Tasting Note
Sydney Time
Copyright © Ric Einstein 2009
Copyright © Ric Einstein 2006
Schubert Estate
2004 Goose-yard Block Shiraz April 06
The wine was decanted two hours prior to assessment and consumed over the
next four, so I got a good look at it. A very youthful bouquet showing excellent
complexity; whilst its primarily off-sweet in nature, there is a secondary layer
of sweet aromas running below with scents of blackberry, cedar liquorice,
vanilla, with a hint of mint/ menthol and a reasonable amount of chocolate. The
youthful acid, deeply-seated killer fruit and dusty tannins are
impeccably-balanced; sheer perfection. Palate flavours are primarily off-sweet
with plum type taste, abundant violets, chocolate, coffee and a touch of pepper;
as the wine opened further the pepper gave way to loads of graphite, liquorice
spicy oak and nutmeg; the complexity is fantastic. A full-bodied wine with
excellent power and persistent but it still retains a modicum of elegance and
certainly has some loads of class. Rated as Excellent with *** for value, the
rating should improve the wine matures. An absolutely glorious wine and the
worst possible case of vininfanticide, but it's already showing signs of
harmony: by I don't mean that it's necessarily easy to drink, but just
everything is in perfect proportion, and although approachable now, it will
definitely improve with another few years in the bottle.
