Ranked #1 of 18 2014 Shiraz from Beechworth
97/100
5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Deep red/purple colour and a bouquet of spicy cherry fruit and stylish oak. Some floral notes. It's elegantly proportioned, medium to full-bodied and stylish in the mouth, with measured supple tannins. Just the right amount of fruit sweetness. Long palate, fine texture, lovely wine. And eminently cellarworthy.
Tasted: 29/09/2016
Drink: 2016 to 2036
98 Points James Halliday
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. Drink to 2039.
James Halliday. July, 2021