2005 Coach House Shiraz, Branson, Barossa Valley
"Say what you will about a Cabernet Sauvignon with 18% alcohol, ultimately it is balance that counts. The fruit is sourced from the Greenock region of the Barossa, one of the Valley’s premier terroirs, and the 2005 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Opaque purple-colored, it offers an Amarone-like perfume along with smoky oak (100% new Taransaud oak was used), scorched earth, licorice, cassis, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. Huge and super-rich as well as velvety-textured, this is a true “seat-belt” wine in which notes of chocolate intermingle with spicy black fruits. It is, without doubt, a unique expression." 98? points, Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate