Ranked #55 of 138 2010 Shiraz from McLaren Vale
90/100
4 Stars
Huon Hooke
(Scarce Earth project) Deep purple/red colour. Herbal and slightly vegetable aromas together with spices and licoricey black plum. Big and tannic in the mouth: gutsy and grippy with super-ripe fruit flavours, earthy, black olive and licorice rather than red or dark fruit. Chewy, thick tannins. A whopper, and not elegant but gutsy. Needs time
Tasted: 08/08/2012
Drink: N/A
93 Points Robert Parker
Aged 20 months in 300-liter French hogsheads of which 18% were new, 34% were second use and 48% on their third use, the 2010 The Chosen Road Block Shiraz is deep garnet-purple in color with aromas of warm cassis and blackberry preserves with nuances of toast, cedar, violets and smoky bacon. Full-bodied, rich and opulent in the mouth, it fills the palate with ripe berry and savory flavors, a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and refreshing acid. It finishes long. Drink it now to 2022+.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. February, 2013
96 Points James Halliday
If it were possible to bottle the essence of McLaren Vale shiraz I imagine it would taste much like this, a classic and immaculately poised wine that personifies the region''s black fruit spectrum of plums, liquorice and black olives. These are united with an impeccably textured platform of silky fine yet superbly supportive tannins. The linearity from nose through palate is unswervingly determined; the length decisive and enduring, a statement of impeccable craftsmanship and outstanding definition. Drink 2020 - 2030.
Source: James Halliday.
95 Points James Halliday
Deep magenta; the bouquet offers an elegant array of red and black fruits, nestled alongside violets and licorice; the palate is medium-bodied and finely detailed, with fine-grained tannins, lacy fruit and a long and expansive, harmonious finish. At the elegant end of the McLaren Vale spectrum. Drink to 2030.
Source: James Halliday. March, 2012
96 Points Tyson Stelzer
If it were possible to bottle the essence of McLaren Vale shiraz I imagine it would taste much like this, a classic and immaculately poised wine that personifies the region''s black fruit spectrum of plums, liquorice and black olives. These are united with an impeccably textured platform of silky fine yet superbly supportive tannins. The linearity from nose through palate is unswervingly determined; the length decisive and enduring, a statement of impeccable craftsmanship and outstanding definition. Drink 2020 - 2030.
Source: Tyson Stelzer.