1998 Best's Victoria Shiraz

In the 'good ol days' when the country was awash with red wine and the prices were very modest, one could safely pick up a dozen or so bargains at about $3-4 a bottle, cellar them for a few years and be very pleasantly surprised. Today at $3 or $4 it's a very light drink, and even at $10 it can be a struggle to find a good cellaring proposition. The Bests 1998 Victoria Shiraz comes to the rescue. Opaque, crimson mauve colour. The nose is filled with the aroma of freshly crushed blackberries, a hint of toasted oak and dark chocolate in the background. The palate is full bodied, filled with lots of ripe fruit flavour (hardly surprising with its 14% alcohol). Blackberry, dark plum, chocolate and toasted oak flavour create a mouthfilling palate which is supported by some firm tannins, however, still balanced. Long plum, blackberry and toasted oak aftertaste. Cellar 3-5 years.