Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Somewhat precariously balanced at 15.7% alcohol, this may not turn out to be the most long-lived Shiraz, but it delicious for current consumption. The tannins are soft and creamy in texture, while the blueberry and blackberry fruit is intensely concentrated, tinged with nuances of vanilla, menthol and chocolate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
My favorite of the Garden Series is the 2007 Shiraz Lily's Garden from McLaren Vale. Purple-colored, it has an enticing perfume of balsam wood, lavender, incense, pepper, bacon, and blueberry. With excellent grip and balance, this smooth-textured, savory Shiraz will improve over the next 2-3 years and drink well through 2020.
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.