10 Shapely Shiraz From OZ

98/100 Penfolds Shiraz Grange 1998
South Australia, Australia
What does one say about the 1998 Grange that hasn't already been said. The '98 Grange is serious juice and is not to be missed by the committed collector. It is a big, plummy red that has dense, luscious, raspberry/blackberry fruit streaked with licorice and smoky toasted, mocha flavours. Schubert's recipe of old vines and low yields helps to contain the fruit even at 14 per cent alcohol. It's aged 18 to 22 months in new American oak and it's never released before it fifth year. It's early times but the '98 is already drawing comparison with the famed '96, '90 and '1986 Grange labels -- if anything the '98 is less iconic and more serious. Buy what you can afford.
Tasted: 2003-06-11 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $225.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $224.95 Specialty; ON $240.00; QC $236.25
CSPC: 336388;   UPC: 012354071100
Producer: Penfolds
Distributor: Southcorp Wines Canada

94/100 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm 2000
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
The Dead Arm gets its name in a fairly inauspicious way - it is named after the disease (Eutypa Lata) which afflicts some of the oldest vines at d'Arenberg from which we get the majority of fruit destined for The Dead Arm. The disease, Eutypa Lata, or 'Dead Arm' is common around the world in old vineyard sites. The disease in effect slowly reduces one of the 'arms' of the vines to dead wood, which then means the other arm of the vine produces small volumes of the most incredibly concentrated and highly flavoured grapes. Look for peppery, pencil lead, saddle leather, notes with vanilla, blackberry jam and smoky, meaty coriander notes. It's warm, rich and round with some noticeable but ripe tannins. The fruity is spicy, pruny blackberry jam with vanilla, orange rind flavours and a meaty, cola coriander finish. It is long, concentrated and stylish but not overly sweet with balanced acidity. Impressive.
Tasted: 2003-08-21 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $54.99 Specialty
CSPC: 599431;   UPC: 9311832391008
Producer: d'Arenberg
Distributor: Churchill Cellars; Harvest Vintage; Liberty Merchant Company

94/100 Eileen Hardy Shiraz 1999
South Australia, Australia
The pinnacle of Hardy's shiraz is the Eileen. Look for an open black pepper, blackberry jam, smoky, saddle nose streaked with leather, spicy, licorice root and some chocolate. It is rich, round and concentrated with lifted acidity and slightly dry tannins. Big spicy, peppery, chocolate, vanilla, smoky licorice, plum jam and boysenberry flavours will attract many with even more vanilla and chocolate in the aftertaste. Warm and somewhat tannic but intense. Will need 3 to 5 years to round out. Excellent edition.
Tasted: 2003-08-29 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $89.99 Specialty
CSPC: 461368;   UPC: 9311043107887
Producer: Thomas Hardy & Sons
Distributor: Medallion Wine Marketing

94/100 Langmeil Shiraz The Freedom 2001
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
The Auricht family planted the first vineyard at Langmeil in the mid 1840s and a few acres still remain. These dry grown, hand picked, hand pruned old vines yield less than 2 tonnes per acre, thereby producing fruit with extreme intensity of colour and flavour. Look for intense black pepper, smoky vanilla, cherry cola, blackberry jam aromas with some meaty, licorice notes. Big, rich, intense mouth with black cherry jam, cola, vanilla, coffee, licorice flavours and a warm, spicy, berry jam finish. Some acidity and tannins give this a good structure, needs a good 3 years.
Tasted: 2003-08-31 by AG
Prices: AB $89.95 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $98.95 Speculative - Winspeer
CSPC: 062364;   UPC: 66780000074
Producer: Langmeil Winery
Distributor: Winspeer International Group Ltd.

93/100 De Bortoli G.S Reserve Shiraz 1997
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Coffee, mocha, vanilla, plum jam, blackberry, spicy and garrigue aromas mix with an intense smoky root character. Rich and round it has spicy, vanilla, coffee, smoky blackberry jam flavours. Very soft and elegant on the finish with an old leather, plum aftertaste. This vintage will be an early maturing style that will be delicious to drink soon.
Tasted: 2003-01-22 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $66.95 Speculative - Reichel-Waldorf
CSPC: 633032
Producer: De Bortoli Wines Pty Limited
Distributor: Reichel-Waldorf Wine Imports Inc.

93/100 Leasingham Shiraz Classic Clare 1999
Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia
Licorice root, garrigue, plummy, smoky, coffee vanilla aromas with black pepper and meaty notes. Very rich, unctuous, concentrated palate with some big but dry, fine tannins. Intense vanilla, coffee, smoky blackberry jam and mocha flavours with lifted acidity on the finish. Needs 3 to 5 years to round out but should be worth the wait.
Tasted: 2003-08-31 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $59.99 Specialty
CSPC: 457986;   UPC: 9311043063664
Producer: Leasingham Wines
Distributor: Medallion Wine Marketing

93/100 Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2000
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
RWT is a single-region (Barossa Valley) shiraz whose initials stand for 'Red Winemaking Trial. It was the working name affixed to the developmental wines as early as 1995 when former chief winemaker John Duval began work on the initial bottlings. The 2000 RWT, a Penfolds shiraz aged exclusively in French oak (60 per cent new and 40 per cent one-year old) is the third release ( there was no 1998) turns three with the 2000 vintage a powerful, masculine, perfumed red that reeks of blueberry and blackberry fruit. The tannins are opulent yet well manicured leaving a wonderfully rich red that has a big future. Well done and clearly a Penfolds label to be reckoned with.
Tasted: 2003-06-11 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $91.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $109.95 Specialty; ON $110.00; QC $111.75
Producer: Penfolds
Distributor: Southcorp Wines Canada

92/100 Alkoomi Jarrah Shiraz 2001
Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia
Lovely open nose of blackberry and plum jam aromas with a savoury minty gamy undertone. Vanilla smoke and ripe fruit greet the palate with plenty of extract and alcohol. Mouth-filling stylish and fun to drink. Reasonably elegant for Oz and chocked full of fruit flavour.
Tasted: 2003-08-28 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $44.95
UPC: 9317958980171
Producer: Alkoomi Wines
Distributor: Marfful Consultants Limited
 
92/100 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2000
Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia
At 12.5 acres the Magill shiraz is the only single vineyard wine in the Penfolds line-up. The current Magill vines, some 50-years old, were saved by Grange founder Max Schubert and his successor winemaker Don Ditter both of whom grasped the historical significance of the original site of Grange and why it should be preserved. The grapes are all handpicked and placed in small wax-lined boxes for transport to the winery. It's aged in 80 per cent French and 20 per cent American new oak for 14 months. The 2000 is a super plush wine with fabulous savoury, chocolate cherry flavours, mid-palate elegance and spice that simply jumps from the glass. The best Magill we've tasted since the early 1990s.
Tasted: 2003-06-11 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $59.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $69.95 Specialty; ON $70.00 (Chirstmas Holidays Release); QC $70.25
Producer: Penfolds
Distributor: Southcorp Wines Canada
 
92/100 Wirra Wirra Shiraz R. S .W. 2000
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
Open peppery, chocolaty nose with licorice, bacon and vanilla aromas and plenty of blackberry jam. Rich, round and smooth, it is full-bodied and carrying just light tannins. Intense prune plum, boysenberry jam flavours flecked with smoky bacon and a spicy, peppery aftertaste. There is enough tannin and acidity on the finish to help it age for several more years. Very stylish and persistent. Well done.
Tasted: 2003-08-29 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $48.00
CSPC: 16105;   UPC: 9315125110970
Producer: Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Distributor: International Cellars Inc.