Australian Shiraz 1997 to 2002

1997 Fox Creek JSM $$$

Color:  Medium with sediment evident

Nose:  Pepper and Earth and more impressive then the taste.

Taste:  A little gritty with plum and spice.

Finish:  Very short for an aussie shiraz and I believe it is past its prime.

Evaluation:  Be careful of cellaring wines to long.  This one should have been consumed a few years ago.  85 points

1997 Greenock Creek Seven Acre Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Rich and intense with truffles, mushrooms and black pepper

Taste:  Black pepper, truffles, plum, blackberries, crushed rock, and licorice

Finish:  Medium/multi layered with blackberry, truffles, licorice, crushed rock and smooth tannins.

Evaluation:  A wine that has lasted for a decade and will drink well for years to come.  94 points

1997 Greenock Creek Shiraz Seven Acre - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): Dark purple. White pepper, mineral, raspberries and spice. Medium finish and really balanced wine. Really holding up well for over 10 years. (93 pts.)

1998 Fox Creek Barossa Valley Reserve Shiraz $$$$$

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Rich and opulent.  Blackberry, oak, plum, black pepper

Taste:  Violets, oak, black pepper, spice, blackberries, raspberries, vanilla, and integrated tannins.

Finish:  Oak, spice, black pepper, blackberries, vanilla, and a buttery finish that lasts for over 3 minutes.  Super complex wine and balanced!

Evaluation:  The 3rd best wine I have ever drank!  97 points

1998 Greg Norman Reserve Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Pepper, eucalyptus, truffles, blackberries

Taste:  Smoke, pepper, eucalyptus, licorice, tar, blackberries

Finish:  Concentrated and multi layered

Evaluation:  Super wine and sample in 09 94 points

1998 Greg Norman Estates Shiraz Reserve - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): Eucalyptus, raspberries, floral and spice on the nose and palate. Really holding up well after 10 years but I would advise to drink up sooner then later. (91 pts.)

1999 Greenock Creek Shiraz Seven Acres $$$$

Color:  Medium Purple

Nose:  Powerful and Intense with floral and crushed rock some heat

Taste:  A heavy concentration of pepper, violets, blackberries

Finish:  Long finish with a bitter note towards the end

Evaluation:  Not an aussie fruit bomb!  I am not impressed with this effort especially for an $80 retail price.  This would drink better with barbeque.  90 points

1999 Greg Norman Reserve Shiraz $$$

Color: Dark ruby.
Nose: Smoke, Earth, Violets
Taste: An acidic wine with sour cherry, plum, bell pepper, and a buttery note
mixed in.

Finish:  This wine has a long finish with a complex nature to it.
Evaluation: Still young and should improve in a few years.  91 points

1999 Leasingham Classic Clare Valley Shiraz $$$

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Plum, pepper, spice

Taste:  Plum, crushed rock, pepper

Finish:  Plum, fruit, pepper and spice

Evaluation:  Stood the test of time and is singing.  90 points

2000 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): Raspberries, spice, pepper and floral notes on the nose. Mellowed out since last time I had it 3 years ago on the palate. Medium finish and I don't see this cellaring for more then 3 years. (92 pts.)

2001 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): Super wine! For those who hate Aussie wines try this one blind. Blackberry, spices, pepper and coffee on the nose. Really integrated on the palate and finish. Medium and no flaws. I would say this wine has 10 years of drinking enjoyment. (94 pts.)

2001 D'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz $$

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Plum, Earth, Sweet fruit

Taste:  Spice, sweet fruit, mineral, pepper

Finish:  Short to medium with spice, earth and red currants

Evaluation:  Cellared since purchase and it is a great wine in 07.  88 points

2001 Fox Creek Mc Laren Vale Short Row Shiraz $$$

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Spice and serious fruit

Taste:  Dense, chewy wine with blackberry, plum and cherry.

Finish:  Multiply flavors on the minute plus finish with hints of exotic spices, plum and earth.

Evaluation: Great effort for an under $30 wine.  91 points

2001 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): Beautiful wine! Black pepper, blackberries, spice and tar on the nose. Well balanced wine and medium but concentrated finish. In a good place right now and I would drink up. (94 pts.)

2001 Penfolds RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Oak, plum, vanilla, and red currants

Taste:  Red currants, oak, vanilla, crushed rock, violets

Finish:  Crushed rock, violets, cinnamon

Evaluation:  Very complex wine however the next day it fell apart so drink these up the same day for best results.  92 points

2001 Ross Estate Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$

Color:  medium purple

Nose:  Floral and cherry

Taste:  A nice fruit forward wine with distinct oak components but not over the top.

