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Thanks mostly to the demise of Chinese exports, the Australian market has been awash with mystery labels and secret deals that are predominately made up of cancelled export orders and labels that are exclusive to the Chinese market or rarely seen on our shores. Whilst we prefer our offers to be completely transparent without any mystique, the caveat on this deal was that we could not reveal its identity – given it’s pedigree, exceptional quality and heavily discounted price it was an opportunity not to be missed. 

This is the real deal – you will receive the genuine article not an unknown brand, export label or cleanskin. 

Whilst we can’t reveal its identity here are some clues:

• It’s a well known brand that has featured prominently in our newsletters over the last 15 plus years
  
  
• The same wine was featured in one of our newsletters earlier this year at the then discounted price of $32.99 (normally you would pay around $40.00)
  
  
• Its label name sums up nicely this style of Shiraz

 If rich, powerful South Australian Shiraz is your thing this will unquestionably be one of the buys of the year.  

A formidable McLaren Vale Shiraz

Magnificent saturated inky black colour with an equally deep dark red black hue. Potent black cherry, liquorice and blackberry scents waft from the glass trailed by hints of dark chocolate, vanillin cedar, light earth and spice. Boasting formidable palate presence, heft and concentration, rich blackberry, liquorice and black cherry flavours fill every corner of the mouth, a judicious use of oak allowing the opulent fruit to shine through. Luxuriously textured and tremendously powerful, nuances of vanillin oak, subtle earthy dark chocolate and spicy pepper characters are also present. Sturdily built tannins have an attractive, silky feel and work in tandem with nicely balanced acidity. Hard to resist now it finishes with a long seductive aftertaste.
Will drink well over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 15%

Magnificent inky black heart with a very deep black dark red hue. Intoxicating aromas of blackberry, liquorice and fennel are intermixed with dark plum, smoky vanillin cedar, dried meats, earth, black olive and black pepper. Rich blackberry, liquorice and dark plum fruits are layered across the full bodied palate that is opulent yet also structured. Paving their way onto the back half are elements of dried meats, earthy fennel characters, smoky vanillin cedar and blackpepper. Sturdy yet polished tannins with an underlying freshness. Concludes long and powerful but also refined.
Cellar 8-10 years.
Alc. 13%

Other Reviews….
Long an iconic wine, particularly among American critics, this has revealed a lighter shade of late. The fruit, no longer desiccated. Dense and impressive, if this is your schtick. Powerful, sure. But energetic, long and far from drying. An arsenal of sexy oak meets liquorice back strap, smoked meats, blue to black fruits and a squeegee of anise-scented acidity. Drink by 2031.
95 points
Ned Goodwin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion

A long time customer favourite, Reillys R Shiraz never fails to over deliver. Produced from a blend of the best fruit off the 18 year old St Clare vineyard and a parcel from the Home Block, the fruit from the 50 year old dry grown Home Block vineyard, making up around 20% of blend, adds depth to the wine. All parcels of fruit are basket pressed, then the wine spends 18 months in French oak barrels. Impenetrable pitch black core with a very deep black dark red hue. Wafting out of the glass are heady scents of ripe black cherries, liquorice and blackberry followed by smoky vanillin cedar and peppered earth notes. Full bodied, the rich large scaled palate carries an opulent textural feel with decadent black cherry, blackberry and liquorice fruits overlaying toasty vanillin oak, scorched earth and peppered dried herb characters. Ripe chewy tannins give the finish a robust feel. The long blackpepper infused aftertaste toasty and richly fruited.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 15.5%

Rich, opulent and powerful, this is a real hedonists Chateauneuf du Pape.

Sourced from very old Grenache vines located on La Crau with maturation taking place in 1 year old Burgundy demi muids. Very deep dark red core with black tinged edges and a bright red hue. Lifted aromatics of black raspberries, liquorice and ripe black cherries meld into elements of scorched earth, dried herbs and spice. Hedonistically rich and opulent in its mouthfeel the palate is swamped with ripe black raspberry, liquorice and black cherry flavours over notions of scorched earth, infusions of incense and spicy dried herbs. Silky smooth yet structured tannins. Very impressive power and concentration finishing with a very long spicy black raspberry, black cherry, liquorice, scorched earth and peppery dried herb aftertaste.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 15%

