But this is certainly a question of Taste...
Slowly the alcohol melts in the right stand of going with and supporting all the other aromas ;-)
SMELL: harmonious notes of Cassis, Jam of all red fruits - boisnberries , wood underbrush - VANILLA - drie herbs of the Australian forest ..
TASTE: sweet and harmonious involved with the still primary fruits of Cassis, plums and blackberries, kirsch and some mushrooms, sandle wood and cinamon ..
very impressive AT THIS STAGE ...
95/ 100 Points
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Extracted, predominantly dark fruit nose, finishing with a little heat. Saturated black fruit carrying through on the palate as well, with notes of plum and chocolate. A bit flat through the mid-palate and the finish falls off. Time to drink up.
Not unlike last tasting, this is showing as much finesse as a jammy Oz shiraz can show; 2 hours in the decanter still let this show off graphite, modest spice, prune, earth in a jammy package, yet there was a sense of elegance to it. Like getting hit, but maybe the boxing glove was made of Coach leather. After 4 hours the wine had begun to deteriorate too much for my liking. Will drink remaining bottles within the 2017 drinking window.
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One grape - two expressions @ my place (Netherlands): This wine is very ripe and rich, but it stays on track and doesn't lose focus and grip. There's excellent tension, it's polished and has extraction, sure. But it's not over the top. It even has a powdery mouthfeel that I often confuse when a sense of terroir... Screaming Shiraz from the glass, this has tons of peppered blackberries, eucalypt, incense and a far echo of sweetness in the nose as well. Still tight and well defined, it's passing its turning point from primary to secondary aromatics. So, for me, this is in the sweet spot now. And it will probably stay there for a couple of years. Good stuff! 18/20
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Global wine tasting w/Japanese emphasis (Brasserie au Miel in Tobe, Yokohama): Mega delivery of zest - again! My WOTN together with several others' votes. Still blackish red with a nose that can fill a hangar with beautiful, rich anise seeds and licorice. It hits your gums first with its presence that is almost too-wide-to-swallow. Then you realize that it's coming back, swinging at you with an oak club (mind you: balanced!) Rich, complex, powerful, restrained and embracing life! This is the fat lady that sings when it's time to go home. So: after this one, we went home. My btl, only 4 to go. Next one in 2014.
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Dark Purple- Ink colour, Beautifully balanced with abundant blackberry, pepper, mild black liquorice, HUGE thick SMOOTH tannins. Lovely finish.. will last much longer than 2017 as recommended.. not as silky as the 2003 but a fine wine.. I got it for $49 in the Hamptons at Westhampton Beach Fine Wine... Value = 92 Quality = 94.5
much better on hours 6-9 after decanting as it opens up... YMMV
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Dinner with Bill. Opened and decanted. Very dark purple, tight and full bodied, with nose of plum, graphite, mineral and cherry. Tannic at first, but with air opening very lush youthful fruit profile of cherry. Iodine laced, heavy and long finish. Very nice, near peak.
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In a tasting with 2000 Dead Arm Shiraz and 2001 Clarendon Hills Hickenbotham Shriaz. Deep purple color, pleasant nose, and good fruit and still some tannic structure. Plenty of jammy fruit and power here. A classic Australian Shiraz favorites. This had pepper and spices that only the Dead Arm had.
The first of six held since release. Decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial heavy sediment. Half the bottle was poured off to a 375 and refrigerated. In general, I am not a fan of big brutish Shiraz from down under as most that I have tried have been a disappointment. This wine was a stark rebuke to that generality. We had this after dinner with a selection of hard cheeses and it was ravishing. I have no way to judge how this will hold up, but it seems to be in "prime-time" now. On the nose and in the mouth this is exuberant and flamboyant, a riot of dark fruit, earth notes, spice, and herbal references with a finish that seems to go on forever. How it manages to be that and superbly balanced and layered at the same time is amazing to me. Is it a profound wine? Nah, but who the hell cares. Just lean back and let it pleasure you.
Jan 9, 2016 Update This was double decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial deposit of thick sediment. My general impression is largely the same as previous bottles although slightly improved and showing no sign of decline. I will wait a year or two on the last bottle just to see what happens. It was effusive, opulent, and eminently enjoyable with Gaston Beef Stew.
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Did not decant. Inky color, Beautifully balanced with abundant black and deep red fruit, licorice, a grind of pepper, and beautifully integrated thick satiny tannins. Satisfying finish with no excessive heat. Perfect pairing for Easter.
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Got hold of half case at auction at a good rate. And WOW does this bugger show off. Basically agree with my previous note, wife didn't at all. Nose was strong with licorice, tar, industrial rubber, pepper, salvia and Oz Shiraz. Taste was amazingly strong and married the pig-fillet in every sense of the word. Next btl within this year. 3 hrs decant. At La Rochelle Akasaka w/Kosugi couple, '98 Musar and 2005 R. Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Ries Spätlese.
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Slow-O 2 hours, decanted for sediment and aerated 30 minutes. Cellared since release, this was in top form, with little sign of age. I enjoyed this slightly more than my new-world loving friend did, as this was in perfect balance, with excellent lift, great purity of fruit and (mostly) resolved tannins - my friend, he would have preferred to drink this immediately upon release. Nonetheless, I was quite happy with the performance as tn's of late seem to suggest that this is hit or miss at this stage. On the night, most enjoyable, and in a very good place, not likely to get better. 15,0% abv, recommended, drink thru 2016
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Very dark purple almost black in color. Nice nose nothing special. Jammy with dark fruits good tannic structure. 20 second finish. Screw top. I would drink this soon.
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The score is more representative of how this wine aligns with my preferences rather than its quality or undeniable appeal, at least on first sips. Based on this bottle, the delicious fruit is still solidly there and the wine had good acidity, but I couldn't get past the richness and heavy texture, as well as the heat on the finish.
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Decanted and drank over 4 hours. Haven't had this wine in a couple of years and it has smoothed out since then. A strong nose of black fruit, coffee, wood and a little alcohol. The palate matched with the addition of blue fruits. This is "jammy" but jammy with dark fruit vs. red fruit. It is nicely balanced, very full and rich in the mouth. Nice smooth texture that improved with time, but the flavors remained the same. Medium+ finish with a bit of alcohol.
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Opened and allowed to sit for 45 mins prior to drinking, over a 2+ hour period. Wife would give this a 91-92, I'll give it an 89 but the difference is more style than quality. I've just lost my affection for the jammy style of most Oz shiraz. Many layers of deep, jammy fruit with a spicy richness.
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Dark red, almost black --- Nose some cherry, elegant wood notes, some blueberry, unripe plum, some dark fruit, some vanilla --- Palate smooth, fresh, blueberry, ripe red cherries, nice wood notes --- Finishes on bitterness, fading fruit and ash.
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I drank this wine in a state of sheer delight, but sad that it was my last. A truly beautiful balanced wine with many years of rewarding drinking to come.
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Very new-wavy but developing some complexity after a half hour. Strong jammy nose, with black fruits, quite pruney, with some notes of tar and licorice. Nice match for a rare ribeye, but not really my idea of a pleasant all around wine.
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P&P. Took about an hour or so after opening to start gaining composure and got better throughout the evening. Very well made and impeccable balance. Unmistakably new world and full bodied, yet the fruit was well managed and nicely wrapped by very smooth tannins, complimented by the oak derived components. Delicious and I was yearning for more even after my 2nd glass. Truly an artistic new world Shiraz.
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pretty solid...generally non aussie fan...this had pretty good balance, decent acidity and solid mouthfeel. Complexity/secondary flavors were lacking a bit to give it a memorable personality but liked how fruit was component of the wine but not the only star... overall pretty solid.
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The hosts discretion @ my place (My house): This was really really good as well. Drank next to the Ode to E Syrah it had a though competition, but it still stood it's ground.
Rubber, mint, eucalyptus, strawberry with a hint of strawberry yogurt, loads of flowers, violet and loads of licorice (the raw material not the finished product).
Impressive QPR
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A lineup of top Aussie Shiraz (Charlie's Home): This is where I diverged with the group. Some found this bottle flawed. One person said slight TCA (I don't think so as I am pretty sensitive). One said oxidized (I am very insensitive to this), so perhaps. The fact that no one could agree on the "flaw" says something. I found it very good. It was easily the most mature and layered wine of the evening. Lou, who tends to like older wines, also liked this wine. The nose has black raspberries, some earthiness and a bit of cranberries. Also a really nice graphite note. Its layered and very smooth. Silky tannins. Black raspberry fruit and the only wine with no jammy qualities. It was clearly an outlier. Jeff K said it is not a typical bottle. I liked it and it was my WOTN. No worries.
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Black opaque color. Very intense and concentrated on the nose with aromas of ripe, black fruit and berries, black olives, iodine and licorice. Similar notes on the palate and very true to the full-throttle, powerhouse style. Still a bit tart on the finish, but it softened up very well after aerating it in a decanter for a couple of hours. So I imagine it will be a bit better in a couple of years.
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Its been a couple of years since I last had this wine but its tasting just as good. This is definitely is a big bold shiraz and I'm absolutely loving it. I'm not in the mood to describe all the nuances of color, aroma, and flavor tonight (its more or less consistent with my previous note), just want to relax and enjoy it for all its worth.
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Non-blind. Decanted 4.5 hrs. Insanely wonderful wine. Cathedralically monumental showing. Remained bashful on the nose, but there is much pedigree and darkness lurking and just slowly waking up. In the mouth, this is as close to perfect as I can even imagine. Perfect acids, perfect balance, perfect tannins, happy marriage to the food. Will buy on sight!
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Decanted for several hours. poured blind with five other wines for the tasting group. Though it was the most expensive, this wine came in fourth. Started out very nondescript, very little nose, subdued fruit. Started to pick up steam but never came together with the depth and focus you'd expect. Very surprising.
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No formal notes. Popped and poured. Little boozy at first on the nose but that blew off and it settled down with dark fruit notes and a smooth soft mouthfeel. Not over the top. Drink or hold. Very good. 89+
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Dark purple inky color with spice and berry on the nose. Drinking beautifully - smooth shiraz flavors with integrated tannins. Big fruit but not over the top. Matched well with Indian-style food - everyone at the table enjoyed it.
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Decanted 30 min and drank over the next 2. Huge wine, very rich and mouth-coating. Color is thick and black. Creamy texture, with absolutely delicious fruit, finishing with some nice mocha. Only a slight hint of oak (perfect) and hides its 15% ABV nicely. This is just amazingly well made. Need to find more of this!
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The best Mitolo GAM of the flight. Ripe, dense, with ample tannin and flavor. The aromatic profile was a bit lactic, but it performed very well overall.
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Opened and served right away. Deep purple colour. Nice nose of dark cherries, plums and spice with well integrated oak. Full bodied with jammy flavours of black fruits with a big, rich and smooth mouthfeel. While this is still clearly a big Aussie Shiraz, it’s not over the top at all and hides its 15% abv quite well. Tannins are fairly subdued and there’s a decent amount of acid keeping it lively. There isn’t a ton of development yet but I think this is just starting to enter its drinking window and should develop further into a really nice bottle of Shiraz. Drink now and over the next 5+ years. Excellent. 90+
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This has improved greatly since I last has it-it seems as if there's much more balance and elegance (and I loved it the first timeI had it :). Deep, inky purple color, and a wow! nose of dark fruits, spice, cinnamon and menthol. The Oz "big fruit" component was definitely present, but augmented by more spice, cocoa and anise. It surprised me how much I loved this bottle--I think it's in its perfect drinking window now. 94+
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Purple rim. Inky garnet, opaque body. Aromas of black cherry, blueberry, leather, earthiness, spice. Big, rich and explosive fruit. Tannins are overwhelmed by the fruit richness. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate, spice. Nice long and for the most part soft finish. Good acid. Paired well with roasted South Dakota pork chops, cooked with a dab of Cajun spice.
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Early Aug 2011: dark rubinred color; complex bouquet, each sniff different: started like an Islay Malt plus tar and cassis, then cherry, vanilla and sea air, later smoke, pepper, violets, chocolate, coffee and blackberry; red berries and sea salt on the palate; fine tannins; medium/full body; round texture.
The wine contained 15% alcohol, however it wasn’t noticed at all!
Was really stunned by this wine: simply gorgeous! Not sure if the Mitolo 2004 can even improve further and fear the aging potential isn’t very high.
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Showing a lot more development than the '05 right now and has more of a bright red tone to the colour. Excellent aromatics of bramble berry and pie spice. Rich but very elegant palette, nice and silky with bold flavour. If you're going to drink 'big' wines, than this is the perfect wine.
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Deep color up to the rim. Nose was a bit muted of fruit; alcohol dominated. Flavors of juicy blackberries. Had it with ribeye steak au poivre -- delicious!
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Beautifully integrated. Full of dark red & purple fruit. Great acidity that balances the fruit. Exceptionally easy to pair. A nice balance between old world body and new world fruit. Decanted about an hour before drinking.
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I will concur with the bulk of the masses on this one regarding score. This is one of the more balanced Shiraz I have had, since my first taste of Grange. This has nice dark purple color, good mid-weight viscosity, and a nose that fills the bowl of the glass completely. Really drinking well at this stage, and even given the weight, coats the palate with a persistent black cherry/dark berry, and chocolate overtone. The was some nice earthy mid-palate, and a trailing notes of anise on my palate. Really enjoyed this, and over 2-3 hours this just continued to open and become more enjoyable. Well Done!
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Tasted about 1 year ago, and this time, the wine was exhibiting nice smoky notes on the nose with some raspberry liquer and wood. The fruit seems to have faded considerably, and that is unfortunate as it has left behind only unintegrated oak and wood tannin. This wine has not come together at all, and was just too unbalanced from the beginning. Now without the monolithic fruit the wood has nothing to counter it, and there was never any acid to begin with. I liked this much better right out of the gate as an aussie fruit bomb. 50+5+12+12+4
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Aussie Tasting featuring Mitolo GAM (My Place): My wine of the Mitlolo flight and of the night. Blueberries, floral, coffee, and spices on the nose and palate. Very balanced wine and a long finish. Drink now or hold. Decanted 2 hours.
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Decanted one hour. Typical Ozzie fruit bomb, nose of blue fruits, licorice and star anise. Red fruits on the palate, with heavy tannins overpowering everything else. Not my thing.
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Aussie Shiraz with Mitolo GAM Vertical 2002-2005 (John's House): Purple black color. Nose is very earthy, meaty, blood, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, spices. The palate is deep and layered, very nice fruit, good tannic structure, excellent balance. excellent. My #3 WOTN. 93pts.
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Big, tons of dark fruit and a slightly meaty character. The tannins have integrated pretty nicely, but this bottle seemed sweeter to me than previous bottles, wobbling it a bit off balance for me.
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big fruit bomb (dark fruit and licorice) but tannins try to balance. Little too much of a struggle for me. Perhaps on an extremely cold night to stay warm? I think there is no rush to drink this and 4-5 more years may settle this wine down a little?
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Huge mutha!!! Give it at least an hour in glass. Ever evolving gob-stopper of a wine. Fruit is bright and intense but somehow balanced. Will wait another year for next bottle.
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I think this bottle is just over the hill. Drink soon if you have it. Still dark purple opaque with good nose and long finish. But it is not as smooth as the other bottles I had earlier. It is getting kind off balance. Early signs of oxidation.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Initial taste was quite tannic. After decanting it was excellent. Smooth tannins, tart black cherries, currants, deep purple colors, good acidity medium finish.
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Wow. The last 3 bottles I've rated a 92. Not this one. It was really hitting the spot tonight with rich, smooth fruit and very much in balance. I can see these holding for years but not getting any better. Not as good on the second day.
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Still a rich youthful purple, showing no sign of age.
The nose hints of blackberry liquer through the rich fruit, especially on swirling. It's also a little fumy, but not distractingly so. Some mocha sits in the background.
On the palate, it's big, rich somewhat velvety, yet with enough acidity to hold the excesses in check. A reasonably long slightly syrupy finish completes what is a bit of a show pony style, but suits food and mood tonight.
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My last bottle - well made, true to the style and to some extend an enjoyable wine but I am not sad! This was once one of my favorite Aussies but I guest my palate has chanced. This is far to alcohol driving on the nose and the finish to my taste. I tend to prefer the Aussie Rhone blends over the last couple of years because I think it adds more complexity and "edge" to wines.
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COLOR: Garnet purple w/light garnet rim NOTE: Nose isn't very expressive, but what I do get is a bit of heat at first, then some black cherry jam and a little toasted bread. Mouth is med-heavy weight with more black cherry jam, blackberry juice and a little tart pomagranate juice, then some tobacco. Finish is a touch tannic but still smooth, a little tart but in the red fruit spectrum, and then it sails off into a dark chocolate sunset. Not my style. I much preferred the 2005 even though the bottle was compromised! Also did a Vinturi + 1 hr sample and found it to be almost identical.
Opened w 45 min air in bottle. Dark, dark purple to the rim with the most wonderful blueberry nose, a little black cherry woven in. This wine has evolved nicely over the last year, the tannins well integrated but still a big mouth-coating wine. Black cherry & blueberry predominant w hints of anise & chocolate. Hard to believe a wine this good sits at such a low price-point. Still has years left and worth seeking out at auction.
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Second bottle on Father's Day. Decanted for 3-4 hours. Deep black, almost opaque. Nose of rich, fine imported chocolates dipped in black cherry. The richness of the black fruits and chocolate mellowed with a long, chilling, complex finish. Perfect composition of tannin and acidity at this time. One of the top shiraz bottles to date. Father-in-law ranked it right up there with Grange! Drink now or hold 10 more years.
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Very good well made Shiraz, very meaty, full bodied, bitter when first oepend, corked deeply stained, no tan showing through, developed in the glass over an hour or so and the bitterness faded, fruity. Nice heady bouquet too upon opening. I like and prefer these Aussie Shiraz somewhat over the Cali ones, but those are good but in a different way. The Aussie's are always full bodied, and structured, and the Cali ones very structured and softer.
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There are so many overripe, too sweet, way too jammy, too alcoholic shiraz wines out there. This is not one of them, and why I continue to buy this category. Very dark, smells of dark fruits. This wine is full bodied, focused, layered with bright acidity and polished tannins that compliment the fruity shiraz flavors of dark plums, blackberries, nutmeg, and cocoa that finish with some pepper. Drink now and over the next 10 years.
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Need to adjust my previous evaluation - aussie shadow has disappeared with aeration - fruit, spices and freshness much clearer and focused, alcohol integrated, tannins in harmony - apart from that stick with previous notes.
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Dark colour, dark cherry red --- Nose a bit alcoholic, red berries, plum, sandal-wood, pepper --- Mouthfeel silky accompanied by nice acidity, some minerality --- Palate mix of red fruit and plum, amarena cherry --- finishes long on minerality, hint of bark, earthiness. Questinoable qpr right now.
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Very nice. A shiraz for grown-ups. Dark ruby purple. Sure, it has plenty of fruit (blackerry, blueberry), but it is nicely balanced with peppery notes, acid, tannins and toasted oak. You can drink it now, but it can still age several more years.
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Another excellent showing. I continue to be amazed at the purity, freshness and overall balance of this wine, considering the large scale. Great stuff.
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This is a very nice, easy drinking Syrah. The wine is quite fruit forward with ripe tannins that blend incredibly well into the wine. The wine does seem rather one-dimensional, with the bouquet and palate lacking any of the meatiness, smoke, or earth that I want in my Syrah. 50+5+11+15+6
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2004 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M. CT tells me 15 are gone, 2 are left. One of those wines I couldn't keep my hands off, now I'm regretting it as its better than I remember. Dark like black coffee, nose still heralds the fruit of the shiraz, flavors haven't changed or tarnished just mellowed, you don't feel the tannins but you know they are there keeping the bouquet of mature fruit in check. This is why I buy Shiraz, I like this, 98pts
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Popped and poured. No time for the sediment to settle. Dark plum core with little fading at the rim. Cloudy, but probably due to agitation. Expressive nose of cedar, eucalyptus and black berry fruits. Smells plush. Full bodied and still very tannic. Alcohol is pronounced (15.0%). After some breathing time, settles into a nice dark berry fruit palate which also shows some mint and has a pleasing grip in the texture. 50+4+14+17+6
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Not my style, a bit too much alcohol, but not really excessive. This has a lot of fruit and adequate structure to deal with the alcohol. It is indeed luscious, and it was paired well with some Cajun cuisine at the Bon Ton Cafe.
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there is almost nothing to add here. i tend to agree with the comments of cadamson and sleepyhaus. yes, there are a number of aromata described in previous comments which are mostly translated through the palate, but after all it has a bit too much of everything (for example 15 Vol% Alc which makes me dizzy) and it lacks staying power. don't try the remains 'the morning after'. DRINK OR KEEP?????????
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Dark purple. Nice nose, big, like a blueberry/cherry pie with lots of cinnamon and all spice. Maybe a bit of bacon. Most of this comes through on the palate. Not jammy, very tasty, though a bit tiring after a small glass or two. Some dusty, gritty tannins on the finish. Decent acidity. Well made, certainly a crowd pleaser -- just a bit much on the fruit for my tastes. BTW, held up well over 3-4 days open.
Silky tannins and huge structure. Smoke, incense and coffee notes over huge amount of very ripe, plummy fruits, to the point of being slightly jammy. Some alcohol heat as well. This wine was not showing very well on this occasion.
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Unremarkable Aussie shiraz. Lots of EtOH on nose, my wife found it useful for clearing her clogged sinuses. Ripe, dense fruit- poster child for this genre. Will save future bottles for donation to school charity auction.
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Decided to try this on the strength of the reviews it has garnered here lately. I have to say that this is probably not my style. Dark purple lightened to garnet at the rim Starts exactly as you would expect with heady blackberry-boysenberry liqueur notes. Eventually picks up a touch of black olive, some tar, and a really nice fat piece of fried bacon which I love. [Downhill from there] Heavy in the glass, heavy in the mouth. Just can't handle more than one glass of this. Not enough energy or lift to carry it and bring you back to the glass, starts to feel like work. Feel buzzed by about glass 1.5, starts to feel like a headache shortly thereafter. I like this for one glass exactly, so if I had more I would open for a crowd, so everyone can oo and ah and the lack of staying power will never have to be known.
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After 4 hours in the decanter, this beauty is really singing - heady floral aromatics lead to impossibly deep tones of smoky blue/black fruit, espresso, spice and licorice on the endlessly long palate. Yes, this is Australian. Yes, this is wine on steroids. Yes, I love it. Just absolutely ravishing Shiraz. Sparky Marquis only wishes he could carry Ben Glaetzer's bags . . .
