Rockford 2002 Basket Press Shiraz Dec 04

Thanks to Brian for "finding" me an extra bottle, I did not have to sacrifice one of my very limited six bottle stash to access this wine. Initially, when first opened the nose was all VA, earthy forest floor and pretty unyielding; not at all attractive! After an hour in the glass, it showed, chocolate, nose clearing menthol, lemon and blackberry; not much better. After three hours in the glass, it started to open up with lemon chocolate, blackcurrant, and solid plummy overtones. When the wine hits the palate, it certainly leaves an indelible impression! Tannins are chewy, slightly powdery but smooth and almost creamy which provides a rock solid foundation to this stunningly structured muscular weight wine. The fruit is pure and clean and fills the mouth with two competing layers of powerful flavours; one sweet and one off-sweet with blue and darker berry flavours, chocolate, plum, aniseed and mint. Given time, it will be a sensational wine and should be seamless but in its prepubescent vininfanticide state, it is rated as Excellent with fantastic potential for improvement.