Vanilla spice milkshake is about the only way to describe this. Fully mature with resolved tannins…but has a syrupy flavor of Vanilla and oak. Just not interesting at all. If I had to throw points at it, I’d give it an 83
I had a bottle years ago and thought it was disgusting – more like cough syrup when I tasted it. Intense eucalyptus, I thought. Anyway, sounds like it hasn’t gotten much better. Thanks for the update!
Funny, Phil Franks loves the stuff. ![[rofl.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7452fcd8e675af869f8da01174474a545b03944.gif "rofl"){kind=small}
Lots of tasting notes over the last 10 days on older Aussies, besides Robert Parker and Jay Miller, anyone taste anything good? 
No…I’ve been running an experiment this year - 96,99 Command 97,98,00,01 Dead Arm 97,98 E&E Black Pepper and it has convinced me to never take these guys past 5 years. Not that I’m a big Shiraz drinker…but I do enjoy a fruit bomb from time to time. These seem like they lost their baby fat and turned into flat syrup.
I enjoy the occasional fruit bomb as well. But I did drink a 2000 Dead Arm earlier this year and it tasted about as good as any $10 wine.
Yes, I have had more than a few. But you continue your jihad you crazy terrorist person you . . . ![[neener.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/3/3bd35321ffd7ed2243d1d518ebb606d554360600.gif "[neener.gif]"){kind=small}
John
Really?
http://wineberserkers.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6853&hilit=elderton" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I’ve lost contact with the wine for a while. These are my most recent notes.
http://wineberserkers.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6853&hilit=elderton" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
No one has called me a terrorist since Bob Parker, I miss those days. Thanks, John.
I am here for you.
Like family. I hate family.
(CHORUS:)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up ev’rybody and sing
Ev’ryone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
(FLY!) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie
(ALL!) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We’re giving love in a family dose
(CHORUS x2)
Living life is fun and we’ve just begun
To get our share of the world’s delights
(HIGH!) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal’s in sight
(WE!) no we don’t get depressed
Here’s what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won’t go wrong
This is our family Jewel
A note from Bruce L that I whole heartedly agree with, notes were consistent with 2-3 (can’t remember how many we opened) of the same wine that night. Everything was in the right place for the wine
In the latest issue of WA, RP wrote a What About Now for older Australian Shiraz and Grenache. In the section for Torbreck, he revisits the 1998 Steading GSM. He noted that the fruit was drying out, with a short and sharp finish. I was a bit surprised by his notes–I had poured this wine coincidentally the other week at my legal aid charity event, and it was very well-received. Not only the guests but my wine geek volunteers tasted it and thought it was very good.
I’m retasting it from a fresh bottle tonight, and it’s still drinking very well. Granted, the exuberant fruit of its youth has diminished slightly, but it’s not as if the fruit is MIA at all. While it’s not the longest finish in the Western World, I wouldn’t call it short, and it’s much more harmonious than sharp. There’s a strong savory/minty quality throughout.
On my scale, just lacking sufficient complexity to get to a “wow” so a very strong “yum plus.” If I was feeling pointy, it would probably be in the 91-2 range or so.
Bruce
Just finish your business . . . 72 virgins await brother.
Maybe if you wouldn’t be such a cheapskate and you opened up some of that old Grange, Phil wouldn’t have to drink all that cough syrup.
And when you open up that Grange . . . you know who to call . . . .
Cheapskate? Yea I’ll call everyone except you.
Awww. Come on. Let’s put together that syrah tasting we discussed on the Fourth. I promise, I’ll make it up to you.
In Santa Monica?
