What a disarming wine. It’s so fabulously affable and approachable that it’s hard to turn a serious eye to, yet it has a depth and complexity that lingers well beyond that soft and silken upfront charm. Plum, cocoa, stewed fruit, blackberry, delicate tobacco, supple tannin. Slips dangerously over the palate. Feels like it’s drinking in its prime and will linger here for several years at least. — a day ago
A must try if you like rich, generous and concentrated flavour, with a hint of smooth sweet dark berry and luscious oak. Intense. — 6 days ago
Deep, dark Ruby with a big fruity nose and lots of ripe berries with oaky notes. Jammy big and bold blackberry flavors with some spice, cacao, cedar and leather notes with nice mouthfeel. Big yet soft tannins with berry fruit carried over to the finish with bits of oak and sweet spice. Nice! — 15 days ago
This developed positively from previous tastings here on Delectable. My brief notes - Liquorice; more savoury than fruit driven - Bacon, Charcuterie, spicy notes on the nose and medium weight palate. Some pepper. Very Northern Rhone in style. Certainly built for the long haul. I have 2 left - next in 2024. — 6 days ago
On the nose there is black pepper and roast meat. Medium weight and savoury. Oak has been integrated. As I’ve said in previous notes if you’re going to grow Shiraz in the Margaret River it needs to be in the south near the town of Margaret River where this is from. Maybe Margaret River can do decent Shiraz. Better known for its excellent Cabernet and Chardonnay. — 23 days ago
Beautiful Aussie Shiraz. The smell is overpoweringly delicious. Tastes of juicy big fruits and some green leaf/menthol at the top of that fruit taste. Then slowly the tannin reveals itself at the end. Dare I say that this 05 is still a baby? Drinking really nicely now, good for at least mother 10. — 10 days ago
Bottle Variation
First bottle, 3 months ago, was quite advanced in 👀👃👅, but with no other flaws (no oxidation/spoilage/or TCA taint)
2nd bottle:
DAY 1
Served with the Vinloq System
👀Dark ruby./purple. Youthful
👃Sweet fruit
👅Fruit forward with blurry flavors. Dry tannins with slight heat. Paired nicely with wagyu beef
Remaining wine Slow Decanted in my refrigerator
DAY 14
👃Spicy blackberry, anise, chalk, & dried fruit
👅Purple fruit, anise & chocolate. Not complex but tasty. Finishes spicy with some heat. Balanced sweetness. Lowish acidity. Nice wine 🍷
This second bottle was what I expected. What caused the first bottle to be so advanced? — 18 days ago
Initial impressions - Earthy, Herbal, Soy. Cherry complex and long. Much intestinal fortitude ie. guts. Thankfully not overly menthol/eucalyptus (just a trace) as you often get with all Wendouree Cuvées. Amazing the intensity provided by those old vines going back to the 1890’s. Could easily last another 5 to 10 years but pretty much at its peak right now. This is as good as Australian Shiraz gets - up there with Grange and Hill of Grace and recognised as such by Langtons. With time in the decanter, like all great wines, they develop and change. I was getting raspberry and mineral after a few hours. An exceptional wine and in the top 5 or so wines I have had this year. In good vintages I don’t think Wendouree Shiraz should be approached at under 20 years of age. — 19 days ago
Jan de Weerd
A bit tight upfront but definitely opened up as time went on. Concentrated dark blue fruit encapsulated by warm vanilla oak. Plenty of acidity and backbone to be tried again in maybe five plus years. — 3 days ago