2013 Craiglee Shiraz (Cellar Release), Sunbury

This is a wine for the di-hard SHIRAZ lovers who demand red at Christmas lunch! Victorian Shiraz is renowned for delicious red fruit characters on the nose like redcurrant and dark red cherries mixed with savoury cedar. These flavours burst into life on the palate laced with complex, medium bodied aged characters of leather, dried red fruit and pepper. It shows the beauty of aged Victorian Shiraz and at 7 years old it is approachable, balanced with fine-grained tannins and a long, delicious finish. Also, a story for the table: Craiglee, established in 1860 at Sunbury, Victoria is a tiny vineyard (9.5ha) producing one of the finest cool climate Shirazs in Australia. Since the early 1970’s Pat Carmody and his wife Dianne have continued the reputation of producing a warm-climate grape in cooler climes that exhibits intense pepper and spice with gentle power.

Composed. Keeping it all close to its chest for now. Dark cherries, roasted meats, black pepper and smoky oak; beautifully integrated and teamed. Lift of redder berries, inching into florals. Tannin has the whip held aloft, ready to crack. Everything in perfect order.

95 pts - Campbell Mattinson, Australian Wine Companion