Region
Barossa Valley
Grape
Shiraz
Tasting Notes
This still young, full-bodied, pure, incredibly rich 1999 exhibits a kinky nose of Asian spices, ground pepper, flowers, and autumnal forest floor notes. It possesses an inky/blue/purple color, full body, fabulous fruit, good acidity, sweet tannin, and a long finish. As it sat in the glass, a licorice component took over from the forest floor character. This is an impressive, still youthful Shiraz from one of the legendary wine producers of the Barossa. Give it another 3-4 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following two decades.
-93+ pts by Robert Parker
Aromatic and distinctive, with mint and cedar notes to tantalize the nose, weaving gamy flavors through the blackberry and spice as it all lingers on the firm-textured, sharply focused finish. Not as rich and gooey as usual for this Australian star. Best after 2003. 100 cases imported.
-89 pts by Wine Spectator
Marvellous ripe and luscious, but superbly measured shiraz, steeped in heady aromas of briary small red and black berry fruit and enhanced by a measured maturation in smoky chocolate/vanilla oak. A velvet-smooth and creamy palate presents layer upon layer of ripe cassis, plum and red berry fruit, punctuated by the musky white pepper and licorice flavours of old Barossa vines. Beautifully balanced, and not a dead grape in sight.
-96 pts by Jeremy Oliver