I kept wondering if the only reason I was not giving this wine a perfect score was because there were only 50 cases produced. Made from yields of under one ton of fruit per acre, from 100+-year old vines, my first impression on tasting this Shiraz was, "My God, this smells like a pristine example of 1947 Cheval Blanc." It possesses a similar unctuosity, thickness, over ripeness, and dry vintage port-like character. Moreover, I could not believe how complex the wine's aromatics were for its age. In addition to the tell-tale bacon fat, there were aromas of toast, smoke, cassis, cedar, and blackberry jam. Viscous, full-bodied, extremely thick and heavy (no finesse to be found in this monster), this wine represents the maximum, or some would say the extreme expression of its terroir and varietal composition. Yet the wine is focused, and not heavy to drink. After keeping the wine open four days without any trace of oxidation, but rather, further development and evolution, I decided there was no further reason to delay its destiny, and drank it up. The wine achieved 15% alcohol naturally, and spent 3 years in 100% new French oak. While it is lamentable that only 50 cases were produced, I feel readers should know about wines such as this. Moreover, they stand as a beacon for other winemakers who want to achieve something as special as what winemaker Chris Ringland has accomplished. This wine should evolve and continue to drink well for at least 15-20 years.Imported by Dan Phillips' company - The Grateful Palate, 601 Del Norte Blvd., Unit G, Oxnard, CA 93030; tel. (888) 472-5283, fax (805) 278-9085. Readers will also immensely enjoy his well-written catalogue which bears the same name - The Grateful Palate.
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