1994 Pikes Clare Valley Shiraz

The 1994 vintage wines from Clare will be noted for their depthof colour and concentration of flavour. The Pikes is noexception. Opaque crimson colour with mauve edges. The nose is alittle closed at first and the wine needs about half an hour tobreathe before yielding its rich spiced blackberry aromaenhanced by a blackpepper background. The palate displays theweight that the colour suggests with loads of ripe blackberryspice flavours and a hint of pencil shavings - the tanninstructure is fine grained, giving the wine a deceptively softfinish. The aftertaste is very long with spiced confectionary,plums and blackberries lingering. A great red. Cellar 10 years.\Z