More exotic and flamboyant than the Shiraz, but equally profound is the 2004 Shiraz/Viognier The Relic (93% and 7% respectively, cropped at .5 tons of fruit per acre, and aged 20 months in old French oak). An inky/purple-colored, powerful, full-bodied, rich red, it possesses a huge, sweet nose of blue and black fruits, flowers, and subtle oak, a blockbuster mid-section, and an amazingly long finish. More approachable than the 2003 Shiraz, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15 or more years. Dan Standish is one of the Barossa’s up-and-coming superstars, and his wines merit serious attention. Importer: Ben Hammerschlag, Epicurean Wines, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 923-1376