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What a great consistent Shiraz. 13 pages of CT notes with an average/median score of 93!!! Last tried 1-1/2 years ago. =ly as good tonight. Rich bouquet and flavors, but not over the top.
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A bit of smokiness ince popped, I mean twisted. This wine has mellowed inthe last few years. While there is still some heat on the finish, the cherries, plums and blackberries have intertwined into a great mixture of hedonistic fruit. Nice backbone. Makes me a believer that some of these Aussies can age.
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Superb!, saturate color, thick, viscous mouthfeel, perfect tannic grip & acidic cut, tangy fruit 2/citrus overtones, not efverly complex but damn tasty, plenthy life left
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Now this is an excellent example of a great Australian shiraz! Inky dark in appearance with a fragrant nose of forest fruits nicely integrated with vanilla spice. The flavors in this full-bodied wine is rich and powerful with generous amounts of blueberries, blackberries, sultanas, and coffee with some hints of eucalyptus framed in a sophisticated use of French oak. Its a big fruit-driven wine but certainly not over done. Definitely drinking great now and should continue to improve.
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poured one glass and decanted. dark purple, almost black. shy on the nose. strangely, the first glass had the best concentration and length. seemed a little soft with time. sweet dark fruits, blackberry and bitter chocolate. good length.
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As solid as they come in Australia. Spice and loads of jammy fruit. My palate has changed over the years, but Mitolo has to be at the top of my favorite Aussie wines.
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Deep purple in colour, the nose showed baked blackberries, liquorice and a hint of sweet vanilla. On the palate I found a full bodied, rich wine with opulent berry fruit, well integrated oak and fine grained tannins.
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Mitolo tasting with Frank Mitolo and Ben Glaetzer (Quince Restaurant, Toronto): The nose was fairly one-sided; it was Hershey bar, plain and simple. Dominated by milk chocolate and vanillin, with some plum and blueberry following far behind. On the palate, this was classically "huge" Aussie shiraz: round (almost spherical!), substantial residual sugar, an enormous palate-coating fruit-bomb that is more Barossa than McLaren Vale. There was an interesting interplay between the fruit, tannins and acidity: the latter were present and noticeable on the finish, but were subsumed entirely on the attack and midpalate by the generous amount of dark currant and blueberry flavours. The "Two Hands" of the tasting.
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Polished and generous, this is beautifully focused, plush and layered with cream, nutmeg, coca, blueberry pie, plum, espresso and currant flavors, which are backed by big round sleek tannins that let the finish roll on. An outstanding effort! (Best from 2009 through 2016) - JD95
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Perhaps my tastes are changing, but I'm just not into this wine any more. Hopefully an off bottle. Candied blueberry pie filling core, some green bell pepper and licorice finish. The fruit was heavy, and didn't seemed well integrate. I've had $20 Shiraz that were more enjoyable.
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Very nice shiraz. Good balance between fruit, acid and tannins. None of that heavy jammy taste that is too often present in hot weather wine. Opened slowly and would have benefited from an hour or so of decanting.
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Intense nose with load of fruit, licorice and small hints of vanilla behind all the fruit. The taste is also very fruity but mainly with the licorice dominating a little bit but basically melting all the flavours together. Black pepper and some sweetness is also coming through the entirety of the taste profile but not in an overripe way. Mid-palate is filled with dark chocolate that turn to the bitter kind in the aftertaste. Full body and very long.. Very nice definition. A very nice and well-rounded Shiraz. Well worth the praise and it has still many years ahead of it.
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Fun-filled way to start Aug: Was better when first opened with dark forested black fruits, cassis laced and roasted mocha beans and interesting salty caramel at the end. The next day , this had an awkward pungence of nose piercing floral / white pepper powder aromas with reductive dark soy sauce notes showing. However, does become more milo chocolate drink flavoured. Scoring is average overtwo days.
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Quite impressed with this. I've had a few GAMs and always thought them over-rated, but this shows real completeness and elegance. It has big structure but is not overbearing. A shiraz to win over non-believers.
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Decanted, air for aprox 10 min then drunk: Dark young in appearance with Cassis and blackberries on the nose, vanilla and coffee. Expected more on the palate with red fruits, blackberries and well integrated tannins. Quite a bit of heat (15% alcohol) which in my opinion lowered the score.
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Opened, 60 minutes in decanter before pouring. Dark, inky purple to the edge. Amazing nose of dark berries. Black cherry, berries and more berries on the palate - esp blueberries. Wow! Big full wine but very well integrated and a long finish. Surprising mid-palate given how boldly the wine begins in the mouth.
I continue to believe that the Mitolo GAM is one of the best Shiraz values for the price and while the '04 GAM does not seem to be as complex & deep as the previous 6-7 vintages I would search out the '02-05 as very nice examples of great Aussie wine...
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Wineflock - Scott M. Aussie Intro/Retro (Ken's): Group #4, My #3 - This wine continues on its upward trajectory, even if it isn't as good as the 03. Full opaque black color. Big full nose of blackberry cassis liquer. Shot full of black cherry fruit liquer with a bit of sweet and a long finish.
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Rich, sweet plum fruit on the nose with a hint of game. Inky, almost purple-black in color. Gobs of candied cherry and raspeberry fruit with a touch of herbs and hint of anise. Very smooth, with a velvety texture. Very pure and focused but offers more than it seems at first glance. There is some structure here.
full-flavored, concentrated Shiraz. Its gorgeous perfume of blueberries, blackberries, camphor, licorice, and pain grille is followed by an inky/blue/purple-colored wine offering superb purity, full-bodied richness, and gorgeous depth as well as texture. This fabulous effort is another example of Ben Glaetzer’s brilliant talents. It should drink well for 15 years. For a winery only established in 1999, and dedicated to hand-crafted, artisinal wines, Mitolo has consistently been a revelation in my tastings. Thanks to owner Frank Mitolo and his brilliant winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, the quality has been truly splendid.
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This bottle might have been a bitt off, yet was still very good. Normally, this wine delivers even more, which is why it didn't score 94 or better. Velvety tannins and juicy red raspberry and black cherry flavors.
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Good deep, smokey, cherry nose, hints of vanilla and sweet phenol. Chocolate, fir tree, raspberry flavors. Tannins are very moderate, anise, underbrush. Good juice.
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I just love this wine. Popped and poured at the end of my annual office outing after a round of golf. We drank this with assorted heavy hors d'oeuvres like duck and hoisin in pancakes (not technically a Peking Duck), baby lamb chops, fresh roast turkey and fajitas. Pepper spice, cherry and blueberry palate with some roast meat and almost chocolate, great mouth feel, very long finish, dark color. Drinks very well with the pseudo-peking duck. Something about the hoisin sauce seems to work well. I can't say this is my regular go to wine because it's a bit too costly for that but my case of 2003 and case of 2004 are dwindling faster than a lot of other stuff I own.
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Decanted 3 hours. Purple core with very perfumed nose of black and red fruits and flowers. On the palate, the depth of this wine really shows through with roasted plum, blueberry pie and vanilla. Moderate acidity, full body and very fine-grained tannins will keep this drinking well for the next 8-10 yrs, approx $40, 15% abv
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Dark brooding liquor and sweet blackberry notes. Very nice stuff. Long and succulent with medium acidity. Would pair well with steak or on its own. Very modern and extracted.91+
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Aromas of scorched earth and meaty notes. Enjoyable - lots of dark fruit and berry flavors. Slightly tannic, this wine will stand strong for years to come...
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Decanted 2 hours. Black/red. Blackberries, got a hint of roasted meats on nose. Licorice, dense, intense, sweet berry flavors. The excessive acidity of this wine was distracting, and worsened with time. A bit disappointing given this wine's stellar reviews
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2 hours in the decanter. Picked up many of same notes as previous but found it a bit too alcoholic this time. Think I overscored it a bit the last time - still a lovely wine but to me this bottle was "only" a 92-pointer.
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Respi-aerate into decanter, immediate serve. Much to my surprise, the bouquet was rather restrained compared to prior notes - relatively faint blackberry, tar, faint flowers, earth, and a little meatiness. However it more than made up for it in taste, firing on every last cylinder with huge rich blackberry, earth and spice. This was every bit as big as the '05 Turley Earthquake Zin that preceded it, but the consensus around the table was that it was even better because of the layers of flavors and complexity it showed on the palate. This wine seems to be holding together very well, but was not able to judge by extended air time because we consumed it so quickly during dinner. One bottle left, and I'll be sad when it's gone.
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Not what I was expecting. This is way too forward and fruit loaded for my taste. Perhaps it needs a few more years to settle down but I didn't get the layers of flavour just a fruit bomb.
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Wow! An alluring nose with complex blend of ripe berries, liqorice, incense, cedar, anise star and leather, backed by silky tannins and a good structure for further aging. The acid stands out a little too much at this point and I would leave my other bottles alone for a while.
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No formal notes taken. Nose: Blackberry aromas and some mineral. Palate: Blackberry flavors with smooth tannins. This is yielding more than the last bottle but is still restrained. Perhaps this '04' will never be as upfront as '05', nonetheless a well balanced and pleasant drink.
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Decanted for an hour, really took 3-4 to open up fully. Cherry, cedar, spices, liqorice on the nose, quite intriguing. Super rich cherry/plum palate, not over the top but I would not say nuanced… well hidden alchohol and good acidity to accompany the oil poached fillets. Very good finish, long and focused. Quite nice. 97? Not for me.
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This was another great bottle of the G.A.M. Big blackberry aromas and flavors with violet, cassis, and smoky, peppery brown spices. Adds a note of anise on the finish. Still got some nice structure going on. Over time, it seems to be showing more balance, though it hasn't been as mindblowing as the first bottles enjoyed in 2006. 93-94.
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Dark, dark ruby in color. Delicious wow nose. Creamy rich black fruit, herbs and toast. Rich and opulent on the palate with mouth-coating fruits. For all its size and richness, shows poise and balance. Long finish. Terrific with a very high delicious factor.
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Wineflock - Wow wines (Nanda's): Group #4, My #5 - Opaque black color with red edges. Medium bright warm black fruit nose. Nice big mouthful of juicy black fruit - nice and round with some sweetness. This wine seems to have filled out nicely in the past couple years.
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Deep purple color, a bit sweet and fruity, smooth mouth feel, mocha, cinnamon and pleasant tannins, good aftertaste, a mature wine, right time to drink now.
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Deep rich purple fruit, violets and mocha on the nose. Luscious mouth feel. Rich blackberry compote, mint, mocha, and cinnamon spice on the palate. Background of kalbi beef.
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Great shiraz. Just this side of too much. Big, sweet, round tannins and pure fruit. Love the anxiety free screw cap on this kind of wine. A sure fire crowd pleaser for red meat.
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Lots of power but also complexity. Licorice, dark chocolate, blackberries and prunes. Thick! I don't really like this type of wine. But still I*m impressed.
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Sunday night bottle. Dark in the glass, of course. Very pretty, nice and complex. Still, high quality juice, very dense but has a nice beam of acidity, sort of a sweet acidity, to carry its dark berry and vanilla flavors and aromas.
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Beautifully elegant. A real finesse wine--good structure--not your typical Aussie fruit bomb. I agree that if it was just a touch more unctuous it would easily be 95+.
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Didn't pay much attention to this (served with roast lamb main course for dinner with friends). And it didn't seem to demand any. Good, but not show stopping. (later) Looked at the tasting notes and was shocked by the accolades. Clearly I missed something? But this struck me as gobs of fruit, all forward without much complexity. Will pay closer attention next time (I bought two), see if I did miss anything...
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Rich dried cherry and blackberry compote with roasted, meaty notes on the nose. Nice, but not as nice as I know it can be. But it's pretty close to G.A.M. par in the mouth and especially on the finish. A phenomenal, sweet, spicy finish. Hold on ... after an hour in the air, this starts firing on all cylinders... Needs at least an hour, probably two, in the decanter. Mid-range performance for this really outstanding wine.
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Awesome like the past bottles. Amazingly this wine delivers tons of deep concentrated fruits with unbelievable depth and complexity, with a long, lucious finish. I wish all $50 wines were this good.
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No decant so initially muted on nose and palate; after 20-30 min really began to open up with beautiful deep black fruit and licorice on nose and structured palate. Very well balanced wine; no alcoholic heat or overbearing american oak. Drinking well now but will be interesting to see how it ages. Really like Ben Glaetzer's wines.
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Silky smooth wine with excellent structure and balance. Not overblown at all, in fact was more of a finesse wine. May have been a bit muted as it was a pop and pour.
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Not really my style, but if you're into big fruit this one is pretty amazing. Huge aromas and flavors of prunes and dark berries. Almost port-like intensity. Great balance, very smooth. Lots of life left.
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Dark fruit flavors, with more reductive fruit than expected, such as prune and plum notes. But a very smooth wine with a long finish. Enough acidity and tannins to keep it balanced, but not what I would call complex or elegant. A little too much fruit and not enough offsetting tannin or acid for me to get excited, but a nice example of the big Aussie style.
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Heady fragrance - enough to fill the room out of wide glasses twelve feet away. Exceptional depth and layering with fruit and now a little tar in the background. Always excellent.
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Consistently outstanding, smooth, and elegant. Everybody loved it and it disappeared quickly. Bouquet was fabulous as with previous bottles, but the fruit had slightly less horsepower than the last bottle. Not that it was fading or oxidized, but I felt like it might had done a little better if the decant time had been more like 30 minutes prior to the party instead of 2.5 hours. This showing also suffered relative to the 2002 Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz we opened immediately afterward.
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Hazy notes. Much better than a previous bottle. No blueberry milkshake here; this wine has serious structure. Very concentrated stuff, but not OTT. Can't remember the flour profile, as it was rather late in the evening! But the wine shone quite easily, and it was quite enjoyable.92
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After previous bottles that were fantastic this one was just nice. Perhaps it has closed down for a bit? Subdued nose...very nice fruit flavors, but they just didn't pop.
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Polished obsidian with purple and red at the edges and extremely viscous legs. Nose of plums and boysenberries. Lighter than it looks, this one is very light on its feet with a midpalate of blackberries and a lingering finish that goes on and on. If this were a little more unctuous it could be a nearly perfect wine. As it is, quite delicious. (Note: bottled faded pretty significantly by the second day)
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DISCLAIMER: Along with still being pretty new at drinking "real" wines, we opened this bottle to celebrate completing the bar exam. So if these notes come off as a little jubilant, they are.
I'm sure this isn't the best wine I've ever had, but I think it may be the best I've ever purchased. Incredible color, for starters. The kind of color that lets you know that you're about to drink a serious wine. So much going on on the nose: red fruit (dark cherries leading the way), sugar cane, some hints of coffee (maybe mocha), and and awesome cinnamon kick. On the palate this thing is juicy, but elegant and extremely balanced. The cherries are still there, now joined with some pomegranate (especially on the finish). On the tail end, there's an incredible sense of cinnamon roll - the part in the middle where some of the cinnamon doesn't quite melt. The wine finishes dry, but not abruptly. In fact, the finish lingers on for what seems like forever. Really a great wine and a great way to finish off a murderous two months.
Normally this kind of wine is above our price range, but I would call this a value at around $50.
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Opened and decanted for 4 hours prior to dinner. This wine is a blood red wine that leads to a ruby edge out near the rim of the glass. In the nose there are scents of beets, vanilla, butterscotch, black cherries, black plums, cinnamon, and spices. In the mouth it's a full bodied monster that crawls across the palate filling every crevasse and nook like a heavy mink blanket as flavors of cherry, spice, plum, blueberries, and bakers chocolate race down the gullet. This is an outstanding wine that deserves another 2-3 years in the cellar before it will fully blossom. If you have to open this now I would decant this for a minimum of four hours.
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This was really beautiful, with a nose of black cherry, cedar, and exotic spices. A powerful mouthful of blackberry and cherry, with mocha and licorice complexity. No heat at all, with very fine tannins. It's drinking great.
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Decanted for 3 hours before beginning consumption. Impressive smoky nose initially, showcasing ripe raspberry fruit, vanilla, graphite, and mint. Huge in the mouth at first, with borderline harsh tannins dominating the close. This was simply a pleasurable experience! It certainly settled down with time, evolving into a more a lush, smooth texture in the mouth, but never without a noticable annoying presence of alcohol. Less chocolately than the Reiver. It is also hard to tell how well these wines will age, but overall, this was enjoyed by all tonight!
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The color is pitch black and the texture is thick. On the nose is leather and black currant which is echoed in the palate which is clean and powerful. A slight bite in the back indicating agein potential. Long warm aftertaste. Exellent wine. Drink or keep.
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This wine is hot, un balanced and disjointed. Granted it has a ton of fruit, but it is impossible to see why The Wine Advocate would ever annoit it 97 points. I stopped buying Aussie Shirazes a couple of years now and this reminds me why.
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Boy, has this fallen far from grace. We all loved this the last time we had it, so decided to serve on my Dad's 60th birthday. Opened 30 minutes prior to drinking, but did not decant. Drank over 2 hours. I think the wine is evolving, and you need to let it sit a while. There was none of the great up-front fruit from its youth. But there aren't many secondary nuances either. It seemed awkward. Some notes of blackberry and blueberry, with vanilla and oak. But there are some slight notes of leather. Just seemed 'off'. Disappointing. 87-89 points.
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Two hours in the decanter - excellent. The last bottle I had must have been flawed. Great nose, with a very nice structure in the mouth. Good balance and a medium-long finish.
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Aerate decant and sit for 2 hours. This is simply outstanding Shiraz deserving of its score and showed even better than the bottle we had a few weeks ago, so I have bumped it two points, one for bouquet and one for flavor profile. Beautiful and generous nose of blackberries, black currant, graphite, pepper, and a bit of mint. Deep black and red fruits more prominent than last bottle, balanced and complex throughout, and a long juicy finish of about 40 seconds. An interesting head to head next to an '04 Two Hands Bad Impersonator, which was certainly big and juicy and moderately complex, but definitely did not have the additional layers, the balance (clearly more forward), or elegance of the GAM, and the finish was somewhat shorter.
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Not what I remembered from past bottles. Drank the first ounce before pouring into the decanter, where it sat for two hours. My impression from the first taste was that it might have been cooked, but it mellowed somewhat in the decanter... still, it was just plain blunt compared to what I remember from my last bottle in March, 2006.
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Decant and let sit covered for about five hours. Surprised myself, because despite being a staunch advocate of aeration, I wonder in retrospect that was the right thing. Color deep magenta. First nose of blackberries, charcoal, graphite, and a bit of white pepper, but still a rather soft/restrained compared to the last bottle of about two years ago. On the attack through mid-palate, beautiful mouth-coating blackberries and cherries, finishing with red currants adding refreshing acidity and silky soft tannins. Remarkably, not a lot of pepper or other spice, such that I might be fooled into thinking this was something else if I were drinking this blind. Overall, this wine is a paradox in that the fruit does not seem to have the power I once remember, but on the other hand the fruit is still very concentrated and it did not seem at all faded or falling apart as we have seen MANY times with mildly aged Oz fruit bombs -- and it remained completely intact over another 4 hours of sipping. What this wine does (still) offer is the same elegance and smoothness in spades. I agree with others in that this is not a 97, but is excellent and definitely worth every peeny. Next bottle will decant about an hour, and hopefully will capture more raw shiraz elements in the bouquet as it opens up.
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I believe there's been a marked transition for this wine. Upon release it was bursting with vitality, bright fruit and glycerin. Now, the tannins, prunish flavours and leather predominate. It is still a lovely wine, but not the incredible cataphony of flavours it was several years ago. Will those beautiful flavours return with more age? I can't say, but I rather doubt it.
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Pamela Anderson bottled. A "must have" wine. It is not the big story of structure and a fine layered wine. This is a story about massive fruit, tanine and - beside - huge tasty.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Almost black colour. Smooooth and fuld bodied, massive fruit of black currant, earth, leather, cedar and a little liquorice. Still good soft tannins to balance this heavy wine, long lovely finish. Tried it a few years ago and it's still very vital but drink it within the next few years. Classic aussie - Great stuff!!
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Having a number of these in our 'cellar', we've had this a few times in the past, usually an excellent wine. This was somewhat of a letdown, lacked the punch of the previous ones. The finish was typically long, but typical flavors of this wine die early in that finish. Most likely an "off" bottle.
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Another excellent bottle. This is one of my all time favorite wines. Tons of deep concentrated fruit, lots of complexity and great balance. For a wine under $50 this is nirvana.
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Double decanted for one hour; enjoyed with exceptional burgers at Luka's. Perfectly round and smooth. Dense but balanced and not overwhelming. Hides its alcohol. A sheer pleasure. Bouquet to match.
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Color:Dark deep red Nose: Berries, a hint of liquorice, deep Palate: Full bodied, berries, soft tannins, mouthfilling? long
This is no doubt the best aussie I've had, but still I expected a bit more complex and uniguenes. It's one of the best wines you can get for 35-40euros.
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Had it after a great bottle of 1993 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon. Wow, very nice! Served double-blind. Clearly an Aussie wine. I could have sworn that it is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz cuvee. Very Syrah like fruit, but also a Cabernet Sauvignon like spicebox/cedar aroma. Very open, very ripe with lots of complexity, great mouth feel, very long finish. The tannin structure shows its youth, but is not disturbing at all. Very enjoyable to drink right now.
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Another cracker - deep purple in colou and showing dark, jammu red fruit on the nose. The palate is rich and full with white pepper, spice, cherry and well integrated oak.
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Popped and pured at the end of a night - I shouldn't learned by now! - this was very closed right now. But nice balance, some gamy notes, and some tannins made this not ready for such treatment. Decant if you want to try one now!
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Excellent bottle of wine. A solid front of blended fruit and spice. I don't like this as much as I did when it was first released and full of glycerin, but this is evolving into a more complex, interesting wine.
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Pop and poured. This bottle wasn't as impressive as the last one I had about 9 months ago. The nose was very subdued and the palate seemed very one dimensional and possibly closed down. In any case the wine was not in a good place right now and with another 4 bottles in the cellar I hope it regains some life.
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Deep crimson/inky purple; vanilla, blackberries, black currants, wet earth, smoked meat; ripe berry, lush, creamy, full body, beautiful balance, firm ripe tannins, lingering finish. Decanted 3 hrs. Wow! Layers of ripe fruit beautifully balanced with the 15% alc. and velvety tannins. Approachable now but some structure for aging. Why aren't more Aussie shirazes like this?
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Having consumed fourty bottles of this since it's release I'm convinced it was bigger, better and brighter when first released. If and when it will approach the flavours it held when it became available as it ages I don't know. Australian Shiraz are huge and for immediate gratification. They don't often get better with age. Still, this is a very good wine.