Finish:  A medium finish with oak and a variety of fruits.

Evaluation:  A really solid wine with aging potential.  92 points

2002 Green Point Victoria Shiraz $$

Color:  Deep magenta color

Nose:  Almost seemed like we were smelling cabernet.  Oak present.

Taste:  A real buttery taste like a cab with very little distinct fruit.

Finish:  Tobacco and earth tones dominate on this medium finish.

Evaluation:  Not as impressive as the ross but a well made wine.  90 points

2001 Wild Duck Creek Springflat Shiraz $$$$

Color: Medium purple

Nose:  Smoke, earth, plum, cherry

Taste:  Currants, violet, earth

Finish:  Medium with several components intermixing

Evaluation:  Great wine that is aging nicely 93 points

2001 Yalumba The Signature - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (6/4/2010)
Eucalyptus to the max! Rubbing alcohol on the nose along with spice and some fruit. On the palate too much eucalyptus and way out of balance. Another over rated Parker wine!!! Terrible (80 pts.)

2002 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (5/14/2010)
Dark purple. Nose is intense and like a perfume with floral, crushed rock, cocca, blackberries, raspberries, and white pepper. On the palate concentrated wine with floral, blackberries, white pepper, crushed rock and spices. The acidity is sharp. Long finish and full of flavors. This is an amazing effort and one that will surely age for over a decade. (94 pts.)

2002 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (4/24/2010)
Aussie Shiraz Wines at Kevin's; 4/24/2010-4/25/2010 (Minneapolis): I have always been impressed with this wine. Cherry, raspberries, blackberries, spice and coffee on the nose. Much more intense then the 2000. Really good acidity and went great with the cheddar cheeses. Highly recommend this wine. (93 pts.)

2002 D'arenberg "The Dead Arm" Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Dense, purple ink

Nose:  Plum, Spice, Pepper, Sweet fruit, touch of heat

Taste:  Pepper, floral, spice, hint of tannins, sweet fruits

Finish:  Licorice, spice, floral, sweet fruits in a multi layered long finish

Evaluation:  A well made shiraz with some aging potential.  93 points

2002 Fox Creek Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Floral, musty, truffles

Taste:  Sweet fruits, spice, floral, truffles

Finish:  Sweet fruit, spice, floral, mushrooms, water down

Evaluation:  Lack of concentration.  85 points

2002 Green Point Victoria Shiraz $$

Color:  Medium red

Nose:  Floral, plum, mushroom, little musty

Taste:  Mushroom, distinct floral, spice, pepper

Finish:  Sharp but short finish with floral, spices, white pepper

Evaluation:  Not a fruit bomb by any means but a nice polished wine.  91 points

2002 Kaesler The Bogan Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Spice and pepper

Taste:  Nice solid fruit and pepper.

Finish:  An elegant finish with pepper and a chocolate notes.

Evaluation:  This wine is showing nicely but needs some cellar time.  A well made wine from a great producer.  Expect a higher score in the future.  91 points

2002 Marquis Philips Integrity Mc Laren Vale Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Dark ruby red

Nose:  A hint of pepper, spice, with no noticeable fruit

Taste:  Tobacco, spice, pepper and a buttery note.

Finish:  A lengthy one with pepper, tobacco and some serious buttery notes intertwined.

Evaluation:  Wow what a powerful wine with really only lacking some fruit components.  Aging might change that and my score.  94 points

2002 St. Jakobi Dutschke Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Medium Purple

Nose:  Floral, Spice, Crushed rock

Taste:  Floral, spice,Crushed rock

Finish:  Intense immediate mouthful of violets, spice and crushed rock that settles down quickly and mellows out into a nice medium finish.  Certainly not the aussie fruit bomb.

Evaluation:  An excellent value and well made.  Drink alone without food.  92 points

2002 Charles Cimicky Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz $$$$

Color:  Dark Purple

Nose:  Spice, cigar box

Taste:  Cherry, dried herbs, black pepper, floral

Finish:  Medium with earth dominating this medium finish

Evaluation:  Nothing special but for $25 I paid not a bad wine 90 points

2002 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz $$$$$+

Color:  Medium Purple

Nose:  Very smooth for a shiraz with violets, smoke, crushed rock, white pepper

Taste:  Elegant with white pepper, violets, smoke

Finish:  Medium with white pepper, licorice, smoke and violets

Evaluation:  This was blind tasted and it was a crowd pleasure.  95 points

 

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