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LYNTONS PICKS Robert Parker "Extraordinary" Wine that score 96-98 points in the March Sterling Catalogue 2001 D'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 98pts Lot 362Readers should be on the look out for the 2001 The Dead Arm Shiraz, one of the greatest examples of this cuvee. Its dense black/purple color is accompanied by celestial aromas of melted licorice, graphite, blackberries, cassis, incense, anise, and toasty oak. Fabulously concentrated, with great purity, an unctuous, viscous texture, and an amazingly long, 60-second plus finish, this fabulous baby will need 5-6 years of cellaring, and should drink well over the following 20-25 years. Chester Osborn, the remarkable person behind this enormous array of both impeccably high quality and value-priced wines, deserves considerable accolades for what he is able to achieve at all price ranges. If you love Australian wines, d’Arenberg is a winery to seek out as these offerings all possess abundant soul as well as character. In short, the accolades that proprietor/winemaker Chester Osborn receives not only from The Wine Advocate, but virtually everybody in the wine world, are all well deserved. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.comAugust 2007 $US75-101 There are 236 cases of the 1999 Shiraz Roennfeldt Road (also from 65-year-old vines). Although it pushes ripeness to the limit, it does not reveal any raisiny/pruny characteristics. It offers wonderful freshness, good acidity, superb intensity, and copious quantities of blackberry, cassis, crushed rock, floral, and spicy new oak notes. Massive and concentrated with perfect equilibrium, it can be drunk now and over the next 25 years. Kudos to one of the world’s finest wine producers! If I had to select the number one Australian winery, it would be hard not to choose the Greenock Creek Winery, run by the humble, shy Michael and Annabelle Waugh. The quality that emerges from this estate is extraordinary. In short, these are thrilling, world-class wines that are about as compelling as wine can be. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.comJune 2007 $US280-514 Some might feel the 2001 Shiraz Reserve is too much of a good thing, but it is neither port-like, pruny, nor flat. It is simply crammed with concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit in an obvious but spectacularly textured style. It possesses considerable nuances. Loaded and thick, with low acidity and huge amounts of tannin, all concealed by lavish quantities of fruit and extract, this stunning wine can be drunk now, but should age effortlessly for 7-10 years, possibly longer. No one really knows for sure given the fact that these are young vines and moderately high tonnage. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com August 2007 $US60-63 The 2002 Shiraz Reserve tastes like a dry vintage port. It may be too much for those with a European palate (but then, I’m a Francophile with a European-styled palate and I loved it). It is flamboyant, extraordinarily rich, full-bodied, and intense, with gobs of blackberry and currant fruit backed up by extravagant levels of glycerin. The oak is largely concealed by the magnificent wealth of fruit. This is classic Australian Shiraz at its finest and is not duplicated anywhere else in the world, so enjoy it for what it is. It should drink well for a decade. To quote importer Dan Philips, “this winery is all about pure, exuberant fruit buttressed with extraordinary winemaking.” Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com August 2007 $US75 The flagship offering, the 2002 Shiraz Old Bastard was fashioned from a vineyard planted in 1896, and was cropped at one ton of fruit per acre. It spent 22 months in French oak before being bottled with neither fining nor filtration. A spectacular perfume of raspberries, plums, blackberries, espresso, vanilla, and charcoal is followed by a tannic Shiraz with a huge palate, massive concentration, tremendous richness, and a multidimensional flavor profile. Less alcoholic (15.2%) than The Bogan, it should be cellared for 4-6 years, and consumed over the following 20-25. While the 2002 is a brilliant effort, it is not quite as massive as the 2001 ... but that’s splitting hairs. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com November 2009 $US143-171 It is hard to find a more compelling red than Henschke's 1998 Shiraz Hill of Grace. Made from 100% Shiraz (from vines averaging 52-144 years of age), and aged in primarily new American and French oak for 18 months, it is unquestionably profound. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a gorgeous perfume of blackberries, graphite, and subtle wood. Dense and full-bodied yet extraordinarily well-defined and layered, it remains young and backward, with tremendous potential. It is the finest Hill of Grace I have ever passed over my palate and down the gullet. