A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz that was aged 18 months in 100% used French oak, the 2004 Cabernet/Shiraz Ripper Creek is a big, harmonious, dense purple-colored red displaying a sweet perfume of black and red fruits intermixed with incense, cedar, pepper, and spice. This weighty yet beautifully balanced, elegant, long stunner can be drunk now or cellared for a decade or more. If you haven’t yet noticed, Christian Canute is one of Australia’s finest young mavericks. At the ripe old age of 28, he’s doing work that suggests someone with twice as much experience.Importer: Dan Philips, The Grateful Palate, Oxnard, CA; tel. (888) 472-5283