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Wow!! Drank with a Bleu Cheese topped filet. Maybe not the right combination as I finished the wine but not the steak. This stuff is good, can't wait for the next bottle. Extremely smooth on finish, with fruit blasting on the front end. Smell is a little hot, but a fantastic bottle of wine. Wished there were only two of us at dinner, not the four we had.
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Had it with shiraz braised lamb shoulder. Penetrating nose of blueberry, dark fruit and mint. Very extracted, sweet cherry and smooth mouth feel. Not over-done or heavy. Better than the 2005.
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This bottle didn't hold up to prior tastings. Still with the classic McLaren Shiraz profile, but had a green bell pepper component and a little bitterness to the finish. Will not rate (off bottle?)
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This was very closed at first opening. Bitter and no fruit whatsoever. I was wondering if it was damaged somehow in transport from the seller. I decanted for over an hour, and at that time it began to blossom. After 2 hours, it got really good. Classic AU shiraz, smooth and precise. Nice that it turned out so good.
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Outstanding wine. Layers of rich, berry flavor, as well as a touch of licorice. Just a little bit tight, the wine opened in the glass (did not decant, but opened the bottle 2 hours before dinner (rib roast) and poured wine glasses 30 minutes before dinner). This wine should soften a bit more with age, but is fantastic now.
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Having enjoyed this wine over 20 times I'm absolutely convinced that it was more vibrant, more impactful when it was first released. I believe it's going through a transformation now with deeper plumb and cigar box flavours. Will it end up better or worse? We don't know, but there is definately enough tannins here to see it through to the end of it's journey.
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Deep purple in colour, this wine shows dark fruit, especially plum, on the nose. The palate is deep and dark - showing spice, dried fruit and cigar box characters. Very nice.
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Spectacular. It doesn't get much better than this. Classic Mclaren Vale. Black fruit and loads of complexity. Wonderful mouthfeel and seemless tannins. After about three hours in the decanter it really came to life. I have had this wine in three occasions and not once has it dissappointed me. Buy it and drink it. How the Aussies make this kind of quality and charge the prices they charge is a mystery. A California wine of this caliber would cost three times as much. Enjoy it while it lasts.
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Somewhat closed when it first got into the glass. After about an hour this wine started to sing. Really textbook McLaren Vale. Big gutsy style wine with loads of black fruit and spice with a hint of salinity. Delicious stuff. Looking forward to the second half of the bottle tonight.
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Incredibly lush wine and well integrated. As my wife put it, "so easy to drink" and I agree. On the nose, fresh blueberry pie, some scorched earth and faint violets. Seamless now, decanted and consumed over 3 hours. Did not detect any heat, but could feel it when we were done. Definitely opened up as over the course of time. I could see this wine improving, but it is so good now.
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Tastes like the fruit was overripe and I found this full-on, but unimpressive and imbalanced. I'd enjoyed earlier vintages but this was a big disappointment.
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Inky black with dark purple rim. Potent floral nose with notes of blackberries, smoky meats and anise. Still a little bit of alcohol on the nose but not unpleasant. Huge, viscous mouthfeel without feeling too heavy. Plum, mint and licorice with a peppery aftertaste. Quite tannic, but again, not unpleasant. This wine will age very well. Great balance on the long finish with some very interesting secondary characteristics. Good depth and a great value. Excellent, intriguing wine.
40+5+5+18+18+8=94
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Served this with hickory smoked prime rib roast. Inky black with violet rim. Opened, but not decanted, 45 minutes prior to consuming. Beautiful mouthfeel here. Very rich, almost creamy. Notes of blueberry and blackberry all supported by vanilla and spice. I just couldn't get over how smooth this was on the palate... almost like velvet. This is a big, in-your-face Aussie shiraz with beautiful dark fruits and a nice 30 second finish. Again, I don't see how this is 97 points... but it is still a beautiful wine. I don't see any reason to hold on any longer. The tannins are well integrated, and there is still loads of syrupy dark fruits to enjoy. 92-94 points.
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No notes taken, but I recall that I enjoyed this much more than expected. It was packed with lush fruit but wasn't over the top with the oak treatment.
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WOW. I had one last year and it was just too new and tight. What a difference. Popped and poured at 5:00 at a meeting with our Rabbi, which is relevant as you will see later. This is not a perfect wine, but it is an extraordinary wine. The balance is perfect and the alcohol level at 15% is not noticeable. I had an Italian pinot at 12.5% later in the evening that both tasted and smelled more alcoholic. Very rounded and velvety mouth feel. Beautiful dark color. Spice and chocolate and red fruit aroma. Red fruit and some pepper on the palate. More spice as the hour continued. A tad of sweetness from the fruit, although the RS is probably zero. A tiny bit of toasty woodiness but just to add complexity without being obtrusive. My rating system is simple. As I explained to the Rabbi, in a very Kabbalist sense, in order for a wine to score more than 95 points, your response to it has to be so positive that it affirms a belief in a supreme being because the mere hands of man could not have made this wine. 95 points is reserved for the extraordinary wine that just doesn't quite reach that spiritual level. That's what this one deserves. I have 10 more that I will spread out over the next 5-10 years. Perhaps its development will get it to the over 95 point territory.
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Inky purple to black in color with an effervescent fragrance of violets, black fruit, meat, smoke, licorice and grapefruits. Forward yet layered and complex. Palate has juicy and rich black fruits. Tremendous depth on the mid palate that is rich and concentrated but showing cut and a lifted personality. Impressively flavorful and long finish. (4+14+18+8=94).
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Gorgeous inky purple color. Drank after opening for 1 hr. Hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper on the palate, I think this will evolve into something special over the next 5 to 10 years. Built for the long haul. Well integrated, long complex finish.
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Decanted 30 mins. Inky red. Super shiraz nose. Lovely ozzy fuittbomb shiraz with 30 second plus finish. Even better on day 2. Will get better and better, but very enjoyable now.
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Decanted 3hrs. Gorgeous inky purple colour. Nose was very restrained. Stunning wine that certainly benefited from decanting (could have done with another few hours I reckon). Hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper on the palate, I think this will evolve into something special over the next 5 to 10 years. Built for the long haul.
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Started with some tomatoes to open the palate. The initial impression was spicy licorice with a tobacco bite and some cherry. A deep and rich wine. After an hour and taken with pasta, the cherry dominates.
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Noticing in this bottle that it's really not drinking as well as the phenomenal wine I enjoyed in the past (when it was one of my personal top 3 wines of 2006). On this occasion is was just relatively closed on the nose and too tightly wound in the staggeringly dense palate. Also noticing that CT scores are trending lower than a year ago, and we're starting to see notes that it's closed up. I think I'd agree that it's time to leave this one alone in the cellar for while. I think I'd give this bottle experience a 90-91, and wait in anticipation to open the rest a few years down the road. Probably time to try the '05 if that wine is going to take the same path.
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Wow! This was pretty impressive stuff. Yes it’s worth the Parker points. Deep dark in color. Shortly after decanting, it was rough edged and awkwardly balanced, kind of like one of the Carlisles. The nose was cherries and currants with wet stone. As the evening progressed, it really started to come together. Great power and depth. I sure am looking forward to the others, fo-sho!
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Big fat syrah nose, blueberry and floral, with some coffee, earthy, dark fruit coming out, especially over time . This is not a HUGE syrupy Aussie shiraz. Very complex and seems even a bit restrained right now. For as intriguing as the nose is, it is just slightly short on the palate. Definitely very good, but maybe not quite up the the 97 Parker gave it.
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a beautiful big syrah (this one from screw cap- i have a couple of each)- not an ooze monster- nice texture, big blueberry sherbet and big sweet tannins, licorice, tar, a certain minerality, nice balance, little or no heat. with pan roasted duck breast, a lingonberry port reduction, yams pan fried in the duck fat and brocollini... nice pairing!
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More Bordeaux-like in character than previous bottle: dense, rich, integrated, not as boisterous as before but very complex. In addition to the black fruit and berry characters, there were notes of chocolate and even a ripe or candied orange. Beautiful wine, but not showing its best. Better the second day.
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I agree with other notes. Massive fruit explosion, complex cascade of red and dark fruits with chocolate, pepper finish. Great wine. Drinking well now. I don't know if it will or can improve over time. I doubt I'll have the patience to find out.
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For whatever reason, either my tastebuds or the wine seemed closed down tonight. I'm wondering now if this 2004 is starting to do that and will open down the road. Will be interested in other thoughts on this.
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Good but not quite as good as I expected. Very closed out of the bottle, but was showing nice fruit with some chocolate after three hours in the decanter. Fairly subdued nose. Big but not super big. Very pleasant but not spectacular.
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Out of this world fruit with great complexity. I normally don't drink a lot of Shiraz but so far the best Shiraz I've tasted. Did not decant but bottle was opened around 2 hours before I tasted. Looking forward to trying out other '04 Australian Shiraz from the McLaren Vale appellation.
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Dinner at Turnberry CC (Turnberry CC, NW Suburbs Chicago): Killer stuff. This wine continues to amaze me. Very deep and complex as with the other bottles. Deeply extracted fruit and great balance with a finish that doesn't quit. Very hedonistic. Love this stuff.
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This wine is a 88 after 4 hours of air...it needs a couple of days to open. That simple. After 2 days it's much, much better...it has integrated tar, pine, blue fruit, vanilla, spice, cream, and dusty tannins. Thick...but not a milkshake. Not wacko fruit either. Very long finish.
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Took the bottle to a restaurant with friends. Did not decant. I was disappointed. Thin with little fruit. I will chalk this up to lack of decanting. Next bottle I will decant for at least a couple of hours.
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I really can't share the opinions that the nose is closed right after popping the cork. A lot of red and dark berries were all over the place. On the palate it was very powerful with a nice and long finish. After some while in the decanter, the palate became more generous and complex. More vanilla, chocolate and some fig. The really outstanding thing about this Shiraz is, that it has a Bordeaux-like elegance and complexity and not only the typical powerful fruitbomb style. Thank god it didn't close down after a while in the decanter... I thought so, because of so many people telling it is way too young. Maybe I was lucky with this specific bottle. Don't get me wrong: I'm sure it gets better with age, but it is totally enjoyable right now. Nevertheless I don't think it will ever evolve to the 97 points Parker gave it.
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Drank the first half of this yesterday eve, and was forced to abandon the effort and resume tonight. The first half was predictably excellent with the usual integrated powerhouse. 24 hours later it is still powerful, but with more bordeaux like flavors of leather, smoke and deep fruits. A hint of what aging might accomplish? Oh, what the heck, with this wine why wait!
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Deep, dense purple. Smokey, toasty nose although somewhat reticent. Round entry, with huge fruit, smooth tannins, and nice balance. This is really well made, to keep the big fruit from getting jammy while having the tannins in check. I think RP over-rates a bit but this is really nice 5+12+17+10.
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Slow to open at this time. Developed more complexity, but still showed the concentration and deep red fruits and mild jam as it has in the past. I'll wait on the rest of them for a few years to see how they develop. I suspect in 5 years, this will be something quite amazing.
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Lots of Oak right now which dominates it slightly. But this is going to be something special in a couple of yrs. It actually is already. The vanilla from the french Oak (18 months) is quite evident and Heady. There is excellent fruit concentration as well (Teeth staining). This wine is a 95ish wine now and will surpass 97? in a couple of yrs. This enters my inner circle of great shiraze's.
Update: After trying alot of other Shiraz's this is pretty close to the top.
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bohemian grove no notes. popped, poured and guzzled. couldve used some air... certainly large, but showing rather one dimensional - most likely (at least partially) due to the lack of air today.
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Very dark and young (94-91) Red rim; Nose:rich, spicey, dark fruit. Very big. Moutfeel is very soft and rich. Palate has lighter fruits of red currants, raspberries and cherries. Lynn said it was more like a grenache. After a few hours it was getting more lively in the mouth. It was gangly and not integrated (yet?) Not as good as I would have expected.
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Inky bluish/black in color. Decanted with an aerating funnel for 1 hour. Nose of dark berries... blackberries, but mostly blueberries. I get a slight hint of butter on the nose. Sweet vanilla and oak, with a hint of toast. Very stong tannins, as this was definitely the wrong choice for a prime, dry-aged filet mignon. I hoping this improves with more time in the bottle. Very nice, but no way a 97 pointer... at least not yet. 91-93 points.
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Color is blue black...an inky monster. Nose shows blueberry/blackberry, creosote, and smoke. On the palate, there are thick black and blue fruit, tar, a roasted characteristic, and a bit of heat. Significant tannins are noticable. The wine did improve over 6 hours in a wide-bottomed decanter.
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Decanted one hour, not as good as the prior bottle. This definitely needs more time in a decanter (it had six hours last time when I rated it 95). Tannins are harsher, and the fruit much more muted.
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Deep purple in colour with a dense, black centre. I didn't decant this before drinking, but probably should have left it for a good couple of hours. The nose showed plummy fruit and a hint of blackberries. On the palate I found a dense, rich, opulent wine with good acid and tannin. Dominated by spice, fruit and vanilla this wine is sure to improve.
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Opened a bottle of Mitolo GAM 2004 with slowly smoked, slightly spicy baby back ribs tonight. Good combination if the slightly sweeter BBQ sauce condiment was used. Wine was massive blackberry/blueberry jam showing real sweetness (even before eating). Under normal circumstances, not to my palate but it matched the food well.
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Violet/ruby color with a black center. We let this one decant for about an hour before drinking. On the nose, blackberries and plums with vanilla and a touch of cocoa; the toasty oakiness isn't quite integrated yet. On the palate this shows off as silky smooth, almost viscous, deep extraction, with a mouth-coating, endless finish of tart fruit and spice. I think this one needs some time to really shine at its full potential -- it's still very primary.
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Decanted for 4 hours. Aromas of blackberries & hot blueberry pie. This wine seems very temperature sensitive. Above 60 degrees, the alcohol really shows itself-in the aromas and on the palate. Very hot. Tannins were a little sharp at the beginning of tasting, but rounded out very nicely with a little swirling in the glass (I'm sure the long decant time helped with this). Very balanced, smooth wine. Finish was medium length 30-40 seconds. Was very good with a steak dinner. This was excellent...but I was expecting more from my first tast of this Parker-97 pt. wine.
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Atlanta Off-line featuring otisabdul (The High Life Restaurant - Atlanta, GA): Decanted 1 ½ hr’s. Blueberry pie nose and eucalyptus flavors more prominent this tasting in contrast to the ’03 Martenelli Zio. A bit closed this time due to less decant time, but otherwise, my notes are consistent with previous ones.
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Two remarkable things about this wine: First, the quantity and quality of flavors which it brings forth. Second, the length of time those flavors evolve in your mouth. This was happening a full minute after tasting. Definately needs more time, but for a big wine like this it drank very well this young. Now I'm on a search for more...
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Decanted for an hour before drinking. Beautiful nose with classic black pepper and blackberry, with full floral notes and licorice. Just love smelling it. Huge mouthfilling texture, bursting with berries (both ripe, fresh berries, and jammy berry flavors) and brown spices, esp. anise. Wonderful wine. Good QPR, too. Drinking great now, but it seems to have great cellaring potential.
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Finished up with this at dinner with blue cheese. Did not get enough air to show well, nose was undeveloped with deep indistinct dark fruits. Palate was soft and ripe, but not overbearingly so, it was pretty well balanced and fine tannins and a nice good acidity. Very tasty but not as memorable as you would expect for a 97 pt parker wine.
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Aerated for 1 hour. Still pushy, dark fruit, blueberry notes force themselves against the spicy, mouth coating tannins. Fades to mocha. I think this is the best bottling to date age-ing wise, this really needs to sit for at least a few years. Compelling to drink now, like that 2002 Marquis Phillips #9, but when you opened the last bottle in your case in 2006 you realize how much of a jackas you are. Warning - this is not a food wine it is a stand alone showcase wine at this point. Cellaring will soften it up, but remember this is hardy stuff, not for the faint of heart. At 37 bucks a bottle, buy it all and forget about it for, uh, a few days.....
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Superb wine, with lots of tannic backbone and a long life ahead of it. Drank straight from the bottle (and quickly) and could have done with a decant. A wonderful, rich inviting nose with lots of dark fruit and blackberry aromas. Black fruits, licorice, and a lovely savoriness to the finish.
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Dark purple color. Nose dominated by blueberries. Very big powerful fruit but the wine is not at all out of balance or hot. Nicely made wine, just not too delicate - not a food wine.
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Had at wine tasting with the 2003 Mitolo GAM Shiraz. Monster wine. Very complex with tons going on in the mouth. Tremendous finish. Get as much of this as you can, since high 90's ratings from RP don't come cheap. As good if not better than the 2003.
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Tasted double blind, decanted about 6 hours. A cherry and blueberry nose that just screamed Aussie. On the palate, blueberries and cream of course, with some roasted meats and licorice to add interest. Full bodied, very intense and concentrated, the only small drawback was the dryness of the tannins on the very long finish. It could be very interesting to see how this develops, I hope some of the roasted meats and licorice come out more with additional age. If so, this can truly prove to be a classic wine.
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This is a beautiful wine. Wonderful color, expressive nose (after much decanting) and a rich layered finish. There is no doubt that this one has a ways to go. Tasted without food, over 3 hours or so. I'm sure this would have kept opening as the night wore on.
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Good ruby color, of course. Nose closed with hints of flowers. Not much in the mouth either tonight. Maybe the Godolphin I had before this overloaded my tastebuds. Very tannic and probably would improve with age, but I definitely was let down by this wine tonight.
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What others have said but I was also picking up a nice mineral component. 2003 vintage of this wine was $190 at Wine Bank! Great way to celebrate moving into the 3rd offsite cellar... Bought 2 more on futures!
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Needs time. Everything is in place to make this a great wine but it is green and tight. Drank it with the 2001 Shirvington so it was comparitively way too young and out classed big time tonight. Had it been served alone I know the impression would have been different. Wait several years to open another. 2nd day it has shut down. 3rd day it begins to open up nicely. So nice that there won't be any left for day 4.
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More monolithic and less showy than the '03 at a similar stage. Deep red and black fruits with spicy oak and a hint of smoke. Should improve with time. I hope to see it develop some complexity.
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TCF February 2006 Off-Line (Napa - Powell's): Bottle decanted 6 hr’s before my first taste. Thick, violet nose. This has huge flavors of black and blue fruits with some raspberry and chocolate mixed in with just a touch of pepper picking up on the finish. Nice complexity with excellent depth and a plush, textured, mid-palate that expands further on the lengthy, heady finish. Fine to chalky tannins with some minerality and acidity, this can drink wonderfully now if given adequate decant time, but should do well for several years to come.
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Popped and poured on Christmas Eve. Had with Grilled Steaks. Deep purple. Restrained nose of dark fruit, chocolate, and coffee. Very smooth, but short finish. Definately not 97 pts. I'm guessing that some air or bottle time will help.
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Based on last nights performance, I found this to be a good but not stunning winethat needs some time to come together. At this point, I prefer the '04 Savitar, but believe the GAM will do well with a few years of age.
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HUGE nose. Tons of fruit. Very soft and supple in the mouth with low acidity and surprisingly soft tannins for so young a wine. However, as the evening wore on and I would go back to the wine, it developed a streak of green pepper that rubbed just a little wrong. Overall, I like the wine a lot but will give the rest of my bottles a few years to see what develops.
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Clearly a very enjoyable bottle of wine, although at this very early stage in its life, it wasnt head and shoulders above some of the $15 price point 2004 Shiraz I've had recently. That said, no one at the table was passing up a chance at a second taste.
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Decanted 3hrs prior to an informal get-together where several of us we swapping mailer wines recently received. This shows great depth and strength, but was just too ackward at the moment to really judge.
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3/17/2024 - 3daywinereview.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Day 1: Last time sampling this was 2011. Bought on auction. Good overall with boysenberries, soy, pepper, spices, minerals and tar. Medium plus finish and smooth wine. 92 points.
Day 2: Still life left in this one on day 2. Soy, black pepper, blueberries, boysenberries, spices and tar. Medium finish and still very good. 92 points
Recommendation: A fun auction purchase for around $40. Would not buy another one but good to see these can go 20 years.
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12/29/2023 - thkim Likes this wine: 91 Points
무난한 시라즈
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12/8/2023 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the most interesting older Aussie wines I've had. Decanted for sediment. Huge Nose - eucalyptus and dark fruit. Big, bold wine. Initially taste before airing had a flavor of "cough syrup" but after a couple hours of air that was gone. Super smooth. Very complex wine that kept changing over time. Lots of eucalyptus, mint, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, pepper. Honestly kept getting better. Had a few ounces left over the next day and it was still singing. Who would have ever guessed these wines would have aged so well. Drink now or continue to hold. Just Amazing.
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11/10/2023 - Bull at a gate Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big bold Aussie Shiraz. Chocolate, tobacco and black current. Decanted for 3 hours could have had more. Still drinking well but color is turning. Drink up folks
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6/5/2023 - awever Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still not old after 20 years
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6/8/2022 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle drank with braised pork shoulder. Still going strong with plenty of fruit. I would say drink these.
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4/18/2022 - scm wrote: 94 Points
I have 3 bottles of this left, it has aged beautifully. Decided to try it tonight with a filet & NY strip. I decanted for about an hour; intially tasted coffee and chocolate notes. Over time started to taste dark fruits with a long finish. About 4 hours later the fruit is stil there with a long silky finish. Note to self give a longer decant next time … excellent wine !
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4/4/2022 - IndyTom Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding! Aussie Shiraz from the early 2000's had the tendency to be too ripe, too high in alcohol and terrible with food. But give them some time and they often become really good. In this case, it is now much more mellow. The fruit still shows through, but it has tamed down. It now shows a seamless texture. Really, really nice bottle. (On another note, I find that CellarTracker really helps with "drink by" dates. Even though the CT drinking range for this wine ended in 2017 and RP said to drink by 2020, 45 percent of the bottles are still in cellars. Wine drinkers vote with their corkscrews. Just look to the "In Cellars" percent and the "Consumed" percent to see what other serious wine drinkers think about the drink by date.
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8/29/2021 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Wow. So good. A tiny touch of sweetness.
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8/7/2021 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not quite at the perfect point of its aging curve, but getting close. Lovely red fruit presentation with plum, cherry and berries, with light spice and light pepper. I know all the BS about how you can't taste more than one or two flavors at a time. WELL Duh! When was the last time that you only took one tiny sip of a wine. I drank this with family over a dinner of Tomahawk rib eye, cauliflower with garlic and cilantro, Broccoli and onion in a spicy red pepper sauce with cashews and - for the rest, French Fries. This was an outstanding wine in its youth and it has blossomed even more as the complexity of fruit alternatives comes to the forefront while and roughness of youth recedes. I bought this from WINEX 15 years ago for $45. Was it worth the wait. Yes. Could I have done better by investing the $45 and buying the bottle now? With perfect provenance it probably would have been cheaper to invest and buy now, but there is an advantage to knowing from whence it came and exactly how it was stored in the 15 years.
