Ranked #57 of 138 2010 Shiraz from McLaren Vale
90/100
4 Stars
Huon Hooke
Very deep, dark purple/red colour; impressive looking wine. Very strong toasted oak, barrel ferment, smoked oyster type of bouquet. Big, grippy, full-bodied and very oak-tannic wine in the mouth. Hard to enjoy this any time soon; it must be cellared. Even then, you have to like big, oaky, tannic South Aussie reds. It doesn't do much for me.
Tasted: 10/01/2013
Drink: 2020 to 2040
89 Points Robert Parker
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2010 Balmoral Syrah opens with aromas of warm blackberries, creme de cassis and Chinese dried plums with hints of bacon, cedar and vanilla. Richly fruited, full-bodied and packed with black fruit and baking spice flavors, the oak is noticeable and supported by a medium level of velvety tannins, refreshing acid and a long length. Drink it now to 2018+.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. February, 2013
94 Points James Halliday
Impenetrable colour; deep and dark-fruited, with lashings of oak, black fruits and a splash of dark chocolate; the palate is unctuous, rich, dense and thickly textured, with high levels of tannin and toast dominant; more is certainly more in this example, but the quality of the fruit cannot be denied. Drink to 2020.
Ben Edwards. June, 2021