September 16, 2017
Shiraz Dinner@Al Amir Lebanese Cuisine
1. 2014 Elderton Shiraz Barossa Valley
Deep garnet-purple colored and just gorgeous on the nose, with intense floral and black fruit notes plus some menthol and dusty earth nuances, the full-bodied and rich 2012 Estate Shiraz offers concentrated flavors supported by a good backbone of medium to firm, rounded tannins and refreshing acid. It finishes long. Drink now to 2024+. 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2. 2013 Shaw & Shaw Shiraz Adelaide Hills
Vivid crimson; the fragrant array of black cherry, blackberry, spice and cracked pepper aromas feed into the beautifully textured and proportioned palate, where silky tannins provide perfect support and mouthfeel. A top notch successor to the acclaimed '12. Rated 97 The Australian Wine Companion
3. 2014 Bishop by Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Barossa Valley
Full, deep crimson-purple; revels in its multifaceted array of black fruits, led by blackberry, but with confit plum, earth, licorice, a hint of dark chocolate and spice to complete a high quality package. No heart-burning alcohol in sight. Rated 95 The Australian Wine Companion
4. 2013 Vinaceous Snake Charmer Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia
Hand-picked, open-fermented, 10% whole bunches; finished fermentation and 15 months maturation in French and American barriques (25% new). Finishing the ferment in barrel isn't widely used, notwithstanding the example of Grange and top-level Penfolds red wines; this wine certainly showing how the oak is so well integrated, simply part of a wider canvas of elegant black fruits, licorice and dark chocolate, all with a lilt to their flavour and mouthfeel. Rated 94 The Australian Wine Companion
5. 2013 Yangarra Shiraz McLaren Vale
Deep, but bright crimson-purple; this is full-bodied McLaren Vale shiraz at its very best, not the least extractive or clumsy, simply complex, the result of top quality fruit and highly intelligent winemaking. Rated 96 The Australian Wine Companion
6. 2005 Charles Cimicky The Autograph Shiraz Barossa Valley
The 2005 Shiraz "Autograph" spent 17 months in 60% new American oak. The wine is a glass-coating purple with room-filling aromas of cedar, mocha, cocoa, blueberry, and black currant liqueur. This leads to a medium to full-bodied, opulent wine with layers of ripe black and blue fruits, soft tannins, and excellent length. Allow 4-6 years of evolution in the cellar and drink this well-made Shiraz through 2025. Rated 93 The Wine Advocate
7. 2013 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Shiraz Margaret River
75% machine-harvested, 25% hand-picked, destemmed and whole bunch-fermented respectively with cultured yeast, matured for 18 months in French oak (53% new). Leeuwin took time to come to terms with its Shirazs, but is now master of its destiny. It has black cherry and plum flavours in superabundance, plus finely tuned tannins, its modest alcohol is the key. Rated 96 The Australian Wine Companion
8. 2010 Ergo Sum Shiraz Victoria
This is the product of a joint venture between Chapoutier and Giaconda. Good colour; a very complex wine, with an array of spice, sweet leather, earth and smoked meat aromas, the medium-bodied palate picking up on all of the characters of the bouquet, treading lightly as it does so before punctuating the finish with fine-grained tannins. A seriously good and tantalising wine. Rated 96 The Australian Wine Companion