Note also that I think I have gotten stricter as a grader. I suggested 14 years ago that with age this might poke its nose over 95 points as it improved. It has improved, but my score dropped. I think I've just had more really outstanding wines in the interim, because I remember the bottle I drank 14 years ago and this was better.
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7/1/2021 - SteelerFan wrote: 94 Points
Terrific showing. Retains the great Aussie Shiraz fruit and energy, but has mellowed and smoothed out beautifully. Long finish. Delish.
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6/12/2021 - jkoenen wrote: 91 Points
Sweet sandalwood, prunes, teriyaki beef, roasted pecans.
This wine has just started its descent. So drink it ASAP.
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5/3/2021 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Dark garnet color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. At this age, there are still remnants of high octane lifting the black fruits with hints of smoky leather. The palate is full bodied with a velvety texture and enough alcohol to heat up the back of the throat. Once that settles, however, flavors of ripe blackberries, black olives emerge but simultaneously balanced by medium acidity. Secondary flavors of dried meat, pain grille, cloves, and peppercorn glide through the long, spicy finish. This is an excellent Australian Shiraz which has aged quite gracefully with enough structure for the medium term. Drink now until 2029.
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2/23/2021 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last bottle. Really enjoyed this. Fruit has faded somewhat but still has good structure. No heat, smooth and fully resolved. I would say drink now but the last reviewer thought it could last for up to ten years. Just depends on how you prefer your wine.
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2/5/2021 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Good to see it so well aged and definitely the ripeness of youth has not inhibited its ageing capacity and this has easily another decade of life in it. Ripe still and juicy sweet new world feel but also with a secondary feel and lots of character. Very good and great value for money. 89-91
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11/27/2020 - dclaggett wrote: 92 Points
Bought this on WineBid, label obscured slightly so can’t see exact alcohol but I’m guessing around 15% based on nose and finish. Screw cap. Dark crimson, dark core. Great nose of green leaf, black and red fruit pie, tobacco. Med+ weight, still has decent acid and noticeable tannins. Some stewed fruit and heat in mouth, that gives way to long layered (and I mean layers) finish: aged black shiraz that offers up black berry jam, creosote, molasses sourdough bread, soy, coca cola float. If stored well, this wine has 7-10 years of enjoyable drinking - and might have extended window given the stelvin closure. I’m guessing this wine was around $20 USD in 2004; worth 4x that today.
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10/29/2020 - Tim336 Likes this wine: 91 Points
first of three bottles had some definite seepage at the top of the cork when I pulled off the capsule; the bottle was drinkable but just barely -- heavy, slightly stewed and unimpressive. The second and third bottles absolutely sang, though -- perfect corks and a big, Aussie bouquet that just hits you in the face from a foot away. I have three more I'll check the corks on before opening. Would score these an 86, 94 and 94 so an average 91 with upside sounds about right.
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10/20/2020 - pablopilot Likes this wine: 94 Points
I am a snob. I don’t like Aussie shirazes Grange excepted). They are too thick and overly fruited and... flavorful... delicious... hedonistic, I believe, is the proper term. Yum... slurp... uh oh... wow... I guess this wine, which I’ve had a million bottles of and always felt middling about, is striking me pretty right tonight. It will stain my tongue and teeth with blackberry syrup, eau du tar, I could swear a bit of syrup from the can of canned pineapple... too much alcohol, but let’s face facts, sometimes that’s what works! Every well crafted wine has a place in time, and I guess this one’s is tonight...
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7/26/2020 - Paul Lin wrote: 84 Points
I’m becoming less impressed by this wine. Austere black fruits and some smoke. Very linear.
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5/24/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted around 6 pm and tasted over about 4 hours with a little left for the next day. This was rich and fruit forward with a smokey and very savory character. It showed blueberry and blackberry along with ripe black cherry and pleasing acidity and minerality, low tannin. I have liked the aged Aussie Shiraz I have had from my cellar over the last year or so that were purchased in the early 2000’s quite a bit more than early in their lives. This was nicely layered and complex with a great mouthfeel and lots of secondary savory and earthy flavors.
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4/19/2020 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 91 Points
This bottle is showing mature, and still a bit tannic around the edges. It has all the fruit, aromatics, and grit you would want for an awesome McV Aussie shiraz, but those tannins still haven't melted quite off yet. Didn't distract too much from the rest of the wine, but I think this wine would even be nicer 3-4 years down the lane. I'll try it again then. Definitely not a cocktail wine. Enjoy with the appropriate grilled meats.
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4/5/2020 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful bottle of aged Shiraz from a lovely producer. Double decanted in the event there was sediment but there was hardly any (cork was pristine as well). Where some Aussie Shiraz can come across boozy and out of sync, this is a great restrained example. Followed over a few hours and the aromatics didn’t change much...mostly raspberry fig, baking spices, tobacco and smoked meats accompanied by a touch of age. The palate was a reality check...totally youthful. Vibrant, juicy and tart strawberries, rhubarb and black cherries. Fleshy. Gained some weight as it opened showing liqueur, boysenberries, licorice and overripe mixed dark fruits. Beautiful example of aged Aussie Shiraz. Not getting any better, but not falling off a cliff any time soon.
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2/27/2020 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Fairly sophisticated flavors. I thought of Mitolo as closer to a Two Hands style producer but this one proved me wrong. Showing well, should continue to do so for years to come.
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2/10/2020 - GeorgDornauer Likes this wine: 93 Points
klar, dunkles rubinrot, hohe Viskosität
sauber, intensives Aroma nach dunklen Kirschen, Kirschlikör, Mokka, mit der Zeit immer intensivere Nase
trocken, saftige Säure, seidige Tannine, ausgeprägter Geschmack nach Kirschen, Gewürznoten, langer Abgang
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2/7/2020 - sortcode Likes this wine: 94 Points
7.2.2020:++ Umwerfend, ein toller Bussi, Zedernholz, Rauch, Tabak, etwas Gewürze wie Piment und Süßholz, Rosen, super Sauerkirsche, tolle Kirchenfenster, sehr gute Süße/Säure, super Spasswein, leider letzte Flasche.
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2/6/2020 - Senso-beak wrote: 91 Points
Opened cold from cellar and warmed. Blackish, lots of sediment. Licorice nose, refined and silky. Solid structure. Secondaries such as leather, licorice, iodine. Black tea, black cherry, black currant. Mature and sophisticated.
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1/23/2020 - repomarket Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very extreme, tight and sharp tannins and bite when bottle first opened, almost to the point of thinking something was off with the bottle. But the next day, the wine had rounded out to show fresh cherry, plum, cinnamon-dusted red apple wedges. Full bodied and balanced, this was a wonderful surprise. I will decant the next bottle I have amply.
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12/29/2019 - RPerro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cork disintegrated when trying to open. Thought this would be a poorly presenting bottle, but was pleasantly surprised. Great blackberry fruit, although somewhat flat on the mid-palate. Definitely nearing the end of it's life but still showing well. Drink now - 2021.
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12/23/2019 - mats13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly with a lengthy decant. Big, beautiful dark fruit flavors. Plenty of time to go.
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12/18/2019 - Rbtrage wrote: 92 Points
Silky smooth. Tastes more like Cabernet. Like it more than its more expensive sibling, Savitar. 92+
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11/22/2019 - Rbtrage wrote: 92 Points
Very very good. Great QPR.
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10/12/2019 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose is reminiscent of a good bourbon - oak and alcohol: in a very good way. Nice tannic structure supporting dark druits, chocolate and dried herbs. Lighter bodied than expected with a nice moderate finish with a luxurious mouthfeel. Will seek this out in other vintages.
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12/8/2018 - jkoenen wrote: 91 Points
As the fruit slowly diminishes, smoky savoury nuances enter the stage.
Like it, but it's time to drink it.
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11/12/2018 - mats13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
YES - 95 pts. This is drinking so beautifully now. Deep dark fruits, controlled oak, long finish. Such a brilliant Syrah in the perfect place. Grab a bottle and wallow in it.
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11/2/2018 - Artmount Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fruity , silky McLaren style?
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10/6/2018 - 309VEB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent. Very dark in the glass. No signs of ageing. Full bodied, lots of dark fruit, good acidity, not sweet. No fruit bomb here. This was the last red opened and it was the best. Great to drink now but it does not seem to be fading at all so no rush.
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9/16/2018 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, underbrush, oak and minerality are all holding hands. Wonderful texture. Age has really helped bring this wine in balance. Good complexity. I don't think this will get any better. Enjoy now.
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8/7/2018 - Beaggie Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry. It tastes like blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity. A solid wine, smooth with good depth, no real identify to the flavour, but nice to drink.
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6/6/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first bottle of this opened in 2016 had to much acidity. This bottle still has plenty of acidity but it has much improved balance. Pop and pour. Under screwcap. The color is a beautiful clear blackish garnet. No cloudiness. The aroma is fresh and pleasant. On the palate intense black currant, eucalyptus, spiciness, maybe even some cranberry, and a bit of a lip numbing tannic bite. Nice balance with well integrated flavors. long finish. I would say this wine will continue to evolve for 5-10 more years.
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4/10/2018 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
sexy black fruit, plush and ripe but with great balance and acidity. delicious now.
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2/7/2018 - Andrew67 wrote: 88 Points
Past its best to be honest. Mid week drinking, but not something to savour. In earlier years it was very good.
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1/12/2018 - redknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took to Ghee for Indian with Samj
Showed well with brief 30 min decanting before heading out to the restaurant.
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12/22/2017 - acheng wrote: 90 Points
My last of 4 bottles. Sweet oak, cedary and juicy dark cherry. Still a huge wine with some acidity at back end. Can't say it has evolved at all compared to my first bottle.
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12/16/2017 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 92 Points
The dark fruit is still dancing in rhythm. The structure has lost a step. All in all, this is still a really good Shiraz from down under. Drink it now.
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12/2/2017 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes.
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12/1/2017 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 91 Points
I always have to mentally prepare myself for these big Aussie wines. This one did not disappoint. Right out of the gate - an explosive amount of flavor - black cherry, eucalyptus, mint, vanilla, pepper, oak. Full body, huge mouthfeel, velvety smooth. Alcohol is still quite evident and a bit heavy on the oak, but all else is great. Drink now or continue to hold. Update: Had a glass or so left over, vacu-vin'd it, and drank following night. Found it more approachable and better balanced. So, I will hold my last one for at least 3 more years before consuming.
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11/27/2017 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! Dark fruit is front and center here with garrigue and licorice trying to sneak in. Great depth and structure are present in this wine with amazing texture and appeal. Just an awesome example of an old school Shiraz.
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8/20/2017 - Chainthroer wrote: 94 Points
Dark garnet color; still has some purple on the rim. Like my notes a little over six years ago: "aromas of black cherry, blueberry, leather, earthiness, spice. Big, rich and explosive fruit. ... Flavors of black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate, spice. Great balance. Drinking quite well now; don't know how it can get much better. I'll consume the next bottle in the fairly near future. Score 94+.
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6/4/2017 - redknife wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hr and off with the boys to Le Provencale
A pruny thick wine; not my cup of tea but not a bad wine
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4/14/2017 - ravbik wrote: 95 Points
In really good window. Decant for about one hour . Opens up with fruity complex bouquet. Nice ripe cherry, chocolate, mild pepper. Soft round edges and full bodied. Soft tannins
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4/11/2017 - RolfT Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very big, rich and jammy. Drink now - 2022.
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4/5/2017 - pclin wrote: 90 Points
Screwcap. ABV 15%. Very good nose, floral and clean. Sweet and smooth on the attack, still some tannins on mid-palate but nothing obtrusive. A touch heat at finish but not too obvious. No over extraction, thank God, unlike so many of them. Still some oaks lingering at backend, so if you are sensitive to oak, may not be your style. I am battle-trained on heavy oak rubbish wines for years, so this is nothing to me. Good length and complexity, should last for a while too.
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4/1/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Eerily similar notes to my 2006 tasting showing jeep jammy fruits, blackberries, black cherries, and licorice. However, much softer now and very well balanced. Still a very impressive wine
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3/13/2017 - thalver wrote:
From a bottle with screwcap: A pleasant surprise. I've almost come to dread opening my remaining bottles of big, highly rated Aussie shiraz. This was opened on a cool evening to pair with chili. Not a bad match, big enough to stand up to it, but not as in-your-face as when young. No obvious American oak (I dont know if this made with French oak or if it has just essentially integrated) Somewhat tamer flavors than in years past, and a finish that lasted and lasted. 94ish
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2/5/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Has it really been three years since I last drank one of these? Pop and pour, medium weight, with a silky mouth feel and a 10 second front palate finish. Enjoyable with a variety of foods, but is less suited for beef than Italian, Indian, or even seafood at this phase of it's life. While enjoyable, wouldn't necessarily even know this is an Oz shiraz. Drink during 2017.
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1/28/2017 - Cschall wrote: 96 Points
Great berry bomb with underlying white pepper. Make sure to spend some time with the nose before tasting. Perfect balance and ready to go. Medium acidity with a long finish. If you are not pairing Australian Shiraz with Indian food, you are missing the boat. Tremendous!
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1/4/2017 - EJM1940 wrote:
See Rhone report
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1/1/2017 - mats13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
No notes from last night but I distinctly remembering it was delicious, in a beautiful place and has a handful of years left. It definitely needed an hour or two to open.
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12/25/2016 - NTR wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color. Spicy red current nose with vanilla and graphite. Spicy plum and blueberry. Drinking well. No time like now
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12/10/2016 - Hamersly wrote: 93 Points
Powerful and extracted. Needs air, and even then is a bit too angular. Very intense and well made.
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11/5/2016 - ephorn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe, extracted, corn husk nuance, a tad of alcoholic warmth and bitterness.
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10/2/2016 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is still pretty big and fruity. Still nicely balanced but lacks the finesse and balance of a classic.
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9/27/2016 - Barry Raterink Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was a bit strange - it changed no less that 5 times from opening until we finished on day 2. Was at it's best when we drank the last third of the bottle. Musty at the start, opened up, then flatened out, then reemerged. Crazy bottle.
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8/29/2016 - guitarguy wrote: 87 Points
Plum, mint and fir on the nose, with ripe flavors of those bad years in Aussieland. Its calmed down some, with moderate ripe plum, blackberry, cracked pepper flavors. Short finish, with drying tannins. Never up to it. These were not great years down under. Drink now, those drying tannins are up to something.
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8/11/2016 - Quarked wrote: 92 Points
Natural cork. On first night, I found the tar overpowering, both on the nose and palate. The alcohol was also too noticeable. But on night #2 the alcohol was completely hidden, the tar was still present but not overpowering, and blue fruits were showing through. Score is based on night #2. It seems to me that there is still plenty of time to drink this.
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7/19/2016 - risaacs Likes this wine: 94 Points
375 and screw cap. Just amazing, tons of fruit and surprising density on the palate. Never thought this would hold up so well, seemed like it was still new, 5 years old at most. I don't have much experience with wines over 10 years old with screw caps but if this is the norm screw caps might be the way to go.
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6/14/2016 - SteelerFan wrote: 87 Points
I was somewhat disappointed with this. The fruit has settled down a bit, but rather than harmony it seems to reveal some of the hard edges. Not going in a good direction right now.
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5/27/2016 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow...still balanced and not overdone. Great year and a really good Aussie blend.
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3/30/2016 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice enough McLaren Vale shiraz. It's holding up really well. Blueberries, plums, blackcurrants, some cedar, working well with tannins that still have some life. This was actually a bit better on day 2.
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3/21/2016 - dsimmons wrote: 87 Points
not so good. Out of balance. Too much acid. Possible heat damage.
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3/3/2016 - Barry Raterink Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank along side a 2005 - which was a better wine overall. The 2004 was still good, but where the 2005 was very new world the 2004 was very old world. The fruit was more measured, the nose was more earthy, tasted like a it had big mix of cabernet in it. One left to drink.
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2/12/2016 - Stevey wrote: 92 Points
Bought from Dan Murphy's in Melbourne 10 years ago and stored at 13C. Pulled from cellar and let sit for 24Hrs at ~19C room temperature before opening.
Color is deep dark purple. On opening, this is an extracted fruit dominant sweet spicy flavors of black berries. There's good complexity once you get past the full frontal fruit dominant initial wave.
Full bodied, longish 10s finish, I liked this better after an hour of air time. Tannins are well integrated, this wine is in drinking window now but it's got enough structure to hold for another 5+ years.
My palate has changed over the years and I'm less fond of fruit bombs today than when I bought this 10 years ago. My 92 score is in context of other Aussie fruit bombs. If you're a Bordeaux drinker, you'd score it much lower.
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1/21/2016 - Italiana Likes this wine:
Cork drying, but extracted intact, with barely stained end. Deep and dark purple. Fresh aromas, most interesting was the strong whiff of blueberry. This bottle has reached a point where I could appreciate it more. . .rich and dense, it seems to have melded all of its elements more than three years ago. Last bottle, sadly.
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1/19/2016 - WDK wrote: 93 Points
Best bottle yet. Opaque purple, reticent nose but great fruit, balance and long finish.
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1/8/2016 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black with a deep ruby rim. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, mulling spice, and iron. Full bodied on the palate with very focused black fruit flavors, mouth coating with a long finish.
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1/3/2016 - WDK wrote: 85 Points
Past it's prime.
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12/30/2015 - K28226 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Anise, leather, cassis, cocoa, stone. Drinking great.
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11/12/2015 - duchamp wrote: 91 Points
Dark inky purple, subtle nose of black cherry, blackberry, black licorice, black currant and leather, big ripe palate with juicy if not forward plum, black currant, spice and cherry, finish is a touch hot with more black and blue fruits, hints of minerality, candied cherry, mocha and concord grape
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9/19/2015 - jayw wrote:
I think I may have waited too long to open this. Still quite tannic, but there's a slightly stewed quality to the abundant black and blue berry fruit and camphor. Not getting much pleasure from the nose. The acidity helps the palate, but not enough. This is a dense and very dark colored wine (we're talking eggplant purple).
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8/8/2015 - kenh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big fruit. Lovely nose of blueberry, plums and coffee. Mature and tasty.
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6/27/2015 - devraj wrote: 89 Points
Purple red with lightening around the edges. Typical Shiraz nose with blackberry and blueberry rock candy, vanilla, caramel, bbq smoke and charcoal. The palate reveals waves of sweet, creamy black/blueberry pie, graphite, low acidity, moderate tannins and a saline edge that gets pronounced in the back-end. I have had better bottles, drink up.
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6/1/2015 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Solid after 11 years, purply, plum nose with a hint if brown sugar. Cherry, plum, black pepper and a solid dose of tannin which is a bit concerning,
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5/30/2015 - Altiplano Likes this wine:
If you have a quantity of this vintage, it is time to start opening bottles. It has reach a point of excellent drinkability and there may be no higher peak for this wine. Excellent.
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5/1/2015 - Mattshank wrote: 89 Points
Nose: Slightly stewed with age with aromas of concrete and dark fruits. Palate: First part of bottle was Vinituried into glass but last part was just poured. Flavors of dark fruits with some stone minerals. This didn't give up much (similar to last notes on 1/24/09) even though the wine is far more evolved. Last bottle and glad I opened it. Last bottle was better. If you have some drink up now.
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4/19/2015 - curtr Likes this wine:
In 375 ml, drink up.
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4/12/2015 - sinebubble wrote:
Surprisingly not spoiled. A big jammy hot and slightly sweet wine; a style I've left behind.
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3/21/2015 - dneville wrote: 94 Points
Big wine but nicely integrated, polished tanins, great fruit and long finish. it can go a few more years but great now.
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1/13/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Has turned into a fantastic wine. Deep purple hues with wonderful lush fruit. Don't notice the alcohol or tannins. Long pleasant finish. Good stuff.
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1/2/2015 - acheng wrote: flawed
Corked! Just as well they switched to screw cap closure the following year. That said, there is discernible blueberry, licorice and fruit in the mouth to suggest my last bottle may still pay dividends.
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12/29/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine has improved tremendously int he bottle. Bought a case and was a little disappointed over the years - and unfortunately gifted a few bottles. Has turned into a complex, smooth, refined wine with black fruits and a lingering finish. Very nice.
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12/6/2014 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red. Cassis, licorice, a bit of tar. Nice fruit through out. Ending with soft and integrated tannins.
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11/19/2014 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Starting to lose a bit. Drink up.
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11/2/2014 - Grinner wrote: 92 Points
18th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Lyon Down Inn): Middle of the pack and a very nice wine with ripe black fruit, anise, pepper, and tar. Medium length, resolved tannins. Again, don't wait too long, 91 on day 2.
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10/24/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 92 Points
This btl performed well below par.
I'm soo much suffering from KAZE (flu/cold) that I only could notice that it is a broad shouldered wine with fine acids.
Wife: 91p
At amazing Cuscina Tredice Avrilo in Tokyo.
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10/23/2014 - Marc S wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry. It's overly tannic and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a long finish - Loaded with berries. Nose is luscious and concentrated fruit. Can still use a few more years or a little decanting.
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8/17/2014 - ottawalawyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not for the faint of heart. Not a sipping wine.
Great food wine.
Time to drink up. Seemed to have lost some complexity.
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7/25/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well. Decanted ~ 90 minutes. Garnet hues. Nose OK. Plush dark fruit with lingering finish.
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6/26/2014 - RR47 wrote: 93 Points
Medium dark red. Amazing nose of cassis, licorice, tar, smoke, crushed violets, and more. Shiraz is not my style, but will say that this is certainly one of the greatest Australian Shiraz I have tasted. Concentrated but balanced though out. Ending with noticeable, but soft and integrated tannins.
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6/6/2014 - Gott vin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mycket av allt, men inte för mycket.
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6/1/2014 - oldwines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Better than average Aussie Shiraz, not over the top in any way, very well balanced with moderate alcohol. Rich plummy, went down easily.
Notes from memory a day later.
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5/26/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Nose of blackberries, blueberries, licorice. On the palate vanilla, cherries, cedar, smoke. great.
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5/24/2014 - devraj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Purple red in color, tons of sediment on the side of the bottle. Depp pitched aromas of blackberry pie, vanilla, salted caramel, camphor/incense sticks. A soft and fruity palate reveals ripe, crushed black berries, dark chocolate, wood spice and noticeable salinity on the finish. This has shed all its oak and tannins and needs to be drunk up.
