Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has seductive aromas of plums, nutmeg, iodine and cocoa. Polished and delicious, with a medium to full body and firm, fine tannins. Polished and classy. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
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Wine Enthusiast
As Australian vineyards go, this isn't that old, having been planted in 1971. Chocolate and vanilla shadings frame bowls of mixed berries in this full-bodied, powerful wine. It finishes long and intense, outlined by dusty tannins.
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Wine Spectator
Intense and expressive, with rich plum, black cherry and fig flavors that are supple and juicy in equal measure, balanced by accents of vanilla bean, mocha and orange zest. The finish is velvety, lingering with a spicy grace note. Drink now through 2026.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet/purple, the 2013 Brooks Road Shiraz has a youthful nose of crushed blackberries and blueberries with hints of cedar, pepper, cloves and anise plus a waft of tilled earth. It has tons of fruit on the medium to full-bodied palate and is overall vivacious with fine, firm tannins and a long, fruity finish.
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.