GLAETZER SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON GODOLPHIN 2005 Barossa Valley, South Australia
54932
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 Godolphin, a blend of 80% Shiraz (from 85-year-old vines) and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (from 60-year-old vines), was aged in 100% new oak, primarily 300-liter French hogsheads. It represents a beautiful marriage of power and elegance, displaying an inky/blue/purple color as well as notions of black raspberries, blueberries, graphite, and sweet pain grille. Ripe, pure, and medium to full-bodied with sweet but noticeable tannin, it can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years. Score - 93.
(Robert Parker Jr.,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2006)
GRANT BURGE ABEDNEGO MOURVÈDRE/GRENACHE/SHIRAZ 2003 Barossa, South Australia
5942
(XD) 750 mL $55
TASTING NOTE: Only the second vintage of this wine, which sits above The Holy Trinity in the Grant Burge hierarchy. The 2003 is a blend of 36% Mourvedre, 33% Grenache and 31% Shiraz, showing hints of tea and cola on the nose to go with dark blackberry and coffee flavours. This is crisp and well-structured, with some drying tannins on the finish that suggest short-term cellaring. Drink 2010-2018. Score - 91.
(Joe Czerwinski,
Wine Enthusiast,
Jan. 11, 2007)
GRANT BURGE MESHACH SHIRAZ 2002 Barossa, South Australia
700310
(XD) 750 mL $89
TASTING NOTE: A big Shiraz with a flair for elegance, offering a crisp texture against a fleshy veneer of fine tannins, with a lively core of blackberry, cherry and minty, creamy notes on the long finish. Best from 2010 through 2020. Score - 93.
(Harvey Steiman,
www.winespectator.com,
Sept. 30, 2007)
GRANT BURGE SHADRACH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2001 South Australia
700781
(XD) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: The Grant Burge red lineup starts with the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Shadrach. Sixty percent of the fruit was sourced from Coonawarra with the balance from Barossa and Adelaide Hills. Inky purple, it spent 20 months in seasoned French oak and 3 years in bottle prior to release. It gives up an alluring nose of cedar, spice box, red currants, and black currants along with a hint of mint. Layered, ripe, and sweet on the palate, it is drinkable now and will continue to provide pleasure through 2015. Score - 91.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2007)
HENSCHKE ABBOTT'S PRAYER MERLOT 2003 Adelaide Hills, South Australia
720508
(XD) 750 mL $89
TASTING NOTE: Fragrant, red berry fruits with some accompanying spices on the bouquet; a medium-bodied palate, with elegant, fresh cherry and cassis fruit; very fine tannins run through a great finish and aftertaste. Drink [until] 2025. Score - 95.
(James Halliday,
winecompanion.com.au,
April 2007)
KILIKANOON GREEN'S VINEYARD SHIRAZ RESERVE 2005 Barossa Valley, South Australia
6007
(D) 750 mL $75
Sourced from very low-yielding vines in the Vine Vale district of Barossa Valley, Kilikanoon gives the wine 30 months in 100% new French oak barriques. The resulting wine is densely flavoured, aroma-filled (plum, coffee, mocha, spice) and very well-structured. The tannins are strong, but ably complemented by intense fruit flavours and good layers of acidity. This wine needs a good ten years in a cellar, but will also complement a braised beef dish tonight.
KILIKANOON M RESERVE SHIRAZ 2005 McLaren Vale, South Australia
54460
(D) 750 mL $75
M Reserve is Kilikanoon's flagship McLaren Vale Shiraz. Sourced from 40-year-old vines, this is the embodiment of 'handmade' wine. Using what many would consider 'old fashioned techniques' of open fermenters and basket presses, Kilikanoon is able to craft a wine that shows the true nature of the McLaren Vale landscape. The hand of the winemaker lays lightly upon this product, which has been barrel fermented in French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Enjoy it tonight with a great steak or age it 4-6 years+.
KILIKANOON ORACLE SHIRAZ 2005 Clare Valley, South Australia
926816
(D) 750 mL $75
Where the M Reserve (54460, $75) represented Kilikanoon's finest Shiraz expression in McLaren Vale, this Oracle is the original flagship version from their home district, Clare Valley. Sourced from a low-yielding 40-year-old vineyard, Oracle is given open fermenter and basket press treatment in order to be as gentle on the fruit as possible. It is then aged for 24 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak. The nose is powerfully suggestive of spicy plum, blackberry, just-roasted coffee beans and spice oak tones. It is perfectly balanced between fruit, tannin and acid. Age it 3-5 years or enjoy it tonight with roast beef au jus.
