Two immediate comments come to mind when I think about this wine, sampled in the late summer of 2007.  First, it is very difficult to categorize.  Essentially, it is an Australian version of a French Rhone blend ((70% Grenache, 25% Shiraz, 5% Mourvedre).  Secondly, the wine is a beast that needs a little more bottle time for taming purposes.  I think the wine would be best consumed in 2009 and onwards.  With some decanting, it can be consumed now.  The wine has some stewed/baked fruit notes, some cedar and peppery flavors, as well as tobacco notes.  Right now, the fruit seems hidden behind a wall of tannin, but with age (or decanting), the fruit can be coaxed out.  It will be fun to compare this wine now to a tasting in a couple of years.

3 stars for immediate consumption, probably rising to 3.5-3.75 star potential in a few years.

 

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