Medium garnet colour. Clean nose, medium (+) intensity aromas of cooked dark fruit - blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, oak - vanilla, smoke, spice - black pepper' liquorice, tertiary development - prune, black olive, leather, earth, chocolate. Fully developed. Dry palate, medium (+) acidity, high alcohol, full body, medium (+) ripe, fine tannins, pronounced flavours of cooked blackcurrant, smoke, leather, earth, black pepper. Medium (+) finish - slightly hot from the alcohol. Very good quality and absolutely delicious - great complexity, acidity nicely balances the concentration of the fruit, and a good length finish. My only criticism is that the alcohol is not fully integrated and stands out a little. Drink now, not suitable for further ageing, although I would disagree with those notes suggesting this is over the hill. It is fully developed and won’t improve, but has the structure and concentration to continue on a good drinking plateau for several more years.
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Another consistent performance by this wine. Much like last time (Dec 14 and rated 93+) this is very well made, complex wine with a rich new world core but in good balance with acidity and tannin. A bit herbal at times, spicy, red frutis and with that meaty , smoky edge across. Very good and with good life ahead. 91-92
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WSET Level 4 Course - WSET School; 9/6/2014-5/23/2015 (WSET School, Bermondsey): Appearance: The wine is Clear with a Medium garnet colour. Nose: The nose is Clean and Fully Developed, showing Medium(+) intensity secondary aromas of vanilla, smoke and tertiary aromas of cooked blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, clarified butter, farmyard, earth, leather. Palate: The wine is Dry in the mouth with a Medium(+) level of acidity. It has Medium(+) Ripe/Soft tannins and a High Level of alcohol (14.50%). It has Medium(+) body and Medium(+) intensity secondary flavours of vanilla, smoke and tertiary flavours of cooked blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, clarified butter, farmyard, earth, leather. The finish is Medium(+). Cooked fruit character, smell of Gee (clarified butter) Overall: Complex, intense, long. All components in balance but starting the down ward journey having crested the hill. Conclusion: It is a Very Good quality wine. Drink Now; not suitable for Ageing or Further Ageing Bordering on too old, certainly not one for keeping.; Premium priced (£34.99)
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Nice, a lot better and more of an old world syrah than an aussie shiraz. Very nicely balanced, complex, and all elements are in check, from extraction to ripeness and use of oak. Nice on the nose, open with light spice feel, good red fruits, light meaty at times. On the palate it is well round and elegant. Very nice. 93+ drinks very nicely now
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Wow! If you want to try what an aged v high quality Shiraz tastes like this is fantastic. It is big and bold but with plenty of complexity. A brilliant find and VFM. A case wine on the Hugh Johnson index.
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3/3/2018 - Andrewbdc wrote: 92 Points
Medium garnet colour.
Clean nose, medium (+) intensity aromas of cooked dark fruit - blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, oak - vanilla, smoke, spice - black pepper' liquorice, tertiary development - prune, black olive, leather, earth, chocolate. Fully developed.
Dry palate, medium (+) acidity, high alcohol, full body, medium (+) ripe, fine tannins, pronounced flavours of cooked blackcurrant, smoke, leather, earth, black pepper. Medium (+) finish - slightly hot from the alcohol.
Very good quality and absolutely delicious - great complexity, acidity nicely balances the concentration of the fruit, and a good length finish. My only criticism is that the alcohol is not fully integrated and stands out a little.
Drink now, not suitable for further ageing, although I would disagree with those notes suggesting this is over the hill. It is fully developed and won’t improve, but has the structure and concentration to continue on a good drinking plateau for several more years.
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1/1/2017 - Sonoffalstaff wrote: 90 Points
I little disappointing vs the previous ones. Well described by Papies below but not the knock out wine I remembered from 2 years ago
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9/1/2015 - PT insurgent wrote:
Pronounced nose, notes of prune, fig, raisin. farm, meat, animal. blueberry, chocolate, spice, clove, smoke , mint, vegetal.
palate is dry, full bodied, high acid, high ripe tannin, high alc, pronounced intensity, long finish. Prune, fig, black currant, raisin, chocolate, coffee, cooked/blueberry jam. oak, cinnamon, clove. smoke, meat, leather.
Outstanding.
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5/31/2015 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Another consistent performance by this wine.
Much like last time (Dec 14 and rated 93+) this is very well made, complex wine with a rich new world core but in good balance with acidity and tannin. A bit herbal at times, spicy, red frutis and with that meaty , smoky edge across. Very good and with good life ahead. 91-92
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2/7/2015 - HStaal wrote: 90 Points
WSET Level 4 Course - WSET School; 9/6/2014-5/23/2015 (WSET School, Bermondsey): Appearance: The wine is Clear with a Medium garnet colour.
Nose: The nose is Clean and Fully Developed, showing Medium(+) intensity secondary aromas of vanilla, smoke and tertiary aromas of cooked blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, clarified butter, farmyard, earth, leather.
Palate: The wine is Dry in the mouth with a Medium(+) level of acidity. It has Medium(+) Ripe/Soft tannins and a High Level of alcohol (14.50%). It has Medium(+) body and Medium(+) intensity secondary flavours of vanilla, smoke and tertiary flavours of cooked blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, clarified butter, farmyard, earth, leather. The finish is Medium(+). Cooked fruit character, smell of Gee (clarified butter)
Overall: Complex, intense, long. All components in balance but starting the down ward journey having crested the hill.
Conclusion: It is a Very Good quality wine. Drink Now; not suitable for Ageing or Further Ageing Bordering on too old, certainly not one for keeping.; Premium priced (£34.99)
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12/8/2014 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Nice, a lot better and more of an old world syrah than an aussie shiraz. Very nicely balanced, complex, and all elements are in check, from extraction to ripeness and use of oak. Nice on the nose, open with light spice feel, good red fruits, light meaty at times. On the palate it is well round and elegant. Very nice. 93+ drinks very nicely now
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9/24/2014 - henrygjeffreys wrote:
red, quite pale but no yellowing
tobacco, mushrrom and touch of VA on the nose
very mellow
gentle tannins, nutty
really quite old, maybe too much
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8/28/2014 - Sonoffalstaff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow! If you want to try what an aged v high quality Shiraz tastes like this is fantastic. It is big and bold but with plenty of complexity. A brilliant find and VFM. A case wine on the Hugh Johnson index.
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