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98
/ 100
James Halliday
Red
Classification
Shiraz
Variety
2014
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
Victoria, Beechworth
Region
14.0%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
98 / 100"Destemmed and crushed fruit, with some whole bunches, is wild-fermented in large concrete tanks, remaining on skins for an extended period before being basket-pressed and transferred to French oak (40% new) for 2 years maturation. Deep, bright colour; this challenges Giaconda's Chardonnay (don't get into a lather, it doesn't quite succeed) for top ranking in the stable; it has an utterly seductive mouthfeel with two strands of flavour welded together: the first black cherry and blackberry, the second peppery/savoury/spicy notes. To say it is elegant is to use a cliche, because it is at the ultimate peak of elegance."
- James Halliday
Tasting Notes
Coal black with magenta at the rim; complex aromatics swirling in and out, making it devilishly hard to do justice to with words. Initially the floral and heady notes of fresh earth, pepper, ripe dark plums, wood smoke and spice show: then dark and moody notes of stems, briar, black olives and vegetable extract emerge. One minute it's flighty like a violin, the next deep, mellow and brooding like a cello. The notes that play on the bouquet follow on the palate. Powerful dark plum fruit, spiced and savoury, is drawn by finely tuned tannins and acidity. This wine manages to combine depth and complexity whilst delivering a gentle footprint.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity