Ranked #1 of 53 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz from South Australia
96/100
5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Medium-full red, purple edge. Rose-petals, fresh-earth, savoury but also lovely ripe berry fruit aromas. Very stylish and elegant. Medium bodied, taut and firm, long and lean but also has flesh. Ripe cabernet: not at all leafy. Superb wine: I like the ripeness here, and the tightly focused, firm structure. It bodes well for aging. Best at 3 to 20+ years
Tasted: 25/09/2007
Drink: 2013 to 2030
93.5 Points Robert Parker
The most distinctive of blends, considering the sources, is the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) – Shiraz (35%) “Cellar Reserve.” The Cabernet component is sourced from Coonawarra and the Shiraz from Barossa. Opaque purple/black in color, the nose is redolent of pain grille, vanilla, Asian spices, violets, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied and firm on the palate, the wine has excellent depth, gobs of ripe fruit, and good balance but is an infant developmentally. Give this lengthy blend 8-10 years in the cellar and drink it through 2035.
Source: Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) by Jay S Miller. January, 2007
The most distinctive of blends, considering the sources, is the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) – Shiraz (35%) “Cellar Reserve.” The Cabernet component is sourced from Coonawarra and the Shiraz from Barossa. Opaque purple/black in color, the nose is redolent of pain grille, vanilla, Asian spices, violets, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied and firm on the palate, the wine has excellent depth, gobs of ripe fruit, and good balance but is an infant developmentally. Give this lengthy blend 8-10 years in the cellar and drink it through 2035. Source: Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) October, 2007 by Jay Miller