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5/24/2014 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Brought to a party, no detailed notes. Uncorked but not decanted for 2 hrs; toned-down shiraz, thick and syrupy but not overpowering. Prunes, port-like notes
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5/24/2014 - jtinto wrote: 85 Points
My last of six bottles. Unfortunately this dropped off a cliff. During the first few years it gradually got better and better. For me it was at its best at six years of age. It's matured and there is a shell remaining of what this was. What remains is showing overripe fruit and heat. It was a good run, but I'm glad I only left a bottle. 15% ABV
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3/18/2014 - dogsbrekky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dirtier than I remember but a fine DEEP dark purple wine
Purple n dark red violet color; sophisticated, tarts, dried berry, plum nose; good, deep, black fruit, tart blackberry and light pepper palate; heavy ass-finish
Good $50 wine
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3/14/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice smooth full bodied plush fruit Oz wine. Lost a little bit on day two.
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2/10/2014 - MLwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid, fruity syrah-based wine that is drinking very nicely right now. Balanced and fun.
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2/10/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid fruity shiraz that is drinking well. Decant for about an hour and an enjoyable wine.
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2/10/2014 - amred wrote: 86 Points
Bottom line, a classic from the over-extracted Australian Shiraz era. It is definitely, completely over the hill. Too much alcohol, too much ripe fruit, no capacity for aging. Should 1) not have purchased this and 2) certainly should have drunk them very young. My mistakes.
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2/8/2014 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Dark cherry in colour but not inky dark. Nose is pure, pretty intense, but not overly powerful, more fragrant, dark cherry, berry, pure, not much secondary aromas. Full bodied, well balanced (at least when served on the cool side), mellow tannins, decent cherry acidity.
Overall this is a little innocuous. Certainly does not scream Barossa shiraz, but also doesn't scream anything else. I like the balance and the power in the palate, especially since it does not come across as large-scaled, but this lacks complexity that 10 years should bring, I've had a few of these highly rated Parker wine that fails to really impress.
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12/31/2013 - SimonK wrote: 93 Points
dunkelfruchtig, brombeere, graphit,
schwarzkirsche, holuderbeeren, erdig, blutorange, tabak
Am beginn der reifephase
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12/29/2013 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 90 Points
drank with TPP at his house, nice wine but was soft and simple relative to the Diamond Creek Gravelly we had just prior, nice drink but nothing special, this continues to be a wine people find easy and pleasant
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12/13/2013 - peterk wrote: 91 Points
Ripe, extracted, balanced. This wine is in a good place right now. I need to get some friends over to help me drink this up soon.
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12/11/2013 - GlöckliWein wrote: 95 Points
This is an terriffic WINE
and finally BY NOW - really ripe and in TIME
you can enjoy - the Alcohol is in the right LEVEL - instead of Burning most rafinesse Tones Music of This wine away --
But this is certainly a question of Taste...
Slowly the alcohol melts in the right stand of
going with and supporting all the other aromas ;-)
SMELL:
harmonious notes of Cassis, Jam of all red fruits - boisnberries ,
wood underbrush - VANILLA - drie herbs of the Australian forest ..
TASTE:
sweet and harmonious involved with the still primary fruits of Cassis, plums and blackberries, kirsch and some mushrooms, sandle wood and cinamon ..
very impressive AT THIS STAGE ...
95/ 100 Points
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11/7/2013 - Bill Bucklew wrote: 87 Points
Extracted, predominantly dark fruit nose, finishing with a little heat. Saturated black fruit carrying through on the palate as well, with notes of plum and chocolate. A bit flat through the mid-palate and the finish falls off. Time to drink up.
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10/6/2013 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not unlike last tasting, this is showing as much finesse as a jammy Oz shiraz can show; 2 hours in the decanter still let this show off graphite, modest spice, prune, earth in a jammy package, yet there was a sense of elegance to it. Like getting hit, but maybe the boxing glove was made of Coach leather. After 4 hours the wine had begun to deteriorate too much for my liking. Will drink remaining bottles within the 2017 drinking window.
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7/26/2013 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
One grape - two expressions @ my place (Netherlands): This wine is very ripe and rich, but it stays on track and doesn't lose focus and grip. There's excellent tension, it's polished and has extraction, sure. But it's not over the top. It even has a powdery mouthfeel that I often confuse when a sense of terroir... Screaming Shiraz from the glass, this has tons of peppered blackberries, eucalypt, incense and a far echo of sweetness in the nose as well. Still tight and well defined, it's passing its turning point from primary to secondary aromatics. So, for me, this is in the sweet spot now. And it will probably stay there for a couple of years. Good stuff! 18/20
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7/6/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 97 Points
Global wine tasting w/Japanese emphasis (Brasserie au Miel in Tobe, Yokohama): Mega delivery of zest - again!
My WOTN together with several others' votes.
Still blackish red with a nose that can fill a hangar with beautiful, rich anise seeds and licorice. It hits your gums first with its presence that is almost too-wide-to-swallow. Then you realize that it's coming back, swinging at you with an oak club (mind you: balanced!) Rich, complex, powerful, restrained and embracing life! This is the fat lady that sings when it's time to go home. So: after this one, we went home.
My btl, only 4 to go. Next one in 2014.
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6/10/2013 - dogsbrekky Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark Purple- Ink colour, Beautifully balanced with abundant blackberry, pepper, mild black liquorice, HUGE thick SMOOTH tannins. Lovely finish.. will last much longer than 2017 as recommended.. not as silky as the 2003 but a fine wine.. I got it for $49 in the Hamptons at Westhampton Beach Fine Wine... Value = 92 Quality = 94.5
much better on hours 6-9 after decanting as it opens up... YMMV
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5/18/2013 - Senso-beak wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Bill. Opened and decanted. Very dark purple, tight and full bodied, with nose of plum, graphite, mineral and cherry. Tannic at first, but with air opening very lush youthful fruit profile of cherry. Iodine laced, heavy and long finish. Very nice, near peak.
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5/11/2013 - AlexHop wrote: flawed
Badly corked
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5/3/2013 - maw246 Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a tasting with 2000 Dead Arm Shiraz and 2001 Clarendon Hills Hickenbotham Shriaz. Deep purple color, pleasant nose, and good fruit and still some tannic structure. Plenty of jammy fruit and power here. A classic Australian Shiraz favorites. This had pepper and spices that only the Dead Arm had.
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4/6/2013 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 93 Points
The first of six held since release. Decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial heavy sediment. Half the bottle was poured off to a 375 and refrigerated.
In general, I am not a fan of big brutish Shiraz from down under as most that I have tried have been a disappointment. This wine was a stark rebuke to that generality. We had this after dinner with a selection of hard cheeses and it was ravishing. I have no way to judge how this will hold up, but it seems to be in "prime-time" now.
On the nose and in the mouth this is exuberant and flamboyant, a riot of dark fruit, earth notes, spice, and herbal references with a finish that seems to go on forever. How it manages to be that and superbly balanced and layered at the same time is amazing to me. Is it a profound wine? Nah, but who the hell cares. Just lean back and let it pleasure you.
Jan 9, 2016 Update
This was double decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial deposit of thick sediment. My general impression is largely the same as previous bottles although slightly improved and showing no sign of decline. I will wait a year or two on the last bottle just to see what happens. It was effusive, opulent, and eminently enjoyable with Gaston Beef Stew.
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3/31/2013 - ilsa Likes this wine: 95 Points
Did not decant. Inky color, Beautifully balanced with abundant black and deep red fruit, licorice, a grind of pepper, and beautifully integrated thick satiny tannins. Satisfying finish with no excessive heat. Perfect pairing for Easter.
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3/28/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
Got hold of half case at auction at a good rate. And WOW does this bugger show off. Basically agree with my previous note, wife didn't at all. Nose was strong with licorice, tar, industrial rubber, pepper, salvia and Oz Shiraz. Taste was amazingly strong and married the pig-fillet in every sense of the word. Next btl within this year.
3 hrs decant.
At La Rochelle Akasaka w/Kosugi couple, '98 Musar and 2005 R. Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Ries Spätlese.
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3/16/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Slow-O 2 hours, decanted for sediment and aerated 30 minutes. Cellared since release, this was in top form, with little sign of age. I enjoyed this slightly more than my new-world loving friend did, as this was in perfect balance, with excellent lift, great purity of fruit and (mostly) resolved tannins - my friend, he would have preferred to drink this immediately upon release. Nonetheless, I was quite happy with the performance as tn's of late seem to suggest that this is hit or miss at this stage. On the night, most enjoyable, and in a very good place, not likely to get better. 15,0% abv, recommended, drink thru 2016
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3/16/2013 - WDK wrote: 84 Points
Dark purple. Viscous body with decent fruit up front, but beyond the initial bust it fades into pure vanilla.
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3/10/2013 - maw246 wrote: 89 Points
Very dark purple almost black in color. Nice nose nothing special. Jammy with dark fruits good tannic structure. 20 second finish. Screw top. I would drink this soon.
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2/10/2013 - Ljuay Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep purplish red. Lots of fruits, tannins and spices. Full bodied yet smooth finish. Be prepared for lots of sediments. Drink now.
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1/24/2013 - Italiana wrote: 85 Points
The score is more representative of how this wine aligns with my preferences rather than its quality or undeniable appeal, at least on first sips. Based on this bottle, the delicious fruit is still solidly there and the wine had good acidity, but I couldn't get past the richness and heavy texture, as well as the heat on the finish.
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12/27/2012 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Keeps getting better, tangy with a hint of pepper. Heat is gone, love this!
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11/10/2012 - johnh1001 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over 4 hours. Haven't had this wine in a couple of years and it has smoothed out since then. A strong nose of black fruit, coffee, wood and a little alcohol. The palate matched with the addition of blue fruits. This is "jammy" but jammy with dark fruit vs. red fruit. It is nicely balanced, very full and rich in the mouth. Nice smooth texture that improved with time, but the flavors remained the same. Medium+ finish with a bit of alcohol.
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11/3/2012 - davidandrose wrote:
Opened and allowed to sit for 45 mins prior to drinking, over a 2+ hour period. Wife would give this a 91-92, I'll give it an 89 but the difference is more style than quality. I've just lost my affection for the jammy style of most Oz shiraz. Many layers of deep, jammy fruit with a spicy richness.
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9/24/2012 - guitarguy wrote: 84 Points
I thought this was sour and mediocre. Some fruit but overwhelmed by the acidity.
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9/22/2012 - mhensel wrote: 89 Points
Dark red, almost black --- Nose some cherry, elegant wood notes, some blueberry, unripe plum, some dark fruit, some vanilla --- Palate smooth, fresh, blueberry, ripe red cherries, nice wood notes --- Finishes on bitterness, fading fruit and ash.
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9/17/2012 - Lajetidreaming wrote: 96 Points
I drank this wine in a state of sheer delight, but sad that it was my last. A truly beautiful balanced wine with many years of rewarding drinking to come.
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8/27/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Drinking very well. Very good.
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7/22/2012 - King JR wrote: 89 Points
Pretty smooth wine, but the fruit seems overpowered by the alcohol and other flavors. A very nice bottle but not our favorite.
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7/16/2012 - Flavito wrote: 88 Points
Very new-wavy but developing some complexity after a half hour. Strong jammy nose, with black fruits, quite pruney, with some notes of tar and licorice. Nice match for a rare ribeye, but not really my idea of a pleasant all around wine.
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7/14/2012 - sfqwino wrote: 92 Points
P&P. Took about an hour or so after opening to start gaining composure and got better throughout the evening. Very well made and impeccable balance. Unmistakably new world and full bodied, yet the fruit was well managed and nicely wrapped by very smooth tannins, complimented by the oak derived components. Delicious and I was yearning for more even after my 2nd glass. Truly an artistic new world Shiraz.
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6/19/2012 - JBVino wrote:
pretty solid...generally non aussie fan...this had pretty good balance, decent acidity and solid mouthfeel. Complexity/secondary flavors were lacking a bit to give it a memorable personality but liked how fruit was component of the wine but not the only star... overall pretty solid.
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6/15/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Wife + in-laws drank while I was working.
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6/2/2012 - G_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
The hosts discretion @ my place (My house): This was really really good as well. Drank next to the Ode to E Syrah it had a though competition, but it still stood it's ground.
Rubber, mint, eucalyptus, strawberry with a hint of strawberry yogurt, loads of flowers, violet and loads of licorice (the raw material not the finished product).
Impressive QPR
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5/9/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
A lineup of top Aussie Shiraz (Charlie's Home): This is where I diverged with the group. Some found this bottle flawed. One person said slight TCA (I don't think so as I am pretty sensitive). One said oxidized (I am very insensitive to this), so perhaps. The fact that no one could agree on the "flaw" says something. I found it very good. It was easily the most mature and layered wine of the evening. Lou, who tends to like older wines, also liked this wine. The nose has black raspberries, some earthiness and a bit of cranberries. Also a really nice graphite note. Its layered and very smooth. Silky tannins. Black raspberry fruit and the only wine with no jammy qualities. It was clearly an outlier. Jeff K said it is not a typical bottle. I liked it and it was my WOTN. No worries.
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5/3/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Very good.
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4/15/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Very good.
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4/5/2012 - Terkel wrote: 92 Points
Black opaque color. Very intense and concentrated on the nose with aromas of ripe, black fruit and berries, black olives, iodine and licorice. Similar notes on the palate and very true to the full-throttle, powerhouse style. Still a bit tart on the finish, but it softened up very well after aerating it in a decanter for a couple of hours. So I imagine it will be a bit better in a couple of years.
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3/9/2012 - Fagernaes wrote: 93 Points
Fantastisk vin.
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3/9/2012 - Praxis wrote: 95 Points
Its been a couple of years since I last had this wine but its tasting just as good. This is definitely is a big bold shiraz and I'm absolutely loving it. I'm not in the mood to describe all the nuances of color, aroma, and flavor tonight (its more or less consistent with my previous note), just want to relax and enjoy it for all its worth.
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3/6/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 98 Points
Non-blind. Decanted 4.5 hrs.
Insanely wonderful wine. Cathedralically monumental showing. Remained bashful on the nose, but there is much pedigree and darkness lurking and just slowly waking up. In the mouth, this is as close to perfect as I can even imagine. Perfect acids, perfect balance, perfect tannins, happy marriage to the food. Will buy on sight!
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3/3/2012 - godx wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes. Dark fruits, slightly jammy, rich but not over the top, soft tannins, good acid. RP 97pts? That's a joke. Drink hold. Excellent.
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2/11/2012 - WDK wrote: 88 Points
Dark sweet fruit, but flabby with no structure. Perhaps past its prime.
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2/7/2012 - guitarguy wrote: 86 Points
Seemed a bit old and tired. Some pruney fruit but a bit flaccid. Just okay.
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1/23/2012 - The Vinsider wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for several hours. poured blind with five other wines for the tasting group. Though it was the most expensive, this wine came in fourth. Started out very nondescript, very little nose, subdued fruit. Started to pick up steam but never came together with the depth and focus you'd expect. Very surprising.
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1/21/2012 - godx wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. Popped and poured. Little boozy at first on the nose but that blew off and it settled down with dark fruit notes and a smooth soft mouthfeel. Not over the top. Drink or hold. Very good. 89+
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1/15/2012 - SteelerFan wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple inky color with spice and berry on the nose. Drinking beautifully - smooth shiraz flavors with integrated tannins. Big fruit but not over the top. Matched well with Indian-style food - everyone at the table enjoyed it.
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12/22/2011 - RPerro wrote: 97 Points
Decanted 30 min and drank over the next 2. Huge wine, very rich and mouth-coating. Color is thick and black. Creamy texture, with absolutely delicious fruit, finishing with some nice mocha. Only a slight hint of oak (perfect) and hides its 15% ABV nicely. This is just amazingly well made. Need to find more of this!
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12/11/2011 - jsiegel wrote: 97 Points
Wow, what a surprise. This wine was fantastic. Good nose, smooth finish. with 20 minutes in the glass, this was truly great.
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12/2/2011 - Dr. Pato wrote: 92 Points
Has calmed down. Fruit and tannins now "integrated" nicely.
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11/27/2011 - RAD2626 wrote: 90 Points
Had five bottles at a small dinner. Consistent. Good fruit. Nice development. Should be excellent for many years to come.
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11/11/2011 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
The best Mitolo GAM of the flight. Ripe, dense, with ample tannin and flavor. The aromatic profile was a bit lactic, but it performed very well overall.
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10/22/2011 - jtinto Likes this wine:
Continues to drink great. This will be very long lived.
Update...better on day two.
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9/17/2011 - godx wrote: 90 Points
Opened and served right away. Deep purple colour. Nice nose of dark cherries, plums and spice with well integrated oak. Full bodied with jammy flavours of black fruits with a big, rich and smooth mouthfeel. While this is still clearly a big Aussie Shiraz, it’s not over the top at all and hides its 15% abv quite well. Tannins are fairly subdued and there’s a decent amount of acid keeping it lively. There isn’t a ton of development yet but I think this is just starting to enter its drinking window and should develop further into a really nice bottle of Shiraz. Drink now and over the next 5+ years. Excellent. 90+
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8/24/2011 - rockguit wrote: 94 Points
This has improved greatly since I last has it-it seems as if there's much more balance and elegance (and I loved it the first timeI had it :). Deep, inky purple color, and a wow! nose of dark fruits, spice, cinnamon and menthol. The Oz "big fruit" component was definitely present, but augmented by more spice, cocoa and anise. It surprised me how much I loved this bottle--I think it's in its perfect drinking window now. 94+
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8/14/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 94 Points
Purple rim. Inky garnet, opaque body. Aromas of black cherry, blueberry, leather, earthiness, spice. Big, rich and explosive fruit. Tannins are overwhelmed by the fruit richness. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate, spice. Nice long and for the most part soft finish. Good acid. Paired well with roasted South Dakota pork chops, cooked with a dab of Cajun spice.
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8/9/2011 - Fatty Cat wrote: 97 Points
Early Aug 2011: dark rubinred color; complex bouquet, each sniff different: started like an Islay Malt plus tar and cassis, then cherry, vanilla and sea air, later smoke, pepper, violets, chocolate, coffee and blackberry; red berries and sea salt on the palate; fine tannins; medium/full body; round texture.
The wine contained 15% alcohol, however it wasn’t noticed at all!
Was really stunned by this wine: simply gorgeous! Not sure if the Mitolo 2004 can even improve further and fear the aging potential isn’t very high.
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7/5/2011 - Didman wrote: 93 Points
Excellent backbone with rich ripe fruit. A great wine with grilled lamb chops.
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6/29/2011 - Bardamu wrote: 93 Points
Showing a lot more development than the '05 right now and has more of a bright red tone to the colour. Excellent aromatics of bramble berry and pie spice. Rich but very elegant palette, nice and silky with bold flavour. If you're going to drink 'big' wines, than this is the perfect wine.
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6/25/2011 - Prego wrote: 91 Points
Deep color up to the rim. Nose was a bit muted of fruit; alcohol dominated. Flavors of juicy blackberries. Had it with ribeye steak au poivre -- delicious!
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6/16/2011 - pxstone wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully integrated. Full of dark red & purple fruit. Great acidity that balances the fruit. Exceptionally easy to pair. A nice balance between old world body and new world fruit. Decanted about an hour before drinking.
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6/3/2011 - peterk wrote: 93 Points
Great, big, fruity, balanced wine.
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5/21/2011 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Great showing.
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5/14/2011 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
I will concur with the bulk of the masses on this one regarding score. This is one of the more balanced Shiraz I have had, since my first taste of Grange. This has nice dark purple color, good mid-weight viscosity, and a nose that fills the bowl of the glass completely. Really drinking well at this stage, and even given the weight, coats the palate with a persistent black cherry/dark berry, and chocolate overtone. The was some nice earthy mid-palate, and a trailing notes of anise on my palate. Really enjoyed this, and over 2-3 hours this just continued to open and become more enjoyable. Well Done!
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5/9/2011 - psirah wrote: 83 Points
Tasted about 1 year ago, and this time, the wine was exhibiting nice smoky notes on the nose with some raspberry liquer and wood. The fruit seems to have faded considerably, and that is unfortunate as it has left behind only unintegrated oak and wood tannin. This wine has not come together at all, and was just too unbalanced from the beginning. Now without the monolithic fruit the wood has nothing to counter it, and there was never any acid to begin with. I liked this much better right out of the gate as an aussie fruit bomb.
50+5+12+12+4
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5/7/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Aussie Tasting featuring Mitolo GAM (My Place): My wine of the Mitlolo flight and of the night. Blueberries, floral, coffee, and spices on the nose and palate. Very balanced wine and a long finish. Drink now or hold. Decanted 2 hours.
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5/2/2011 - Fielding wrote: 90 Points
Decanted one hour. Typical Ozzie fruit bomb, nose of blue fruits, licorice and star anise. Red fruits on the palate, with heavy tannins overpowering everything else. Not my thing.
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5/1/2011 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 88 Points
Nice, bit past peak?, stikll tasty
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4/25/2011 - stocksandbondage wrote: 92 Points
More finesse than most Aussie Shiraz of this level of concentration.
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4/22/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Aussie Shiraz with Mitolo GAM Vertical 2002-2005 (John's House): Purple black color. Nose is very earthy, meaty, blood, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, spices. The palate is deep and layered, very nice fruit, good tannic structure, excellent balance. excellent. My #3 WOTN. 93pts.
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3/20/2011 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. Needed aeration.
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3/3/2011 - SD-Wineaux wrote: 90 Points
Big, tons of dark fruit and a slightly meaty character. The tannins have integrated pretty nicely, but this bottle seemed sweeter to me than previous bottles, wobbling it a bit off balance for me.
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2/27/2011 - EricBe wrote: 88 Points
Very jammy, actually better the 2nd day.
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2/20/2011 - pinkfloyd wrote: 95 Points
better the 2nd day
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1/23/2011 - Big Daddy wrote:
I am sorry to say that I just drank my last bottle of this. It was very well balanced and the fruit was stunning.
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12/27/2010 - jtinto Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full bodied. Brings it. Brilliant effort again. Drink.
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12/18/2010 - SeaBud wrote:
big fruit bomb (dark fruit and licorice) but tannins try to balance. Little too much of a struggle for me. Perhaps on an extremely cold night to stay warm? I think there is no rush to drink this and 4-5 more years may settle this wine down a little?
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12/12/2010 - cubswinws wrote: 90 Points
Big gamey purple bomb. Still young.
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12/6/2010 - Patrick wrote: 92 Points
This was singing on this night. Great wine.