Other Reviews…
Lastly, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Adrastée is one of the gems in the vintage. Made from 100% Grenache that was completely destemmed and brought up all in larger barrels, it has classic Grenache notes of kirsch, blackberries, crushed rocks and dried garrigue. Tight, full-bodied and backward on the palate, with plenty of tannins, it has a terrific core of sweet fruit and a great finish. It should be at its best from 2020-2032.
95 points
Jeb Dunnuck

Translucent damask pink colour. Fragrant raspberry and strawberry scents mix with musk and light spice. Delicious juicy raspberry, pomegranate and strawberry fruits decorate the mouth with infusions of musk and a dash of spice on the back palate. Finishes dry with a bite of brisk acidity and a long fruity aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 13.5%

The Monte Tondo vineyard can be found nestling in the gentle hills of Soave just a few kilometres from Verona on a slope overlooking the valley. Today it is 4th generation brother and sister team, Luca and Marta Magnabosco, who tend to the 25 hectares of vineyards situated on the best plots that the Soave zone can offer.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a subtle glimmer of green around the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of ripe pear and red apple meld into delicate dried honey, wet stone and fresh herb scents. Delicious pear, apple and lime fruits line the palate with notions of wet stone and fresh herb infusions lying underneath. Well rounded river stone like mouthfeel finishing dry with plenty of fresh acidity and a mouth watering aftertaste.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.5%

Produced from a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 8% Malbec this wine incorporates some of the more opulent parcels of fruit from the Vasse Felix vineyards to make a more approachable wine on release. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques (1-5 years old) for a period of 11 months.
Totally opaque black dark red core with a dark red hue. Elevated red to black currant and mulberry scents are tied to dusty vanillin cedar, tobacco and spicy bay leaf notes. Medium bodied the palate is blessed with a generous mix of red to black currant and mulberry fruits which overlay cedary tobacco characters, dusty earth, traces of bay leaf and spice. A refined yet sturdy tannin structure provides the framework. Concludes long and amply fruited yet elegant.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Certified organic this wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot that was matured in 45% new French oak for 15 months.
Magnificent pitch black colour with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Delightful red to black currant and mulberry scents have a faint violet overlay with subtle tobacco, dusty cedar, black olive and bay leaf notes tailing off into the distance. Rich and youthful yet showing great poise and finesse, the sculptured palate is brimming with red to black currant and mulberry fruits. Firms up on the back half with structured graphite like tannins imposing themselves. Elements of dusty cedar, light tobacco, faint black olive, bay leaf and spice lie underneath. Beautifully balanced fresh acidity with a long refined and elegant aftertaste that typifies Diana Madeline.
Cellar 10-15 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews….
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec with 45% new oak. 2,350 dozen made.
Incredible power and concentration here, and yet, still lithe and so finely wrought. It’s ultra-mineral in feel with iron and dense graphite tannin, but perfumed and spice-laden too. The quality and feel of tannin here is something quite extraordinary. Plum and dark cherry, dark tobacco, whiff of empty chocolate box, superb length of flavour. Essence of Cabernet. Essential Cabernet. We’ve never had it so good. Drink 2026 - 2050+.
98 points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front (February 2021)

Domaine Faiveley is one of the biggest domaines in Burgundy with the fruit for this Bourgogne being sourced mainly from plots situated in Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise. 2019 was a fresh, well balanced vintage that saw low yields and outstanding fruit quality.
Bright dark red colour with tinges of black to the edges and a crimson red hue. Earthy red cherry and subtle red raspberry scents are trailed by dried herb and spicy cedar notes. Savoury ripe red cherry and winter strawberry fruits are featured across a lighter bodied palate that’s underpinned by fresh acidity and polished tannins. Infusions of violets, earth and fresh herbs add charm. Nicely balanced, elegant, medium length finish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13%

Produced from mainly Grenache and Syrah with maturation taking place in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks for 6 months. Dense inky black dark purple colour with a bright dark red hue. Aromas of freshly crushed dark cherries and dark raspberries intermix with hints of liquorice, dried herbs, inky earth and spice. Medium bodied, the palate has ample richness and a bright juicy feel. Dark cherry, raspberry and subtle liquorice fruits decorate the mouth with elements of inky earth, provincial herbs and pepper lying underneath. Finishes with excellent freshness, slightly grainy tannins and a medium length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.5%