It's not every day a 16-year-old sample from the Granite Belt arrives on the doorstep. Given its age and the time it spent in temperature-controlled storage, the $59 RRP seems quite inexpensive. Above all, it's a wine that is a very good example to learn and understand what aged wine can deliver without burning a hole in your pocket.
Sourced from a vineyard in Ballandean perched 820 metres above, the vines at the time were 40 years of age. 40% whole bunches were used and the finished wine saw 100% new French oak for 18 months then it was aged in bottle for 13 years at 15 degrees. 150 dozen were produced.
Think rum and raisin and dense stewed plums, it's very much in a savoury groove with dried thyme, marjoram, fine spices, tar and some leather. A soft rub of white pepper saunters about without wanting to steal the limelight with cloves and cardamom nipping at the heels. Some time in the glass sees tilled earth rise up. Curiously, the granite minerality that is always a feature in such wines from the district (particularly this unofficial sub-region) doesn't show. Super fine tannins cap off a very good expression of Granite Belt Shiraz.
A wine at its peak now, I suggest you rip into this in the next three years to pounce on its best form.
Drink to five years.
92/100
Region: Granite Belt
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