It's a no-brainer with respect to the dense purple-colored 1998 Shiraz Stonewell. The wine is inky/purple-colored, with oodles of blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with hints of honeysuckle, wood, earth, and pepper. This full-throttle, majestic offering is super-concentrated and rich, with a wealth of glycerin, fruit, and extract. There is plenty of tannin lurking under the surface, but it is nearly obscured by the wine's exceptional depth. Anticipated maturity: now-2018. Importer: New World Wines / Appellation Imports, Washington, DC; tel. (888) 591-4009

Firm in texture, with focused dark berry and cherry flavors, picking up licorice character as the finish hits with a bit more alcohol than you might want. This has plenty of power, and it's striving for grace.--Australian reds blind retrospective. 2,000 cases made, 400 cases imported.??–HS??Region: Australia / Barossa Select to Add

Sturdy, masculine and sexy. This excellent Shiraz’s fruit core glows bright red (plum, cherry) but all of its bells and whistles—among them soil, black olive, blackberry—are dark as night. Unfolds with air to reveal streaks of cassis and mint as well. Medium-long and juicy on the finish. Drink through 2010. Imported by The Hess Collection.——D.T.(8/1/2005)—— 91