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12/5/2010 - TwoDogs wrote: 95 Points
Huge mutha!!! Give it at least an hour in glass. Ever evolving gob-stopper of a wine. Fruit is bright and intense but somehow balanced. Will wait another year for next bottle.
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12/2/2010 - Rochester wrote: 86 Points
I think this bottle is just over the hill. Drink soon if you have it. Still dark purple opaque with good nose and long finish. But it is not as smooth as the other bottles I had earlier. It is getting kind off balance. Early signs of oxidation.
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11/25/2010 - wpd wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Initial taste was quite tannic. After decanting it was excellent. Smooth tannins, tart black cherries, currants, deep purple colors, good acidity medium finish.
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11/10/2010 - curtr wrote: 94 Points
From 375 ml, great depth, needs at least 1 hour decant.
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11/8/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, cherries, tannins nicely embedded.
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10/24/2010 - edjBoca wrote: 92 Points
Still has plenty of time. Good balance for an Aus Shiraz!
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10/20/2010 - Jack wrote: 96 Points
Wow. The last 3 bottles I've rated a 92. Not this one. It was really hitting the spot tonight with rich, smooth fruit and very much in balance. I can see these holding for years but not getting any better. Not as good on the second day.
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10/17/2010 - tsutton wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly enjoyable
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10/16/2010 - Ian S wrote:
Still a rich youthful purple, showing no sign of age.
The nose hints of blackberry liquer through the rich fruit, especially on swirling. It's also a little fumy, but not distractingly so. Some mocha sits in the background.
On the palate, it's big, rich somewhat velvety, yet with enough acidity to hold the excesses in check. A reasonably long slightly syrupy finish completes what is a bit of a show pony style, but suits food and mood tonight.
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10/5/2010 - Dr. Pato wrote: 92 Points
Holding steady. Sweet and tart at the same time conveys a freshness.
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9/22/2010 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
RUSSK WW@CafeMax blind tasting. Bottom tier. Nicer nose. Ungenerous palate.
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9/18/2010 - docvin1107 wrote: 91 Points
My last bottle - well made, true to the style and to some extend an enjoyable wine but I am not sad! This was once one of my favorite Aussies but I guest my palate has chanced. This is far to alcohol driving on the nose and the finish to my taste. I tend to prefer the Aussie Rhone blends over the last couple of years because I think it adds more complexity and "edge" to wines.
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9/16/2010 - tp096255 wrote: 90 Points
COLOR: Garnet purple w/light garnet rim
NOTE: Nose isn't very expressive, but what I do get is a bit of heat at first, then some black cherry jam and a little toasted bread. Mouth is med-heavy weight with more black cherry jam, blackberry juice and a little tart pomagranate juice, then some tobacco. Finish is a touch tannic but still smooth, a little tart but in the red fruit spectrum, and then it sails off into a dark chocolate sunset. Not my style. I much preferred the 2005 even though the bottle was compromised!
Also did a Vinturi + 1 hr sample and found it to be almost identical.
DECANT: 1 hr
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.0
COST: 45
VALUE: 5.0
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: 05/06
TRY AGAIN:
PAIRING:
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9/15/2010 - herberto wrote: 88 Points
This isn't terrible. Dark and dense, and dominated by wood - not my style.
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9/11/2010 - sfqwino wrote: flawed
Slightly corked.
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8/7/2010 - CMz wrote: 96 Points
Opened w 45 min air in bottle. Dark, dark purple to the rim with the most wonderful blueberry nose, a little black cherry woven in. This wine has evolved nicely over the last year, the tannins well integrated but still a big mouth-coating wine. Black cherry & blueberry predominant w hints of anise & chocolate. Hard to believe a wine this good sits at such a low price-point. Still has years left and worth seeking out at auction.
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6/30/2010 - raydawgone wrote: 94 Points
Second bottle on Father's Day. Decanted for 3-4 hours. Deep black, almost opaque. Nose of rich, fine imported chocolates dipped in black cherry. The richness of the black fruits and chocolate mellowed with a long, chilling, complex finish. Perfect composition of tannin and acidity at this time. One of the top shiraz bottles to date. Father-in-law ranked it right up there with Grange! Drink now or hold 10 more years.
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6/19/2010 - pmarlo wrote: 92 Points
Very good well made Shiraz, very meaty, full bodied, bitter when first oepend, corked deeply stained, no tan showing through, developed in the glass over an hour or so and the bitterness faded, fruity. Nice heady bouquet too upon opening. I like and prefer these Aussie Shiraz somewhat over the Cali ones, but those are good but in a different way. The Aussie's are always full bodied, and structured, and the Cali ones very structured and softer.
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6/6/2010 - jtinto Likes this wine: 94 Points
There are so many overripe, too sweet, way too jammy, too alcoholic shiraz wines out there. This is not one of them, and why I continue to buy this category. Very dark, smells of dark fruits. This wine is full bodied, focused, layered with bright acidity and polished tannins that compliment the fruity shiraz flavors of dark plums, blackberries, nutmeg, and cocoa that finish with some pepper. Drink now and over the next 10 years.
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5/19/2010 - Rochester wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple, soft on the palate with the right amount of spice, alcohole and hints of fruits. Very nice finish.
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5/16/2010 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour, still needed Vinturi aerator. Still great.
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5/15/2010 - mhensel wrote: 92 Points
Need to adjust my previous evaluation - aussie shadow has disappeared with aeration - fruit, spices and freshness much clearer and focused, alcohol integrated, tannins in harmony - apart from that stick with previous notes.
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5/15/2010 - mhensel wrote: 89 Points
Dark colour, dark cherry red --- Nose a bit alcoholic, red berries, plum, sandal-wood, pepper --- Mouthfeel silky accompanied by nice acidity, some minerality --- Palate mix of red fruit and plum, amarena cherry --- finishes long on minerality, hint of bark, earthiness. Questinoable qpr right now.
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5/15/2010 - CobraKahn wrote: 89 Points
Good shiraz, but not great or complex. I enjoyed it but not sure how Parker got to a 97 rating.
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5/13/2010 - StainedGlass wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. A shiraz for grown-ups. Dark ruby purple. Sure, it has plenty of fruit (blackerry, blueberry), but it is nicely balanced with peppery notes, acid, tannins and toasted oak. You can drink it now, but it can still age several more years.
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5/11/2010 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Another excellent showing. I continue to be amazed at the purity, freshness and overall balance of this wine, considering the large scale. Great stuff.
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4/25/2010 - psirah wrote: 87 Points
This is a very nice, easy drinking Syrah. The wine is quite fruit forward with ripe tannins that blend incredibly well into the wine. The wine does seem rather one-dimensional, with the bouquet and palate lacking any of the meatiness, smoke, or earth that I want in my Syrah.
50+5+11+15+6
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4/17/2010 - shadow wrote: 98 Points
2004 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M.
CT tells me 15 are gone, 2 are left.
One of those wines I couldn't keep my hands off, now I'm regretting it as its better than I remember. Dark like black coffee, nose still heralds the fruit of the shiraz, flavors haven't changed or tarnished just mellowed, you don't feel the tannins but you know they are there keeping the bouquet of mature fruit in check.
This is why I buy Shiraz, I like this, 98pts
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4/13/2010 - Vinacull wrote:
Last soldier, no score, no note. In memory of my grandfather, who was and always will be a "100" to me.
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4/6/2010 - jim_crane wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. No time for the sediment to settle. Dark plum core with little fading at the rim. Cloudy, but probably due to agitation. Expressive nose of cedar, eucalyptus and black berry fruits. Smells plush. Full bodied and still very tannic. Alcohol is pronounced (15.0%). After some breathing time, settles into a nice dark berry fruit palate which also shows some mint and has a pleasing grip in the texture. 50+4+14+17+6
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4/4/2010 - acheng wrote: 90 Points
Expensive oak. Cherry, blueberry and toasty. Juicy acidity. Sweet. Fine.
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4/3/2010 - cdunn wrote: 90 Points
Not my style, a bit too much alcohol, but not really excessive. This has a lot of fruit and adequate structure to deal with the alcohol. It is indeed luscious, and it was paired well with some Cajun cuisine at the Bon Ton Cafe.
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3/28/2010 - microbox wrote: 85 Points
there is almost nothing to add here. i tend to agree with the comments of cadamson and sleepyhaus. yes, there are a number of aromata described in previous comments which are mostly translated through the palate, but after all it has a bit too much of everything (for example 15 Vol% Alc which makes me dizzy) and it lacks staying power. don't try the remains 'the morning after'. DRINK OR KEEP?????????
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3/25/2010 - cadamson wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple. Nice nose, big, like a blueberry/cherry pie with lots of cinnamon and all spice. Maybe a bit of bacon. Most of this comes through on the palate. Not jammy, very tasty, though a bit tiring after a small glass or two. Some dusty, gritty tannins on the finish. Decent acidity. Well made, certainly a crowd pleaser -- just a bit much on the fruit for my tastes. BTW, held up well over 3-4 days open.
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2/20/2010 - sfqwino wrote: 90 Points
Silky tannins and huge structure. Smoke, incense and coffee notes over huge amount of very ripe, plummy fruits, to the point of being slightly jammy. Some alcohol heat as well. This wine was not showing very well on this occasion.
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2/18/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 85 Points
Unremarkable Aussie shiraz. Lots of EtOH on nose, my wife found it useful for clearing her clogged sinuses. Ripe, dense fruit- poster child for this genre. Will save future bottles for donation to school charity auction.
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2/17/2010 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Decided to try this on the strength of the reviews it has garnered here lately. I have to say that this is probably not my style.
Dark purple lightened to garnet at the rim
Starts exactly as you would expect with heady blackberry-boysenberry liqueur notes.
Eventually picks up a touch of black olive, some tar, and a really nice fat piece of fried bacon which I love.
[Downhill from there]
Heavy in the glass, heavy in the mouth. Just can't handle more than one glass of this. Not enough energy or lift to carry it and bring you back to the glass, starts to feel like work. Feel buzzed by about glass 1.5, starts to feel like a headache shortly thereafter.
I like this for one glass exactly, so if I had more I would open for a crowd, so everyone can oo and ah and the lack of staying power will never have to be known.
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2/8/2010 - Dr. Pato wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat muted and not as vibrant as remembered. Peaked?
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2/6/2010 - DHJ1968 wrote:
After 4 hours in the decanter, this beauty is really singing - heady floral aromatics lead to impossibly deep tones of smoky blue/black fruit, espresso, spice and licorice on the endlessly long palate. Yes, this is Australian. Yes, this is wine on steroids. Yes, I love it. Just absolutely ravishing Shiraz. Sparky Marquis only wishes he could carry Ben Glaetzer's bags . . .
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2/2/2010 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
What a great consistent Shiraz. 13 pages of CT notes with an average/median score of 93!!!
Last tried 1-1/2 years ago. =ly as good tonight. Rich bouquet and flavors, but not over the top.
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1/28/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 94 Points
A bit of smokiness ince popped, I mean twisted. This wine has mellowed inthe last few years. While there is still some heat on the finish, the cherries, plums and blackberries have intertwined into a great mixture of hedonistic fruit. Nice backbone. Makes me a believer that some of these Aussies can age.
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1/1/2010 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 90 Points
Superb!, saturate color, thick, viscous mouthfeel, perfect tannic grip & acidic cut, tangy fruit 2/citrus overtones, not efverly complex but damn tasty, plenthy life left
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12/10/2009 - Praxis wrote: 96 Points
Now this is an excellent example of a great Australian shiraz! Inky dark in appearance with a fragrant nose of forest fruits nicely integrated with vanilla spice. The flavors in this full-bodied wine is rich and powerful with generous amounts of blueberries, blackberries, sultanas, and coffee with some hints of eucalyptus framed in a sophisticated use of French oak. Its a big fruit-driven wine but certainly not over done. Definitely drinking great now and should continue to improve.
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12/6/2009 - mdstenner wrote: 89 Points
As good as this has been in the past a little underwhelming.
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12/6/2009 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
Deeper, richer than my last tasting, with distinct notes of burnt charcole.
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11/30/2009 - Bomba wrote: 96 Points
Had this at a tasting with some big Cali Cabs, Bordeaux and Barolo. This was the first in show.
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10/25/2009 - signotim wrote: 91 Points
poured one glass and decanted. dark purple, almost black. shy on the nose. strangely, the first glass had the best concentration and length. seemed a little soft with time. sweet dark fruits, blackberry and bitter chocolate. good length.
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10/11/2009 - tonsta wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the previous bottle. Chocolate and rich friut cake on the palate. Consensus was that it was opened a couple of years too early.
Drink 2011-2015.
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10/9/2009 - jrmcquill wrote: 92 Points
As solid as they come in Australia. Spice and loads of jammy fruit. My palate has changed over the years, but Mitolo has to be at the top of my favorite Aussie wines.
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10/3/2009 - budman wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant, but not the WOW I had hoped for.
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9/28/2009 - charbo wrote:
better now
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9/26/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple in colour, the nose showed baked blackberries, liquorice and a hint of sweet vanilla. On the palate I found a full bodied, rich wine with opulent berry fruit, well integrated oak and fine grained tannins.
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9/23/2009 - VinumCA wrote: 91 Points
Mitolo tasting with Frank Mitolo and Ben Glaetzer (Quince Restaurant, Toronto): The nose was fairly one-sided; it was Hershey bar, plain and simple. Dominated by milk chocolate and vanillin, with some plum and blueberry following far behind. On the palate, this was classically "huge" Aussie shiraz: round (almost spherical!), substantial residual sugar, an enormous palate-coating fruit-bomb that is more Barossa than McLaren Vale. There was an interesting interplay between the fruit, tannins and acidity: the latter were present and noticeable on the finish, but were subsumed entirely on the attack and midpalate by the generous amount of dark currant and blueberry flavours. The "Two Hands" of the tasting.
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8/29/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 95 Points
Polished and generous, this is beautifully focused, plush and layered with cream, nutmeg, coca, blueberry pie, plum, espresso and currant flavors, which are backed by big round sleek tannins that let the finish roll on. An outstanding effort! (Best from 2009 through 2016) - JD95
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8/17/2009 - MichaelF wrote: 85 Points
Perhaps my tastes are changing, but I'm just not into this wine any more. Hopefully an off bottle. Candied blueberry pie filling core, some green bell pepper and licorice finish. The fruit was heavy, and didn't seemed well integrate. I've had $20 Shiraz that were more enjoyable.
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8/13/2009 - mellison wrote: 94 Points
Very nice shiraz. Good balance between fruit, acid and tannins. None of that heavy jammy taste that is too often present in hot weather wine. Opened slowly and would have benefited from an hour or so of decanting.
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8/6/2009 - gordoyflaca wrote:
rich blackberries. drank with a La Gloria Cubana cigar, so probably shouldn't rate...
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8/5/2009 - canan wrote:
Intense nose with load of fruit, licorice and small hints of vanilla behind all the fruit.
The taste is also very fruity but mainly with the licorice dominating a little bit but basically melting all the flavours together. Black pepper and some sweetness is also coming through the entirety of the taste profile but not in an overripe way. Mid-palate is filled with dark chocolate that turn to the bitter kind in the aftertaste. Full body and very long.. Very nice definition.
A very nice and well-rounded Shiraz. Well worth the praise and it has still many years ahead of it.
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8/1/2009 - Alex H wrote: 83 Points
Fun-filled way to start Aug: Was better when first opened with dark forested black fruits, cassis laced and roasted mocha beans and interesting salty caramel at the end. The next day , this had an awkward pungence of nose piercing floral / white pepper powder aromas with reductive dark soy sauce notes showing. However, does become more milo chocolate drink flavoured. Scoring is average overtwo days.
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7/31/2009 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Quite impressed with this. I've had a few GAMs and always thought them over-rated, but this shows real completeness and elegance. It has big structure but is not overbearing. A shiraz to win over non-believers.
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7/30/2009 - FreddyP wrote: 91 Points
Decanted, air for aprox 10 min then drunk:
Dark young in appearance with Cassis and blackberries on the nose, vanilla and coffee. Expected more on the palate with red fruits, blackberries and well integrated tannins. Quite a bit of heat (15% alcohol) which in my opinion lowered the score.
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7/19/2009 - CMz wrote: 95 Points
Opened, 60 minutes in decanter before pouring. Dark, inky purple to the edge. Amazing nose of dark berries. Black cherry, berries and more berries on the palate - esp blueberries. Wow! Big full wine but very well integrated and a long finish. Surprising mid-palate given how boldly the wine begins in the mouth.
I continue to believe that the Mitolo GAM is one of the best Shiraz values for the price and while the '04 GAM does not seem to be as complex & deep as the previous 6-7 vintages I would search out the '02-05 as very nice examples of great Aussie wine...
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7/15/2009 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Wineflock - Scott M. Aussie Intro/Retro (Ken's): Group #4, My #3 - This wine continues on its upward trajectory, even if it isn't as good as the 03. Full opaque black color. Big full nose of blackberry cassis liquer. Shot full of black cherry fruit liquer with a bit of sweet and a long finish.
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7/2/2009 - jtcseventysix wrote: 90 Points
Rich, sweet plum fruit on the nose with a hint of game. Inky, almost purple-black in color. Gobs of candied cherry and raspeberry fruit with a touch of herbs and hint of anise. Very smooth, with a velvety texture. Very pure and focused but offers more than it seems at first glance. There is some structure here.
full-flavored, concentrated Shiraz. Its gorgeous perfume of blueberries, blackberries, camphor, licorice, and pain grille is followed by an inky/blue/purple-colored wine offering superb purity, full-bodied richness, and gorgeous depth as well as texture. This fabulous effort is another example of Ben Glaetzer’s brilliant talents. It should drink well for 15 years. For a winery only established in 1999, and dedicated to hand-crafted, artisinal wines, Mitolo has consistently been a revelation in my tastings. Thanks to owner Frank Mitolo and his brilliant winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, the quality has been truly splendid.
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6/23/2009 - stocksandbondage wrote: 91 Points
This bottle might have been a bitt off, yet was still very good. Normally, this wine delivers even more, which is why it didn't score 94 or better. Velvety tannins and juicy red raspberry and black cherry flavors.
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6/22/2009 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
Good deep, smokey, cherry nose, hints of vanilla and sweet phenol. Chocolate, fir tree, raspberry flavors. Tannins are very moderate, anise, underbrush. Good juice.
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6/18/2009 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 95 Points
I just love this wine. Popped and poured at the end of my annual office outing after a round of golf. We drank this with assorted heavy hors d'oeuvres like duck and hoisin in pancakes (not technically a Peking Duck), baby lamb chops, fresh roast turkey and fajitas. Pepper spice, cherry and blueberry palate with some roast meat and almost chocolate, great mouth feel, very long finish, dark color. Drinks very well with the pseudo-peking duck. Something about the hoisin sauce seems to work well. I can't say this is my regular go to wine because it's a bit too costly for that but my case of 2003 and case of 2004 are dwindling faster than a lot of other stuff I own.
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6/9/2009 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Decanted 3 hours. Purple core with very perfumed nose of black and red fruits and flowers. On the palate, the depth of this wine really shows through with roasted plum, blueberry pie and vanilla. Moderate acidity, full body and very fine-grained tannins will keep this drinking well for the next 8-10 yrs, approx $40, 15% abv
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5/30/2009 - costamalfitana wrote: 90 Points
very powerful , lots of alcohol; blackberry, plum; I don't no what to think of it; drink or hold?
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5/17/2009 - mimik wrote: 91 Points
Dark brooding liquor and sweet blackberry notes. Very nice stuff. Long and succulent with medium acidity. Would pair well with steak or on its own. Very modern and extracted.91+
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5/7/2009 - markmontgo wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful over the top shiraz. Fruit bomb with fine tannis, lots of depth. Should improve over the next couple of years.
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5/6/2009 - LeechDogg wrote: 90 Points
Slight fishy, dark fruit, closed, floral, soft, good tannin structure, full bodied.
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4/30/2009 - doggybag wrote: 92 Points
Aromas of scorched earth and meaty notes. Enjoyable - lots of dark fruit and berry flavors. Slightly tannic, this wine will stand strong for years to come...
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4/18/2009 - gordoyflaca wrote: 87 Points
Better than last time. The creaminess is gone. Scorched blackberries. Still has a while to go.
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4/5/2009 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Black/red. Blackberries, got a hint of roasted meats on nose. Licorice, dense, intense, sweet berry flavors. The excessive acidity of this wine was distracting, and worsened with time. A bit disappointing given this wine's stellar reviews
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3/17/2009 - docvin1107 wrote: 92 Points
2 hours in the decanter. Picked up many of same notes as previous but found it a bit too alcoholic this time. Think I overscored it a bit the last time - still a lovely wine but to me this bottle was "only" a 92-pointer.
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2/21/2009 - Vinacull wrote: 94 Points
Respi-aerate into decanter, immediate serve. Much to my surprise, the bouquet was rather restrained compared to prior notes - relatively faint blackberry, tar, faint flowers, earth, and a little meatiness. However it more than made up for it in taste, firing on every last cylinder with huge rich blackberry, earth and spice. This was every bit as big as the '05 Turley Earthquake Zin that preceded it, but the consensus around the table was that it was even better because of the layers of flavors and complexity it showed on the palate. This wine seems to be holding together very well, but was not able to judge by extended air time because we consumed it so quickly during dinner. One bottle left, and I'll be sad when it's gone.
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2/9/2009 - Whistler wrote: 85 Points
Not what I was expecting. This is way too forward and fruit loaded for my taste. Perhaps it needs a few more years to settle down but I didn't get the layers of flavour just a fruit bomb.
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1/25/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 91 Points
Wow! An alluring nose with complex blend of ripe berries, liqorice, incense, cedar, anise star and leather, backed by silky tannins and a good structure for further aging. The acid stands out a little too much at this point and I would leave my other bottles alone for a while.
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1/24/2009 - Mattshank wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes taken. Nose: Blackberry aromas and some mineral. Palate: Blackberry flavors with smooth tannins. This is yielding more than the last bottle but is still restrained. Perhaps this '04' will never be as upfront as '05', nonetheless a well balanced and pleasant drink.
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1/14/2009 - ron m wrote:
Decanted for an hour, really took 3-4 to open up fully. Cherry, cedar, spices, liqorice on the nose, quite intriguing. Super rich cherry/plum palate, not over the top but I would not say nuanced… well hidden alchohol and good acidity to accompany the oil poached fillets. Very good finish, long and focused. Quite nice. 97? Not for me.
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1/10/2009 - Tubbs wrote:
Meh... nice but... yawn.
