1 | Wine | Page 426

"Hyperlush, with very creamy fig, blackberry and boysenberry flavors that stay well-defined, as charred apple wood, black tea and singed vanilla bean notes stride in behind. The long, authoritative finish drips with fruit and toasted spice, offering grip for balance. Very impressive."

"A warm ganache aroma gives way to a mouthcoating core of linzer torte, steeped blackberry and anise, all carried by smoldering black tea and graphite on the long finish, where this stays very fresh and racy, despite its weight."

"The 2009 Greg Norman Estates Limestone Coast Shiraz is a dark crimson color with garnet red hues. The fragrant nose is loaded with black cherry, plum, dried cranberry and blackcurrant aromas. Hints of cigar box and fine cinnamon spice add complexity on the nose while leading to an opulent mouthfeel with flavors of ripe berry, chocolate meringue, dark fruit cake and mocha notes. A refined, classically smooth tasting Shiraz from the Limestone Coast, this wine has a flavorful and silky textured finish."

"It is a fabulous effort from Rampolla. The 2006 D’Alceo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is a much tighter-wound wine than the Sammarco but it also seems to be holding back a lot more sheer density in reserve. Full-bodied, rich and monstrously tannic at this stage, it doesn’t taste too different than it did when I first sampled it from tank in November 2006! The wine possesses dazzling inner perfume, refined tannins that need time to emerge and exceptional overall balance."

"An under-rated producer. ...Smith-Woodhouse has turned out a port with an impressively saturated dark ruby/purple color. This powerful port is moderately sweet, forward, rich, and full-bodied, with nicely integrated alcohol and tannin." Reviewed by Robert Parker.