I just took a sip of this, and I can already tell that it is a winner. Not in the aged 8 years Bin 707 sense, but in the everyday drinker sense. For the price (around 20 bucks) this stuff is pretty smooth, and it has a great combination of fruit and pepper, with just a whiff of the sandstone terrior. According to the winemakers, the Viognier adds a citrusy touch to the palate, but I must admit that I am not refined enough to tell. In a blind test I would have this pegged as just a Shiraz (and at 92% Shiraz, you should forgive me).
I am surprised at how ready to drink it was, being a 2005. Many of the 2005 wines that I have tasted felt like they needed another few years in bottle. This wine is definitely a drink now, but I think that another couple of years could settle it down some and give it some more smoothness.
What it most reminds me of is Penfolds Bin 128. Jeff, Raphael and I used to drink that stuff by the case (literally). I actually don’t have any left anymore, despite exclaiming that I wanted to see how it aged (tasted too bloody good for the price was the problem). I would get a case of this stuff too, but I am in an experimental period at the moment (evidenced by some of the more recent aquisitions, shotgunning purchases across all of South Australia). After I get some more tasting done (in the next couple of months) I might start leaning more towards what Jeff is doing and concentrate purchases more.