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1/7/2009 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
This was another great bottle of the G.A.M. Big blackberry aromas and flavors with violet, cassis, and smoky, peppery brown spices. Adds a note of anise on the finish. Still got some nice structure going on. Over time, it seems to be showing more balance, though it hasn't been as mindblowing as the first bottles enjoyed in 2006. 93-94.
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1/3/2009 - thalver wrote: 93 Points
resolved, soft, mature? will try to drink remaining bottles over next two years
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1/1/2009 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Dark, dark ruby in color. Delicious wow nose. Creamy rich black fruit, herbs and toast. Rich and opulent on the palate with mouth-coating fruits. For all its size and richness, shows poise and balance. Long finish. Terrific with a very high delicious factor.
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1/1/2009 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Wineflock - Wow wines (Nanda's): Group #4, My #5 - Opaque black color with red edges. Medium bright warm black fruit nose. Nice big mouthful of juicy black fruit - nice and round with some sweetness. This wine seems to have filled out nicely in the past couple years.
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1/1/2009 - Ric C wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple color, a bit sweet and fruity, smooth mouth feel, mocha, cinnamon and pleasant tannins, good aftertaste, a mature wine, right time to drink now.
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12/31/2008 - tairanosaurus wrote: 94 Points
Deep rich purple fruit, violets and mocha on the nose. Luscious mouth feel. Rich blackberry compote, mint, mocha, and cinnamon spice on the palate. Background of kalbi beef.
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12/27/2008 - danibus wrote: 92 Points
Great shiraz. Just this side of too much. Big, sweet, round tannins and pure fruit. Love the anxiety free screw cap on this kind of wine. A sure fire crowd pleaser for red meat.
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12/13/2008 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Again a decent performance. Popped and poured and it was good from the start. Not as good the second day - some heat.
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11/29/2008 - benfri wrote: 90 Points
Lots of power but also complexity. Licorice, dark chocolate, blackberries and prunes. Thick! I don't really like this type of wine. But still I*m impressed.
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11/16/2008 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Sunday night bottle. Dark in the glass, of course. Very pretty, nice and complex. Still, high quality juice, very dense but has a nice beam of acidity, sort of a sweet acidity, to carry its dark berry and vanilla flavors and aromas.
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11/15/2008 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
Disappointing. I guess it needs more time.
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11/14/2008 - MLwine wrote: 90 Points
Rich and very fruity. Almost like jam. Lacking in structure or complexity, however.
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11/14/2008 - rockguit wrote: 93 Points
Beautifully elegant. A real finesse wine--good structure--not your typical Aussie fruit bomb. I agree that if it was just a touch more unctuous it would easily be 95+.
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11/8/2008 - RationalDenial wrote:
Didn't pay much attention to this (served with roast lamb main course for dinner with friends). And it didn't seem to demand any. Good, but not show stopping. (later) Looked at the tasting notes and was shocked by the accolades. Clearly I missed something? But this struck me as gobs of fruit, all forward without much complexity. Will pay closer attention next time (I bought two), see if I did miss anything...
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10/25/2008 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
Rich dried cherry and blackberry compote with roasted, meaty notes on the nose. Nice, but not as nice as I know it can be. But it's pretty close to G.A.M. par in the mouth and especially on the finish. A phenomenal, sweet, spicy finish.
Hold on ... after an hour in the air, this starts firing on all cylinders... Needs at least an hour, probably two, in the decanter. Mid-range performance for this really outstanding wine.
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10/14/2008 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Awesome like the past bottles. Amazingly this wine delivers tons of deep concentrated fruits with unbelievable depth and complexity, with a long, lucious finish. I wish all $50 wines were this good.
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10/12/2008 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
bodily, not smooth, for meat dishes
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10/10/2008 - DHJ1968 wrote:
No decant so initially muted on nose and palate; after 20-30 min really began to open up with beautiful deep black fruit and licorice on nose and structured palate. Very well balanced wine; no alcoholic heat or overbearing american oak. Drinking well now but will be interesting to see how it ages. Really like Ben Glaetzer's wines.
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10/5/2008 - pizzler wrote: 92 Points
Silky smooth wine with excellent structure and balance. Not overblown at all, in fact was more of a finesse wine. May have been a bit muted as it was a pop and pour.
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9/20/2008 - MBannon wrote: 94 Points
Not really my style, but if you're into big fruit this one is pretty amazing. Huge aromas and flavors of prunes and dark berries. Almost port-like intensity. Great balance, very smooth. Lots of life left.
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9/14/2008 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit flavors, with more reductive fruit than expected, such as prune and plum notes. But a very smooth wine with a long finish. Enough acidity and tannins to keep it balanced, but not what I would call complex or elegant. A little too much fruit and not enough offsetting tannin or acid for me to get excited, but a nice example of the big Aussie style.
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9/7/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 94 Points
Heady fragrance - enough to fill the room out of wide glasses twelve feet away. Exceptional depth and layering with fruit and now a little tar in the background. Always excellent.
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9/1/2008 - gordoyflaca wrote: 85 Points
Well made but not our style. Oaky blackberry cream candy. Will let the others sit for a while to see if some age will round it out
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8/31/2008 - Vinacull wrote: 93 Points
Consistently outstanding, smooth, and elegant. Everybody loved it and it disappeared quickly. Bouquet was fabulous as with previous bottles, but the fruit had slightly less horsepower than the last bottle. Not that it was fading or oxidized, but I felt like it might had done a little better if the decant time had been more like 30 minutes prior to the party instead of 2.5 hours. This showing also suffered relative to the 2002 Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz we opened immediately afterward.
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8/30/2008 - shiraz guy wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous note.
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8/29/2008 - JohnSh wrote: 92 Points
Hazy notes. Much better than a previous bottle. No blueberry milkshake here; this wine has serious structure. Very concentrated stuff, but not OTT. Can't remember the flour profile, as it was rather late in the evening! But the wine shone quite easily, and it was quite enjoyable.92
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8/17/2008 - Jetsailor wrote:
After previous bottles that were fantastic this one was just nice. Perhaps it has closed down for a bit? Subdued nose...very nice fruit flavors, but they just didn't pop.
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8/16/2008 - nvandyk wrote: 96 Points
Polished obsidian with purple and red at the edges and extremely viscous legs. Nose of plums and boysenberries. Lighter than it looks, this one is very light on its feet with a midpalate of blackberries and a lingering finish that goes on and on. If this were a little more unctuous it could be a nearly perfect wine. As it is, quite delicious. (Note: bottled faded pretty significantly by the second day)
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7/30/2008 - Heelacious wrote: 94 Points
DISCLAIMER: Along with still being pretty new at drinking "real" wines, we opened this bottle to celebrate completing the bar exam. So if these notes come off as a little jubilant, they are.
I'm sure this isn't the best wine I've ever had, but I think it may be the best I've ever purchased. Incredible color, for starters. The kind of color that lets you know that you're about to drink a serious wine. So much going on on the nose: red fruit (dark cherries leading the way), sugar cane, some hints of coffee (maybe mocha), and and awesome cinnamon kick. On the palate this thing is juicy, but elegant and extremely balanced. The cherries are still there, now joined with some pomegranate (especially on the finish). On the tail end, there's an incredible sense of cinnamon roll - the part in the middle where some of the cinnamon doesn't quite melt. The wine finishes dry, but not abruptly. In fact, the finish lingers on for what seems like forever. Really a great wine and a great way to finish off a murderous two months.
Normally this kind of wine is above our price range, but I would call this a value at around $50.
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7/16/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Opened and decanted for 4 hours prior to dinner. This wine is a blood red wine that leads to a ruby edge out near the rim of the glass. In the nose there are scents of beets, vanilla, butterscotch, black cherries, black plums, cinnamon, and spices. In the mouth it's a full bodied monster that crawls across the palate filling every crevasse and nook like a heavy mink blanket as flavors of cherry, spice, plum, blueberries, and bakers chocolate race down the gullet. This is an outstanding wine that deserves another 2-3 years in the cellar before it will fully blossom. If you have to open this now I would decant this for a minimum of four hours.
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7/11/2008 - gregsp wrote: 92 Points
Big and brawny - lots of fun with pizza.
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7/8/2008 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Drinks great. Required aeration with Vinturi aerator. But rich opulent Aussie Shiraz that is not over the top.
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7/4/2008 - pgm wrote: 95 Points
This was really beautiful, with a nose of black cherry, cedar, and exotic spices. A powerful mouthful of blackberry and cherry, with mocha and licorice complexity. No heat at all, with very fine tannins. It's drinking great.
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6/15/2008 - Apollo5710 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours before beginning consumption. Impressive smoky nose initially, showcasing ripe raspberry fruit, vanilla, graphite, and mint. Huge in the mouth at first, with borderline harsh tannins dominating the close. This was simply a pleasurable experience! It certainly settled down with time, evolving into a more a lush, smooth texture in the mouth, but never without a noticable annoying presence of alcohol. Less chocolately than the Reiver. It is also hard to tell how well these wines will age, but overall, this was enjoyed by all tonight!
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5/25/2008 - nwinther wrote: 92 Points
The color is pitch black and the texture is thick. On the nose is leather and black currant which is echoed in the palate which is clean and powerful. A slight bite in the back indicating agein potential. Long warm aftertaste. Exellent wine. Drink or keep.
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5/23/2008 - hcampana wrote: 86 Points
2002 Pride Vintner's Select Merlot, 2001 Pride Cab, 2002 Shirvington Cab & 2004 Mitolo GAM (Monterrey, Mexico): Wine No. 2
This wine is hot, un balanced and disjointed. Granted it has a ton of fruit, but it is impossible to see why The Wine Advocate would ever annoit it 97 points. I stopped buying Aussie Shirazes a couple of years now and this reminds me why.
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4/23/2008 - mwagner7700 wrote: 88 Points
Boy, has this fallen far from grace. We all loved this the last time we had it, so decided to serve on my Dad's 60th birthday. Opened 30 minutes prior to drinking, but did not decant. Drank over 2 hours. I think the wine is evolving, and you need to let it sit a while. There was none of the great up-front fruit from its youth. But there aren't many secondary nuances either. It seemed awkward. Some notes of blackberry and blueberry, with vanilla and oak. But there are some slight notes of leather. Just seemed 'off'. Disappointing. 87-89 points.
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4/18/2008 - gregsp wrote: 93 Points
Two hours in the decanter - excellent. The last bottle I had must have been flawed. Great nose, with a very nice structure in the mouth. Good balance and a medium-long finish.
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4/18/2008 - Vinacull wrote: 95 Points
Aerate decant and sit for 2 hours. This is simply outstanding Shiraz deserving of its score and showed even better than the bottle we had a few weeks ago, so I have bumped it two points, one for bouquet and one for flavor profile. Beautiful and generous nose of blackberries, black currant, graphite, pepper, and a bit of mint. Deep black and red fruits more prominent than last bottle, balanced and complex throughout, and a long juicy finish of about 40 seconds. An interesting head to head next to an '04 Two Hands Bad Impersonator, which was certainly big and juicy and moderately complex, but definitely did not have the additional layers, the balance (clearly more forward), or elegance of the GAM, and the finish was somewhat shorter.
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4/6/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 91 Points
Opened two of these at an after-party last evening. Deep and rich, still a powerful wine that was enjoyed by all.
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3/28/2008 - gregsp wrote: 88 Points
Not what I remembered from past bottles. Drank the first ounce before pouring into the decanter, where it sat for two hours. My impression from the first taste was that it might have been cooked, but it mellowed somewhat in the decanter... still, it was just plain blunt compared to what I remember from my last bottle in March, 2006.
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3/24/2008 - Vinacull wrote: 93 Points
Decant and let sit covered for about five hours. Surprised myself, because despite being a staunch advocate of aeration, I wonder in retrospect that was the right thing. Color deep magenta. First nose of blackberries, charcoal, graphite, and a bit of white pepper, but still a rather soft/restrained compared to the last bottle of about two years ago. On the attack through mid-palate, beautiful mouth-coating blackberries and cherries, finishing with red currants adding refreshing acidity and silky soft tannins. Remarkably, not a lot of pepper or other spice, such that I might be fooled into thinking this was something else if I were drinking this blind. Overall, this wine is a paradox in that the fruit does not seem to have the power I once remember, but on the other hand the fruit is still very concentrated and it did not seem at all faded or falling apart as we have seen MANY times with mildly aged Oz fruit bombs -- and it remained completely intact over another 4 hours of sipping. What this wine does (still) offer is the same elegance and smoothness in spades. I agree with others in that this is not a 97, but is excellent and definitely worth every peeny. Next bottle will decant about an hour, and hopefully will capture more raw shiraz elements in the bouquet as it opens up.
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3/18/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 91 Points
I believe there's been a marked transition for this wine. Upon release it was bursting with vitality, bright fruit and glycerin. Now, the tannins, prunish flavours and leather predominate. It is still a lovely wine, but not the incredible cataphony of flavours it was several years ago. Will those beautiful flavours return with more age? I can't say, but I rather doubt it.
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3/17/2008 - mr_knubbel wrote: 92 Points
Pamela Anderson bottled. A "must have" wine. It is not the big story of structure and a fine layered wine. This is a story about massive fruit, tanine and - beside - huge tasty.
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3/14/2008 - docvin1107 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Almost black colour. Smooooth and fuld bodied, massive fruit of black currant, earth, leather, cedar and a little liquorice. Still good soft tannins to balance this heavy wine, long lovely finish. Tried it a few years ago and it's still very vital but drink it within the next few years. Classic aussie - Great stuff!!
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3/14/2008 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
A great evening with close friends (@ PZ): Loaded with black fruits. Very concentrated. Good amount of oak. I hope more complexity will show with ageing.
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3/3/2008 - GRD wrote: 86 Points
Having a number of these in our 'cellar', we've had this a few times in the past, usually an excellent wine. This was somewhat of a letdown, lacked the punch of the previous ones. The finish was typically long, but typical flavors of this wine die early in that finish. Most likely an "off" bottle.
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3/1/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
Didn't unfold as well as previous bottles. But still a fine wine.
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2/23/2008 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Another excellent bottle. This is one of my all time favorite wines. Tons of deep concentrated fruit, lots of complexity and great balance. For a wine under $50 this is nirvana.
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2/22/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 90 Points
big fruity wine. blueberry. nice balance. not alot of complexity, but good for what it is.
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2/18/2008 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted for one hour; enjoyed with exceptional burgers at Luka's. Perfectly round and smooth. Dense but balanced and not overwhelming. Hides its alcohol. A sheer pleasure. Bouquet to match.
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2/14/2008 - joni.m.anttonen@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Color:Dark deep red
Nose: Berries, a hint of liquorice, deep
Palate: Full bodied, berries, soft tannins, mouthfilling? long
This is no doubt the best aussie I've had, but still I expected a bit more complex and uniguenes.
It's one of the best wines you can get for 35-40euros.
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2/14/2008 - Weinlakai wrote: 95 Points
Had it after a great bottle of 1993 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wow, very nice! Served double-blind. Clearly an Aussie wine. I could have sworn that it is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz cuvee. Very Syrah like fruit, but also a Cabernet Sauvignon like spicebox/cedar aroma. Very open, very ripe with lots of complexity, great mouth feel, very long finish. The tannin structure shows its youth, but is not disturbing at all. Very enjoyable to drink right now.
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2/13/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
Has lost a lot of it's brightness, but still a fine wine.
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2/13/2008 - jamieirving wrote: 88 Points
Another cracker - deep purple in colou and showing dark, jammu red fruit on the nose. The palate is rich and full with white pepper, spice, cherry and well integrated oak.
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2/10/2008 - JohnSh wrote: 89 Points
Popped and pured at the end of a night - I shouldn't learned by now! - this was very closed right now. But nice balance, some gamy notes, and some tannins made this not ready for such treatment. Decant if you want to try one now!
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2/8/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Excellent bottle of wine. A solid front of blended fruit and spice. I don't like this as much as I did when it was first released and full of glycerin, but this is evolving into a more complex, interesting wine.
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1/28/2008 - tonsta wrote: 89 Points
Pop and poured. This bottle wasn't as impressive as the last one I had about 9 months ago. The nose was very subdued and the palate seemed very one dimensional and possibly closed down. In any case the wine was not in a good place right now and with another 4 bottles in the cellar I hope it regains some life.
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1/24/2008 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Rich creamy fruit. Good balance.
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1/18/2008 - ColinR wrote: 95 Points
Deep crimson/inky purple; vanilla, blackberries, black currants, wet earth, smoked meat; ripe berry, lush, creamy, full body, beautiful balance, firm ripe tannins, lingering finish.
Decanted 3 hrs. Wow! Layers of ripe fruit beautifully balanced with the 15% alc. and velvety tannins. Approachable now but some structure for aging. Why aren't more Aussie shirazes like this?
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1/6/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Having consumed fourty bottles of this since it's release I'm convinced it was bigger, better and brighter when first released. If and when it will approach the flavours it held when it became available as it ages I don't know. Australian Shiraz are huge and for immediate gratification. They don't often get better with age. Still, this is a very good wine.
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1/5/2008 - buzzrsq wrote: 95 Points
Wow!! Drank with a Bleu Cheese topped filet. Maybe not the right combination as I finished the wine but not the steak. This stuff is good, can't wait for the next bottle. Extremely smooth on finish, with fruit blasting on the front end. Smell is a little hot, but a fantastic bottle of wine. Wished there were only two of us at dinner, not the four we had.
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1/3/2008 - AlpharettaWine wrote: 95 Points
Should benefit from more time, but boy was this good. McLaren has replaced Barossa in terms of style and quality for me.
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12/25/2007 - acheng wrote: 93 Points
Had it with shiraz braised lamb shoulder. Penetrating nose of blueberry, dark fruit and mint. Very extracted, sweet cherry and smooth mouth feel. Not over-done or heavy. Better than the 2005.
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12/16/2007 - MichaelF wrote:
This bottle didn't hold up to prior tastings. Still with the classic McLaren Shiraz profile, but had a green bell pepper component and a little bitterness to the finish. Will not rate (off bottle?)
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12/13/2007 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
A little tart but big fruit up front that is in balance.
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12/3/2007 - shiraz guy wrote: 94 Points
This was very closed at first opening. Bitter and no fruit whatsoever. I was wondering if it was damaged somehow in transport from the seller. I decanted for over an hour, and at that time it began to blossom. After 2 hours, it got really good. Classic AU shiraz, smooth and precise. Nice that it turned out so good.
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12/2/2007 - bprosenberg wrote: 96 Points
Outstanding wine. Layers of rich, berry flavor, as well as a touch of licorice. Just a little bit tight, the wine opened in the glass (did not decant, but opened the bottle 2 hours before dinner (rib roast) and poured wine glasses 30 minutes before dinner). This wine should soften a bit more with age, but is fantastic now.
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11/19/2007 - WineLover26 wrote: 91 Points
very good. Still young
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11/5/2007 - cmr wrote: 89 Points
For me WS hit it on the nose. Firm, with juicy blackberry, cherry and tar flavors on a a tightly wound frame, finishing with refreshing acidity.
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11/1/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Having enjoyed this wine over 20 times I'm absolutely convinced that it was more vibrant, more impactful when it was first released. I believe it's going through a transformation now with deeper plumb and cigar box flavours. Will it end up better or worse? We don't know, but there is definately enough tannins here to see it through to the end of it's journey.
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10/26/2007 - jamieirving wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple in colour, this wine shows dark fruit, especially plum, on the nose. The palate is deep and dark - showing spice, dried fruit and cigar box characters. Very nice.
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10/20/2007 - pian0_player wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular. It doesn't get much better than this. Classic Mclaren Vale. Black fruit and loads of complexity. Wonderful mouthfeel and seemless tannins. After about three hours in the decanter it really came to life. I have had this wine in three occasions and not once has it dissappointed me. Buy it and drink it. How the Aussies make this kind of quality and charge the prices they charge is a mystery. A California wine of this caliber would cost three times as much. Enjoy it while it lasts.
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10/15/2007 - wiskytango wrote:
as advertised
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10/14/2007 - Thralow wrote: 94 Points
Everybody loves this wine.
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9/29/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 94 Points
Full of pepper, fruit and life.
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8/28/2007 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 94 Points
Somewhat closed when it first got into the glass. After about an hour this wine started to sing. Really textbook McLaren Vale. Big gutsy style wine with loads of black fruit and spice with a hint of salinity. Delicious stuff. Looking forward to the second half of the bottle tonight.
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8/23/2007 - Guppies wrote: 96 Points
Deep dark colour, with lots of red fruits, anise flavor, little dry after taste - another great Aussie wine!!
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8/11/2007 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Incredibly lush wine and well integrated. As my wife put it, "so easy to drink" and I agree. On the nose, fresh blueberry pie, some scorched earth and faint violets. Seamless now, decanted and consumed over 3 hours. Did not detect any heat, but could feel it when we were done. Definitely opened up as over the course of time. I could see this wine improving, but it is so good now.
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7/30/2007 - Ian S wrote:
Tastes like the fruit was overripe and I found this full-on, but unimpressive and imbalanced. I'd enjoyed earlier vintages but this was a big disappointment.
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7/19/2007 - dannyk8232 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 8 hours.
Inky black with dark purple rim. Potent floral nose with notes of blackberries, smoky meats and anise. Still a little bit of alcohol on the nose but not unpleasant. Huge, viscous mouthfeel without feeling too heavy. Plum, mint and licorice with a peppery aftertaste. Quite tannic, but again, not unpleasant. This wine will age very well. Great balance on the long finish with some very interesting secondary characteristics. Good depth and a great value. Excellent, intriguing wine.
40+5+5+18+18+8=94
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7/14/2007 - mwagner7700 wrote: 93 Points
Served this with hickory smoked prime rib roast. Inky black with violet rim. Opened, but not decanted, 45 minutes prior to consuming. Beautiful mouthfeel here. Very rich, almost creamy. Notes of blueberry and blackberry all supported by vanilla and spice. I just couldn't get over how smooth this was on the palate... almost like velvet. This is a big, in-your-face Aussie shiraz with beautiful dark fruits and a nice 30 second finish. Again, I don't see how this is 97 points... but it is still a beautiful wine. I don't see any reason to hold on any longer. The tannins are well integrated, and there is still loads of syrupy dark fruits to enjoy. 92-94 points.
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7/6/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
No notes taken, but I recall that I enjoyed this much more than expected. It was packed with lush fruit but wasn't over the top with the oak treatment.
