Region
Macedon Ranges
Grape
Shiraz
Tasting Notes
One of the gold medal winners at the 2002 Visy Board Great Australian Shiraz Challenge. Deeply coloured; abundant dark plum, black cherry and vanilla aromas swirl from the glass, the palate rich in raspberry and plum fruit, the oak (very obvious at the start of the year) settling down impressively.
-95 pts by James Halliday
Delicate briary and floral aromas of slightly cooked and stressed fruit backed by sweet vanilla and smoky chocolate oak. Very ripe, plummy and pruney, with a pure delivery of concentrated bright small berry fruit, the palate is spicy and creamy, but a little too thick and soupy to be rated higher. There’s excellent length and intensity, and its tannins are fine and firm.
-91 pts by Jeremy Oliver
Claps you on the back. Has plenty of vibrant berry, plum and floral flavors that linger on the firm, definitely oaky finish. Best after 2003. 2,000 cases made.
-89 pts by Wine Spectator
I would have enjoyed this wine more if it had not been for the overwhelming influence of vanilla and toasty American oak. The importer told me it was aged in 100% new American oak for 18 months. While it possesses a deep ruby color as well as plenty of blackberry and cherry fruit, it comes across as nearly overdone, with too much wood for the amount of fruit. Perhaps I caught it at a bad time, but my instincts tell me it is always going to display excessive new wood characteristics.
-86 pts by Robert Parker