Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-colored, the 1996 Astralis wows right from the start with an incredibly profound nose of meat and fertile loam intermingling with black truffles, black cherry and black plum preserves plus a whiff of Christmas cake. Ripe, rich and seductive, the medium to full-bodied palate is generous and refreshing with crisp acid, medium levels of rounded tannins and a finish that lingers a very long time.
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Wine Spectator
Supple, silky and round, with some transparency to the dark plum, blackberry and exotic spice flavors, lingering gently on the long, expressive finish. Tannins are present, but nicely integrated, and the finish keeps welling up without bubbling over.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.