Kalleske Greenock Creek Shiraz

Sometimes you experience a wine which is close to perfect. The 2002 Kalleske Greenock Creek Shiraz is such a wine. The colour is very dark and inky. The bouquet smells of black fruit which the palate picks up as blackberry and mulberry. There is a lot of toffee and chocolate, often found in wines from the Northern Barossa. However, here it is very smooth and elegant. It shows similarity to the Rockford Basket Press in a strong year. The wine has good mouthfeel, and while it is ripe and full-bodied, the fruit is not dead or overbearing. It still has a few years left in it. The finish is soft, backed by silky tannins. My only gripe is that the alcohol is a bit high, and while it is not obvious on the palate initially, the wine gets a bit heavy with the third glass. Overall, a great example of ripe Barossa Shiraz, where excellent winemaking skills have been applied to outstanding fruit in a strong vintage.

Score: 96/++