This is Shottesbrooke’s premium Shiraz label.
Dusty Dutch cocoa and vanilla essence before all else, but with a deep vein of dark, savoury fruit running underneath. There’s real sophistication and complexity here, with bursts of licorice and spice adding detail to the aroma profile. It seems quite woody; happily, the oak is well matched to the fruit character.
In the mouth, a slow attack gives way to a rush of dense fruit flavour towards the middle palate. Quite a lot happening amidst the medium to full bodied palate, and it’s cleaner in flavour profile than the dusty nose suggests. A nice burst of dark, glossy and straightforward berry fruit defies the oak treatment and proves the latter isn’t, in fact, overdone. On the after palate, a seriously attractive lift carries berry fruit flavour right up into the back of the mouth, along with some vanilla that resonates through the lengthy, warm, cocoa finish.