Tyson Stelzer 98 points!
Wine Business Monthly 98 points!
Campbell Mattinson 95+ points!
Jancis Robinson 17/20!
Tyson Stelzer 98 points!"The more of the wine world I explore, the more I appreciate that the correlation between price and quality is a tenuous one. It is not difficult to find ear-splittingly expensive wines that fail to impress. More difficult to discover well-priced wines that compete at the very highest level on the world stage. My score for this wine will raise eyebrows and attract criticism. It is not a score that I have awarded to a wine of this price before. But I do not score on price, on reputation or on public opinion. I score on taste. And after several tastings I have no hesitation in recommending De Bortoli Yarra Valley Reserve Release Syrah 2008 as one of the finest wines to be unleashed in this country. Utterly mesmerising, it harks as much to Grand Cru Burgundy as it does to the Grand Marques of the Rhone Valley. It begins with aromas of rain on graphite and a panoply of exotic spices and black fruits. The palate is ultra-structured, with super-fine tannins delving deep into its core, lacing together star anise, pepper, nutmeg, dark chocolate, coffee bean and black fruits, completely engulfing the impact of eight-five percent whole bunch fruit. It is at once silky and gravelly, with a finish that lingers undeviated for no less than three minutes. 98 Points;"
Tyson Stelzer, Clear About Wine.
Wine Business Monthly 98 points!"Mesmerising wine, competing on the world stage, harking as much to the finesse of Grand Cru Burgundy as the texture of Rhone greats. Rain on graphite, a panoply of spices, fine tannins, star anise, pepper, nutmeg, dark chocolate, coffee bean and black fruits engulfs the impact of 85% whole bunch fruit. 98 Points;"
Wine Business Monthly; August 2010
"The reserve release wine is sourced from the Yarra Valley estate's oldest shiraz planted in 1971, and has all the same accoutrements of the estate wine but delivers greater depth and soul. The nose is more brooding and has a smoked graphite mineral edge with fruit buried below deck for now, some Rhone-like citrus zest here too. The palate wields impressive power and direction, really concentrated and focused, packed with plum and dark summer berry flavour, delivered on tannins that build weight and presence towards the finish. One of their finest yet!"
Nick Stock; The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2010
Campbell Mattinson 95+ points!"I found it a challenging wine when I tasted it last December - almost too much so. It seems softer and (much) riper now - the sweetness of its berried fruit is now coming through more clearly. It smells of chicory, smoke and peat. Then tastes of ash, plums, violets and meat. It has lots of dark tea-leafy tannin and is (gently) bitter on the finish. The main thing is that it's got beautiful lift and life and the tannin and flavour through the finish sets it apart as 'special'. It's a glorious wine in its style."
95 Points; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front
Jancis Robinson 17/20!75% whole bunch. Delicious tomato soup sort of character, and slightly furry tannin giving structure. Seems more structured, and almost therefore more youthful, than the 2010.
jancisrobinson.com, 17 Jan 2013
The nose is fascinating fresh and complex, showing spicy red berry fruit with a hint of whole bunch character. The palate is long and savoury reflecting the complexity of the nose. Winewise , Dec 2009
Medium red with garnet edge. Fragrant and aromatic with graphite and white pepper characteristics. A rich structured palate with integrated ripe tannins and exotic feel. A supple and complex wine. Flavours of rich spicy fruit with dark berries are evident. Fruit was hand sorted and a combination of whole bunches (75%) and whole berries (25%) were gravity tipped to an open fermenter. The fruit was then allowed to ferment with ambient yeast. Both hand and foot plunging were used to gently extract colour and flavour over 20 days. The grapes pressed and settled for 24 hours before racking to cask for MLF and maturation. After 10 months the wine is gravity racked and then bottled. French Oak Puncheons (500L), one, two and three year old used no new oak at all. Steve Webber, Winemaker
Country:
Australia
Region:
VIC- Yarra Valley
Variety:
Wine Red - Shiraz
Size:
750mL