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020+. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US395 The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Bin 60A Kalimna is a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) and Barossa Shiraz (44%). Its blackberry, blueberry, tar, lead pencil shavings, licorice, and spice box-scented bouquet is followed by a wine boasting an unctuous texture buttressed by decent acidity as well as fabulous extract and richness. This stunning blend should have a minimum of three decades of aging potential and be a true collector’s item for many years to come. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US101-103 Last but not least is Australia’s most famous wine, the 2002 Shiraz “Grange”. The 2002 version was sourced from 77.5% Barossa Valley and 22.5% from McLaren Vale. Included in the blend is 1.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It spent 17 months in 100% new American oak. Opaque purple, it gives off an ethereal bouquet of violets, saddle leather, blueberry, blackberry, pencil lead, and chocolate. This is followed by a full-bodied wine with tremendous concentration, multiple layers of flavor, ripe tannins, and great balance. Thick and rich, with a 60-second finish, it will slowly blossom over the next 15-20 years and provide pleasure through 2050. It is a legend in the making! Penfolds, arguably Australia’s most famous winery, continues to perform at a high level under the leadership of Head Winemaker, Peter Gago. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com August 2009 $US285-477 The Calliope Rare Muscat’s light amber color is followed by an intoxicating fragrance that includes scents of prunes, figs, maple syrup, molasses, and gobs of fruit. The glycerin is extraordinary, the acid level provides freshness and definition, and the finish lasts over a minute. This blend represents the newest bottled offerings from this Rutherglen producer, an area that produces spectacular fortifieds, especially the Muscats and Tokays (actually Muscadelle). Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US110-240 Produced from yields of 1.2 tons of fruit per acre, the 2001 Shiraz Octavius spent 20 months in both French and American oak. A blockbuster, structured Shiraz with oodles of personality/soul, it offers a sumptuous bouquet as well as flavors of chocolate, white flowers, blackberry and cassis liqueur, prunes, figs, roasted meats, and burning embers. This full-bodied, hugely extracted, monster Shiraz has amazing balance and symmetry for its large-scaled style. It needs another 1-3 years of cellaring, and should last for 12-20 years, based on the longevity of some earlier examples. For instance, a gorgeous 1994 Octavius, drunk in 2004, had a decade of life remaining. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com September 2007 $US67-105 The 1996 Krug Vintage is explosive on the palate, as layers of aromas and flavors meld together in a stunning display of elegance and power. This pure, sensual beauty is utterly rapturous. The relatively generous style of this wine makes it hard to resist today, but it will age for decades. This is a brilliant wine in every way. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com July 2009 $US249-598 The 2006 Eclipse is a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Shiraz, sourced from 60- to 80-year-old vines in McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek. The wine spent 18 months in small and large French and American oak. Dark ruby colored, it offers a fragrant, already complex bouquet of violets, mineral, Asian spices, leather, black cherry, and blueberry. Remarkably elegant and impeccably balanced, on the palate notes of garrigue, licorice, and kirsch emerge leading into a 60+-second finish. It can be enjoyed now but for optimum pleasure, give it another five years of cellaring and drink it through 2026. Noon, under the leadership of Drew Noon MW, remains one of Australia-s iconic wineries. As usual, Drew Noon sets the bar for South Australia. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com April 2009 $51-80 Another extraordinary wine made in a backward vin de garde style, the 1995 Clinet represents the essence of Pomerol. The blackberry, cassis liqueur-like fruit of this wine is awesome. The color is saturated black/purple, and the wine extremely full-bodied and powerful with layers of glycerin-imbued fruit, massive richness, plenty of licorice, blackberry, and cassis flavors, full body, and a thick, unctuous texture. This is a dense, impressive offering from administrator Jean-Michel Arcaute. This wine should continue to improve for another 10-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025. Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com January 2010 $US137-215 |
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