Cape d'Estaing Kangaroo Island Admiral's Reserve Shiraz (1.5L Magnum) 2001
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I cannot believe there has ever been a wine from Kangaroo Island as spectacular as the 2001 Shiraz Admiral’s Reserve. Sadly, there are only four barrels (100 cases) of this sensational effort, a tribute to the proprietors and their winemaker, Robin Moody. It spent 22 months in French oak, and tastes like a great Bordeaux classified growth. A tremendously opaque purple color accompanies the big, sweet nose of lead pencil shavings, black currants, minerals, and sweet yet subtle toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied and extremely well-delineated, with moderately high tannin, a touch of austerity, tremendous mid-palate depth, and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. Bravo!
They produce a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon, with all the grapes grown in a 6 year old, 25 acre vineyard on the north coast of Kangaroo Island. Winemakers Mike Farmilo and Robin Moody.
Though Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley of France, Australia is home to the oldest Syrah (called Shiraz here) vines on the planet. Found in Australia’s Barossa Valley, where phylloxera has never threated viticulture, these ancient vines are between 140 to 175 years old!
Having brought fame and merit to the country’s wine scene since the early 1950s, namely via the debut of Penfolds Grange, today Syrah (Shiraz) claims rank as the most widely planted grape in Australia. In fact, the amount of land dedicated to Shiraz in Australia is now almost equivalent to what it is in France. Australian Shiraz has its own personality with flavors and aromas of intense blackberry, fruitcake, menthol, tobacco leaf and umami. Conveniently one can find great Australian Shiraz at a variety of price points but the very best will be dense, gloriously complex and capable of long aging.