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6/7/2007 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 95 Points
WOW. I had one last year and it was just too new and tight. What a difference. Popped and poured at 5:00 at a meeting with our Rabbi, which is relevant as you will see later. This is not a perfect wine, but it is an extraordinary wine. The balance is perfect and the alcohol level at 15% is not noticeable. I had an Italian pinot at 12.5% later in the evening that both tasted and smelled more alcoholic. Very rounded and velvety mouth feel. Beautiful dark color. Spice and chocolate and red fruit aroma. Red fruit and some pepper on the palate. More spice as the hour continued. A tad of sweetness from the fruit, although the RS is probably zero. A tiny bit of toasty woodiness but just to add complexity without being obtrusive. My rating system is simple. As I explained to the Rabbi, in a very Kabbalist sense, in order for a wine to score more than 95 points, your response to it has to be so positive that it affirms a belief in a supreme being because the mere hands of man could not have made this wine. 95 points is reserved for the extraordinary wine that just doesn't quite reach that spiritual level. That's what this one deserves. I have 10 more that I will spread out over the next 5-10 years. Perhaps its development will get it to the over 95 point territory.
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5/31/2007 - goldstein wrote: 95 Points
liked it again. if there is wine monogamy, then me be married to this one. bg
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5/24/2007 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Inky purple to black in color with an effervescent fragrance of violets, black fruit, meat, smoke, licorice and grapefruits. Forward yet layered and complex. Palate has juicy and rich black fruits. Tremendous depth on the mid palate that is rich and concentrated but showing cut and a lifted personality. Impressively flavorful and long finish. (4+14+18+8=94).
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5/21/2007 - dtirsell wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous inky purple color. Drank after opening for 1 hr. Hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper on the palate, I think this will evolve into something special over the next 5 to 10 years. Built for the long haul. Well integrated, long complex finish.
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5/14/2007 - tonygoldstone wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 30 mins. Inky red. Super shiraz nose. Lovely ozzy fuittbomb shiraz with 30 second plus finish. Even better on day 2. Will get better and better, but very enjoyable now.
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5/11/2007 - Ombibulous Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sampled from the wine sampling machine. This is easily one of the best Aussie Shirazes I've tried. Very fruity and balanced. Outstanding (93.5-94.5).
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5/6/2007 - goldstein wrote: 95 Points
soft nose of fruit, huge taste cool of alcohol, 30 second plus finish; all equals great shiraz for the shiraz lover in you. bg
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4/30/2007 - gt1485a wrote: 95 Points
Amazing Shiraz,incredible upfront flavors and a finish that never ends. Well worth the money.
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4/16/2007 - tdet wrote:
buy more
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4/9/2007 - tonsta wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 3hrs. Gorgeous inky purple colour. Nose was very restrained. Stunning wine that certainly benefited from decanting (could have done with another few hours I reckon). Hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper on the palate, I think this will evolve into something special over the next 5 to 10 years. Built for the long haul.
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3/3/2007 - sinebubble wrote:
Started with some tomatoes to open the palate. The initial impression was spicy licorice with a tobacco bite and some cherry. A deep and rich wine. After an hour and taken with pasta, the cherry dominates.
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2/28/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine that's closed right now. Has great potential for a higher rating down the road.
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2/26/2007 - pgm wrote:
Noticing in this bottle that it's really not drinking as well as the phenomenal wine I enjoyed in the past (when it was one of my personal top 3 wines of 2006). On this occasion is was just relatively closed on the nose and too tightly wound in the staggeringly dense palate. Also noticing that CT scores are trending lower than a year ago, and we're starting to see notes that it's closed up.
I think I'd agree that it's time to leave this one alone in the cellar for while. I think I'd give this bottle experience a 90-91, and wait in anticipation to open the rest a few years down the road. Probably time to try the '05 if that wine is going to take the same path.
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2/24/2007 - DRL01 wrote: 92 Points
Too early to try. Lots of potential.
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2/19/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Exceptional wine - should develop very well over the next three years. Seems like it's in a developmental stage now.
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2/11/2007 - mebydef wrote: 97 Points
Wow! This was pretty impressive stuff. Yes it’s worth the Parker points. Deep dark in color. Shortly after decanting, it was rough edged and awkwardly balanced, kind of like one of the Carlisles. The nose was cherries and currants with wet stone. As the evening progressed, it really started to come together. Great power and depth. I sure am looking forward to the others, fo-sho!
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2/11/2007 - PathDoc wrote:
Big fat syrah nose, blueberry and floral, with some coffee, earthy, dark fruit coming out, especially over time . This is not a HUGE syrupy Aussie shiraz. Very complex and seems even a bit restrained right now. For as intriguing as the nose is, it is just slightly short on the palate. Definitely very good, but maybe not quite up the the 97 Parker gave it.
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2/10/2007 - jonnyoro wrote:
a beautiful big syrah (this one from screw cap- i have a couple of each)- not an ooze monster- nice texture, big blueberry sherbet and big sweet tannins, licorice, tar, a certain minerality, nice balance, little or no heat. with pan roasted duck breast, a lingonberry port reduction, yams pan fried in the duck fat and brocollini... nice pairing!
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2/9/2007 - pgm wrote: 94 Points
More Bordeaux-like in character than previous bottle: dense, rich, integrated, not as boisterous as before but very complex. In addition to the black fruit and berry characters, there were notes of chocolate and even a ripe or candied orange. Beautiful wine, but not showing its best. Better the second day.
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2/2/2007 - MichaelF wrote: 93 Points
I agree with other notes. Massive fruit explosion, complex cascade of red and dark fruits with chocolate, pepper finish. Great wine. Drinking well now. I don't know if it will or can improve over time. I doubt I'll have the patience to find out.
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2/1/2007 - JLL wrote: 92 Points
give another 2 years
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1/26/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 92 Points
Australia Day Wine Celebration (Outback Steakhouse, Los Angeles, CA): Notes of black fruits, eucalyptus, and spice. 92-93 points.
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1/10/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
For whatever reason, either my tastebuds or the wine seemed closed down tonight. I'm wondering now if this 2004 is starting to do that and will open down the road. Will be interested in other thoughts on this.
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1/7/2007 - jacobp wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours. Still a bit tight and withdrawn. Nevertheless, nice blueberry on the nose, with a very strong and solid finish.
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12/31/2006 - mfkidd wrote: 93 Points
New Year's Eve wine at Gregg and Delinah's.
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12/27/2006 - mreinitz wrote: 92 Points
Good but not quite as good as I expected. Very closed out of the bottle, but was showing nice fruit with some chocolate after three hours in the decanter. Fairly subdued nose. Big but not super big. Very pleasant but not spectacular.
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12/22/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote: 95 Points
Out of this world fruit with great complexity. I normally don't drink a lot of Shiraz but so far the best Shiraz I've tasted. Did not decant but bottle was opened around 2 hours before I tasted. Looking forward to trying out other '04 Australian Shiraz from the McLaren Vale appellation.
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12/4/2006 - AtlantaBill wrote: 95 Points
Dark garnet color. Aroma and taste of black cherries and black pepper with a bit of cedar on the long finish. Velvety tannins.
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12/2/2006 - beachnic wrote: 93 Points
Huge wine may be one of the best of the best in 5yrs or more. Young and great.
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11/18/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Dinner at Turnberry CC (Turnberry CC, NW Suburbs Chicago): Killer stuff. This wine continues to amaze me. Very deep and complex as with the other bottles. Deeply extracted fruit and great balance with a finish that doesn't quit. Very hedonistic. Love this stuff.
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11/16/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 95 Points
Consistently beautiful. Overwealming fruit and lush ripe flavours.
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11/10/2006 - DesMarteau wrote: 94 Points
This wine is a 88 after 4 hours of air...it needs a couple of days to open. That simple. After 2 days it's much, much better...it has integrated tar, pine, blue fruit, vanilla, spice, cream, and dusty tannins. Thick...but not a milkshake. Not wacko fruit either. Very long finish.
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10/22/2006 - gpette01 wrote: 94 Points
needed to decant for a couple of hours, then turned into a classic gam. better than the 03, but just as good as the 02 in my opinion.
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10/9/2006 - E wrote: 94 Points
Wine is fickle..."closing down?"...just not showing as well as earlier this year...oh well, more to try as time goes along...
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9/24/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 95 Points
A vision of aphrodite. A few drops are able to completely extinguish the flood of Barolo preceding.
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9/21/2006 - mdstenner wrote: 93 Points
An incredibly powerful bottle of wine, can't desribe it any better than last time. If you have it, enjoy!
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9/9/2006 - Vette Z06 wrote: 90 Points
Took the bottle to a restaurant with friends. Did not decant. I was disappointed. Thin with little fruit. I will chalk this up to lack of decanting. Next bottle I will decant for at least a couple of hours.
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9/8/2006 - Weinlakai wrote: 93 Points
I really can't share the opinions that the nose is closed right after popping the cork. A lot of red and dark berries were all over the place. On the palate it was very powerful with a nice and long finish. After some while in the decanter, the palate became more generous and complex. More vanilla, chocolate and some fig. The really outstanding thing about this Shiraz is, that it has a Bordeaux-like elegance and complexity and not only the typical powerful fruitbomb style. Thank god it didn't close down after a while in the decanter... I thought so, because of so many people telling it is way too young. Maybe I was lucky with this specific bottle. Don't get me wrong: I'm sure it gets better with age, but it is totally enjoyable right now. Nevertheless I don't think it will ever evolve to the 97 points Parker gave it.
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8/29/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 95 Points
Drank the first half of this yesterday eve, and was forced to abandon the effort and resume tonight. The first half was predictably excellent with the usual integrated powerhouse. 24 hours later it is still powerful, but with more bordeaux like flavors of leather, smoke and deep fruits. A hint of what aging might accomplish? Oh, what the heck, with this wine why wait!
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8/27/2006 - samurai wrote: 96 Points
Exceptional. Very enjoyable.
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8/21/2006 - ths wrote: 94 Points
Deep, dense purple. Smokey, toasty nose although somewhat reticent. Round entry, with huge fruit, smooth tannins, and nice balance. This is really well made, to keep the big fruit from getting jammy while having the tannins in check. I think RP over-rates a bit but this is really nice 5+12+17+10.
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8/18/2006 - beachnic wrote: 93 Points
well, I had a dinner party and opened up a 2002 Two hand's Ares , A 2002 Caymus special selection and 2004 Mitolo G.A.M.
For my money I'm buying alot more 2004 Mitolo. What an amazing young wine (and I love Two hands wines).
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8/15/2006 - RKatzDO wrote: 94 Points
Slow to open at this time. Developed more complexity, but still showed the concentration and deep red fruits and mild jam as it has in the past. I'll wait on the rest of them for a few years to see how they develop. I suspect in 5 years, this will be something quite amazing.
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8/8/2006 - beachnic wrote: 94 Points
Lots of Oak right now which dominates it slightly. But this is going to be something special in a couple of yrs. It actually is already. The vanilla from the french Oak (18 months) is quite evident and Heady. There is excellent fruit concentration as well (Teeth staining). This wine is a 95ish wine now and will surpass 97? in a couple of yrs. This enters my inner circle of great shiraze's.
Update: After trying alot of other Shiraz's this is pretty close to the top.
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8/1/2006 - stevewine wrote:
wonderful 99 just a great wine
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7/14/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 91 Points
bohemian grove
no notes.
popped, poured and guzzled.
couldve used some air...
certainly large, but showing rather one dimensional - most likely (at least partially) due to the lack of air today.
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7/5/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 91 Points
Very dark and young (94-91) Red rim; Nose:rich, spicey, dark fruit. Very big. Moutfeel is very soft and rich. Palate has lighter fruits of red currants, raspberries and cherries. Lynn said it was more like a grenache. After a few hours it was getting more lively in the mouth. It was gangly and not integrated (yet?) Not as good as I would have expected.
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7/3/2006 - ccourim wrote: 95 Points
Awesome fruit and depth but needs time to mature.
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7/3/2006 - mwagner7700 wrote: 92 Points
Inky bluish/black in color. Decanted with an aerating funnel for 1 hour. Nose of dark berries... blackberries, but mostly blueberries. I get a slight hint of butter on the nose. Sweet vanilla and oak, with a hint of toast. Very stong tannins, as this was definitely the wrong choice for a prime, dry-aged filet mignon. I hoping this improves with more time in the bottle. Very nice, but no way a 97 pointer... at least not yet. 91-93 points.
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6/24/2006 - Thilo wrote: 92 Points
Color is blue black...an inky monster. Nose shows blueberry/blackberry, creosote, and smoke. On the palate, there are thick black and blue fruit, tar, a roasted characteristic, and a bit of heat. Significant tannins are noticable. The wine did improve over 6 hours in a wide-bottomed decanter.
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6/19/2006 - SacredCow wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour, not as good as the prior bottle. This definitely needs more time in a decanter (it had six hours last time when I rated it 95). Tannins are harsher, and the fruit much more muted.
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6/18/2006 - jamieirving wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple in colour with a dense, black centre. I didn't decant this before drinking, but probably should have left it for a good couple of hours. The nose showed plummy fruit and a hint of blackberries. On the palate I found a dense, rich, opulent wine with good acid and tannin. Dominated by spice, fruit and vanilla this wine is sure to improve.
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5/30/2006 - DennisR wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Was nice, but would probably have been better with a longer decanting period.
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5/29/2006 - MarkH wrote: 92 Points
Needs more time in the bottle to mellow. Very full, dark ruby red. I'm going bacl after this in about five - six years and taste the next one
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5/28/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Opened a bottle of Mitolo GAM 2004 with slowly smoked, slightly spicy baby back ribs tonight. Good combination if the slightly sweeter BBQ sauce condiment was used. Wine was massive blackberry/blueberry jam showing real sweetness (even before eating). Under normal circumstances, not to my palate but it matched the food well.
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5/27/2006 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
BIG RICH FRUIT, BLACKBERRIES, AND JAMMY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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5/26/2006 - dougsmith wrote: 94 Points
Violet/ruby color with a black center. We let this one decant for about an hour before drinking. On the nose, blackberries and plums with vanilla and a touch of cocoa; the toasty oakiness isn't quite integrated yet. On the palate this shows off as silky smooth, almost viscous, deep extraction, with a mouth-coating, endless finish of tart fruit and spice. I think this one needs some time to really shine at its full potential -- it's still very primary.
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5/25/2006 - spotaha wrote: 96 Points
what a beautiful full red. deep ruby color... very dark with great overtones and a wonderful finish
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5/15/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Second bottle as good as the first. Excellent wine with tons of personality. Can't get enough of this.
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5/13/2006 - pkwoods wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Aromas of blackberries & hot blueberry pie. This wine seems very temperature sensitive. Above 60 degrees, the alcohol really shows itself-in the aromas and on the palate. Very hot. Tannins were a little sharp at the beginning of tasting, but rounded out very nicely with a little swirling in the glass (I'm sure the long decant time helped with this). Very balanced, smooth wine. Finish was medium length 30-40 seconds. Was very good with a steak dinner. This was excellent...but I was expecting more from my first tast of this Parker-97 pt. wine.
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5/5/2006 - GreenDrazi wrote: 96 Points
Atlanta Off-line featuring otisabdul (The High Life Restaurant - Atlanta, GA): Decanted 1 ½ hr’s. Blueberry pie nose and eucalyptus flavors more prominent this tasting in contrast to the ’03 Martenelli Zio. A bit closed this time due to less decant time, but otherwise, my notes are consistent with previous ones.
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4/21/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 95 Points
Excellent, excellent wine - but when paired head to head with the Insignia 2002 the Insignia won hands down.
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4/16/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 95 Points
Two remarkable things about this wine: First, the quantity and quality of flavors which it brings forth. Second, the length of time those flavors evolve in your mouth. This was happening a full minute after tasting. Definately needs more time, but for a big wine like this it drank very well this young. Now I'm on a search for more...
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4/5/2006 - Uncle Rich wrote:
Sharp and peppery out of the bottle. Opened up after 20-30minutes and was very good.
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4/2/2006 - pgm wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for an hour before drinking. Beautiful nose with classic black pepper and blackberry, with full floral notes and licorice. Just love smelling it. Huge mouthfilling texture, bursting with berries (both ripe, fresh berries, and jammy berry flavors) and brown spices, esp. anise. Wonderful wine. Good QPR, too. Drinking great now, but it seems to have great cellaring potential.
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4/2/2006 - TomH wrote: 96 Points
After one hour of decanting
Lush, thick, powerful, hedonistic. Big, superripe style. High alcohol, well intergrated. Nearly as good as it gets for this style
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3/30/2006 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Finished up with this at dinner with blue cheese. Did not get enough air to show well, nose was undeveloped with deep indistinct dark fruits. Palate was soft and ripe, but not overbearingly so, it was pretty well balanced and fine tannins and a nice good acidity. Very tasty but not as memorable as you would expect for a 97 pt parker wine.
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3/25/2006 - ledzepgal wrote: 96 Points
Aerated for 1 hour. Still pushy, dark fruit, blueberry notes force themselves against the spicy, mouth coating tannins. Fades to mocha. I think this is the best bottling to date age-ing wise, this really needs to sit for at least a few years. Compelling to drink now, like that 2002 Marquis Phillips #9, but when you opened the last bottle in your case in 2006 you realize how much of a jackas you are. Warning - this is not a food wine it is a stand alone showcase wine at this point. Cellaring will soften it up, but remember this is hardy stuff, not for the faint of heart. At 37 bucks a bottle, buy it all and forget about it for, uh, a few days.....
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3/21/2006 - mdstenner wrote: 94 Points
Superb wine, with lots of tannic backbone and a long life ahead of it. Drank straight from the bottle (and quickly) and could have done with a decant. A wonderful, rich inviting nose with lots of dark fruit and blackberry aromas. Black fruits, licorice, and a lovely savoriness to the finish.
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3/17/2006 - portside wrote: 96 Points
This is a special wine...an amazing super-long finish.
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3/12/2006 - E wrote: 96 Points
WOTN.
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3/4/2006 - Mike Toast wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple color. Nose dominated by blueberries. Very big powerful fruit but the wine is not at all out of balance or hot. Nicely made wine, just not too delicate - not a food wine.
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2/25/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Had at wine tasting with the 2003 Mitolo GAM Shiraz. Monster wine. Very complex with tons going on in the mouth. Tremendous finish. Get as much of this as you can, since high 90's ratings from RP don't come cheap. As good if not better than the 2003.
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2/22/2006 - SacredCow wrote: 95 Points
Tasted double blind, decanted about 6 hours. A cherry and blueberry nose that just screamed Aussie. On the palate, blueberries and cream of course, with some roasted meats and licorice to add interest. Full bodied, very intense and concentrated, the only small drawback was the dryness of the tannins on the very long finish. It could be very interesting to see how this develops, I hope some of the roasted meats and licorice come out more with additional age. If so, this can truly prove to be a classic wine.
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2/20/2006 - wattsjr9 wrote:
This is a beautiful wine. Wonderful color, expressive nose (after much decanting) and a rich layered finish. There is no doubt that this one has a ways to go. Tasted without food, over 3 hours or so. I'm sure this would have kept opening as the night wore on.
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2/18/2006 - merschel wrote: 86 Points
Good ruby color, of course. Nose closed with hints of flowers. Not much in the mouth either tonight. Maybe the Godolphin I had before this overloaded my tastebuds. Very tannic and probably would improve with age, but I definitely was let down by this wine tonight.
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2/11/2006 - jbwines wrote: 97 Points
What others have said but I was also picking up a nice mineral component. 2003 vintage of this wine was $190 at Wine Bank! Great way to celebrate moving into the 3rd offsite cellar... Bought 2 more on futures!
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2/11/2006 - Jack wrote:
Needs time. Everything is in place to make this a great wine but it is green and tight. Drank it with the 2001 Shirvington so it was comparitively way too young and out classed big time tonight. Had it been served alone I know the impression would have been different. Wait several years to open another. 2nd day it has shut down. 3rd day it begins to open up nicely. So nice that there won't be any left for day 4.
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2/11/2006 - GreenDrazi wrote: 97 Points
Decanted 3.5 hr’s. Consistent with previous notes. This has incredible mouthfeel.
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2/10/2006 - Wineosseur wrote: 92 Points
More monolithic and less showy than the '03 at a similar stage. Deep red and black fruits with spicy oak and a hint of smoke. Should improve with time. I hope to see it develop some complexity.
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2/3/2006 - GreenDrazi wrote: 97 Points
TCF February 2006 Off-Line (Napa - Powell's): Bottle decanted 6 hr’s before my first taste. Thick, violet nose. This has huge flavors of black and blue fruits with some raspberry and chocolate mixed in with just a touch of pepper picking up on the finish. Nice complexity with excellent depth and a plush, textured, mid-palate that expands further on the lengthy, heady finish. Fine to chalky tannins with some minerality and acidity, this can drink wonderfully now if given adequate decant time, but should do well for several years to come.
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12/27/2005 - ChillyWino wrote:
Popped and poured on Christmas Eve. Had with Grilled Steaks. Deep purple. Restrained nose of dark fruit, chocolate, and coffee. Very smooth, but short finish. Definately not 97 pts. I'm guessing that some air or bottle time will help.
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12/26/2005 - jerhardt wrote: 93 Points
Based on last nights performance, I found this to be a good but not stunning winethat needs some time to come together. At this point, I prefer the '04 Savitar, but believe the GAM will do well with a few years of age.
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12/18/2005 - Btrue wrote: 94 Points
Extremely dark with loads of fruit. Soft tannins with good mouthfeel, although faded a bit in the middle. Maybe just a bit awkward in it's youth.
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12/16/2005 - E wrote: 93 Points
Way too soon to tell if this lives up to a 97 percent score bnut its certainly got enough structure on it. BIg, inky, but needs some more time.
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12/12/2005 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
A couple of Syrah Blind Tastings; 12/6/2005-12/12/2005 (Chicagoland IL): Blind tasting. Vibrant nose with some interesting floral element. Jammy fruit has some nice spice elements. Would want a bit more acidity and texture. Short finish.
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12/7/2005 - sol wrote: 93 Points
HUGE nose. Tons of fruit. Very soft and supple in the mouth with low acidity and surprisingly soft tannins for so young a wine. However, as the evening wore on and I would go back to the wine, it developed a streak of green pepper that rubbed just a little wrong. Overall, I like the wine a lot but will give the rest of my bottles a few years to see what develops.
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12/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Parker 95+ Shiraz - My #10, Group #10. Opaque purple/red. Bright complex aroma of red fruit. Rich red candied fruit with tight finish. 12/05
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11/22/2005 - luko wrote:
Clearly a very enjoyable bottle of wine, although at this very early stage in its life, it wasnt head and shoulders above some of the $15 price point 2004 Shiraz I've had recently. That said, no one at the table was passing up a chance at a second taste.
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11/5/2005 - davidandrose wrote:
Decanted 3hrs prior to an informal get-together where several of us we swapping mailer wines recently received. This shows great depth and strength, but was just too ackward at the moment to really judge.
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