KILIKANOON R RESERVE SHIRAZ 2005 Barossa Valley, South Australia
6015
(XD) 750 mL $99
TASTING NOTE: The 2005 Shiraz R Reserve spent 27 months in 100% new French oak hogsheads and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Crimson/purple, it has enticing aromas of toast, smoke, vanilla, spice box, pepper, black cherry and blackberry. Layered, opulent, and long, with well-concealed tannins, it will begin to unwind with 5-7 years of cellaring and provide pleasure through 2030. Score - 94.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2007)
RICHARD HAMILTON GRENACHE/SHIRAZ BURTON'S VINEYARD 2003 McLaren Vale, South Australia
722512
(XD) 750 mL $32
TASTING NOTE: Serious and complete is the substantial, but impeccably well-balanced 2003 Grenache/Shiraz Reserve Burton's Vineyard (53% Grenache and 47% Shiraz). Its deep ruby hue is followed by a big, sweet nose of strawberry and cherry jam intermixed with notions of blackberries, licorice, smoke, and dried herbs. This full-bodied, opulent 2003 should last for at least a decade. Score - 92.
(Robert Parker Jr.,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2005)
Australia
White Wine
PETALUMA CHARDONNAY PICCADILLY VALLEY TIERS 2002 Adelaide Hills, South Australia
54726
(XD) 750 mL $109
TASTING NOTE: Gorgeous stuff. Elegant, refined, almost delicate at first, then the flavors kick in, sending in wave upon wave of melon, quince, citrus and a wee touch of hazelnut. The flavors persist against judicious acidity. Drink now through 2012.
Score - 95.
(Harvey Steiman,
www.winespectator.com,
Nov. 15, 2006)
Stonyridge Vineyard was conceived and operated with the sole intention of making the greatest Bordeaux style red wine in the world. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot and is named Larose as a tribute to the rose, the most aromatic, colourful, intense and beautiful of all flowers ... The wine is 100% oak aged in French and some American barriques. Larose is aged for over a year oak, racked regularly, rarely fined and never filtered. ... [In 2006, we] had one of the hottest early seasons on record ... In the barrel the 2006 Larose is dark and with a crimson purple hue, the wine shows sweet cassis, mint and plum. It is a powerful wine with surging fruit flowing through the whole palate, coating the mouth leaving a long finish that lasts for minutes. A ripe tannin structure supports the plush fruit complimented by classy French oak. Although still fairly tight it promises to be another excellent vintage with the potential to last 15 to 20 years. (Winemaker, www.stonyridge.co.nz)
South Africa
Red Wine
CULRAITHIN SYRAH 2002 WO Paarl
54320
(XD) 750 mL $31
TASTING NOTE: The black-colored 2002 Syrah explodes from the glass with candied black raspberry aromas. A spicy, mouth-coating wine armed with sumptuous density of fruit, it displays loads of blackberries and black raspberries whose flavors linger in its ripe tannin-laden, lengthy finish. Drink this beauty over the next 5-6 years. Score - 90.
(Pierre Rovani,
www.erobertparker.com,
Oct. 2003)
KWV PEROLD SHIRAZ 2001 WO Paarl
993261
(XD) 750 mL $89
TASTING NOTE: Another revelation, this time from the former state winery body. A blockbuster fantasy shiraz, necessarily at a whopping price. An intense wash ablaze with strawberry, white pepper and coffee, the evident tannic power and epic hallmarks of a left-field Icon wine. Early days yet, of course. Score - *** (out of 5). (Tomas Clancy,
The Sunday Business Post (Ireland),
June 29, 2003)
Argentina
Red Wine
O. FOURNIER MALBEC ALFA CRUX 2004 Uco Valley
54551
(XD) 750 mL $42
TASTING NOTE: Description: The big brother of [their Urban Uco Malbec], from a Spanish-owned boutique winery, has power as well as grace. Drink it with: Try sirloin with this because the wine has the intensity to meet the flavour that drips through from the strip of fat on the steak's side
Score - **** (out of 5).
(Victoria Moore,
The Guardian (U.K.),
Oct. 6, 2007)
POESIA CLOS DES ANDES 2005 Mendoza
2014
(XD) 750 mL $25
To capture the essence of the Argentinean "terroir" and "tradition", Hélène [Garcin] and Patrice [Leveque] have also created Clos des Andes, made from 100% Malbec, a grape that has found its true home in the Argentinean climate. The wine is aged in French oak for between 10 and 12 months. Clos des Andes truly reflects the quality of this varietal and fine Argentinean wine. (www.bodegapoesia.com) Bodega Poesia is the inspiration and passion of Bordeaux winemakers Garcin and Leveque of Clos L'Eglise fame, among others. They moved to Argentina to pursue their dreams. Clos des Andes is their second wine.
Chile
Red Wine
SEÑA 2004 Aconcagua Valley
520551
(XD) 750 mL $79
TASTING NOTE: The 2004 Sena is purple-colored with a super-expressive nose of toasty oak, earth, graphite, espresso, black currant, and blackberry liqueur with a hint of mint in the background. This is followed by a layered wine with gobs of spicy black fruits, great depth, and a long, 45+ second finish. Give it 6-8 years of additional aging and drink it through 2035 ...
Score - 94.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
June 2007)
