Ranked #12 of 103 2008 Shiraz from Barossa Valley
93/100
4.5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Terrific colour, deep dark red-purple. Very impressive nose: powerful oak and superripe fruit, but coconut American oak is very evident. It's intense and certainly dense, not especially fleshy. Lots of licorice, aniseed, dark chocolate and vanilla aromas and flavours. I like that it's concentrated and ripe but not obviously high in alcohol. Good wine but needs time: there is a surprising amount of oak here. It's looking more like a Grange than the Basket Press of yore!
Tasted: 22/06/2013
Drink: N/A
93 Points Robert Parker
The 2008 Basket Press Shiraz comes from a vintage noted for a brutal heat wave during the harvest, yet it shows no raisining or dried fruit. It's still rich and full-bodied, with super ripe blackberry flavors and a bit of jamminess, then finishes dry and tannic. That dry edge will always be there, so there's no reason to defer gratification but also no rush to drink up.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Joe Czerwinski. August, 2018
95 Points James Halliday
Strong red-purple; right in the mainstream of the Rockford Basket Press style, with blackberry, plum and a hint of mocha driving the bouquet, and the smooth, supple palate; you absolutely know the wine is idling along, unused power under the bonnet; perfect balance and structure. Drink to 2028.
Source: James Halliday. January, 2011