2018 Mystery Barossa Shiraz Deal No. 47

97 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

Gloriously rich and opulent within a sturdy structured frame, the wine shows blackberry, cake spice, charcuterie, cedar and mocha characters on the nose. The palate exhibits power as well as refinement, offering terrific depth and intensity with velvety-smooth mouthfeel and seamlessly infused powdery tannins, making it immensely delicious and gratifying.

96 POINTS

Ray Jordan

"...This is a real powerhouse in every way. Plenty of fruit, alcohol and oak. In fact 40 months in 60% new French oak which was air dried and immersion bent with a very tight grain. It means the oak take-up is not as dominant as with coarse grained oaks. Lots of dark red fruit seamlessly woven into the palate. Spicy blackberry plus roasted coffee and mocha characters scream Barossa and Eden Valley."

96 POINTS

Q Wine Reviews

"...Dripping with longevity, it comes in a big, weighty bottle with a cork and wax seal as well as the heft to match. Watching this open up over a few days was quite the treat. The usual suspects combine - dark berry fruits and plums plus some coffee grounds, cloves and cedar. Dark chocolate and chocolate brownie add detail. Given it spent 40 months in French oak, the impact was clear. It holds its shape impeccably and continues to soften with all elements fusing the more I peruse. Melted chocolate feels have me hooked. Delicate spices curl around the mouth but the length and the precision deserves nothing but praise. Superb! Drink to ten years+."

96 POINTS

Ken Gargett - WinePilot.com

"This is a blend of Shiraz from both the Eden Valley and the Barossa. For anyone thinking that means not quite one thing or another, I would suggest that they think best of both worlds. This is a stunningly rich Shiraz, glorious now and certain to drink beautifully for a couple of decades..." "Inky black purple hue. This is a big, bold chocolatey generous Shiraz. If you like those beautiful and powerful Barossa Shiraz, you will absolutely love this. Plenty of dark berries, cassis, leather, mocha, plums, coffee bean and chocolate notes. Lashings of oak but it is well integrated and the wine is nicely balanced. Still very youthful but what a future – ten to twenty years. The palate exhibits more of an aniseed note with a soft, creamy texture, pillowy tannins and great length. A cracker..."

95 POINTS

Gabrielle Poy - The Real Review

Incredibly intense wafts of licorice, incense, black plums and raspberries arrest the nose. Christmas cake spices are all there too. On the palate it's incredibly dense and intense, suggesting very small yields from ancient vines. There's ample oak here but the fruit intensity can handle this high level. Its fiery core is contained with pleasing inky tannins and the length is impressive. This is a flavour bomb: lovers of full-throttle Barossa shiraz will worship this, but its heat on the finish detracts from the wine and cautions a second sip

92 POINTS

Dave Brookes - Halliday's Wine Companion

Shiraz from Sorby Adams' home block and select vineyards in the Barossa Valley. Bottles weighing in at 2kg and 40 months in oak may seem a bit much, but there is still a market for oak-laden wines. On the other hand, heavy bottles should be relegated to the annals of history. Aromas of blackberry jam, crème de cassis, baking spices, licorice, rum and raisin chocolate and ever-present cedary oak. Thick and full bodied with a cedary, crème de cassis flow on the palate, fine gypsum-like tannins and just a wisp of heat on the finish. If you like your wines big and bold, this could be right down your alley.