TN: Olivers Taranga Shiraz 2012

[Waiters Friend]

The 'standard' Shiraz from this long-established McLaren Vale winery. Their HJ Shiraz is Langton's classified, and they have a super-premium as well.

Deep purple in the glass. Full nose of dark plums, dark chocolate, and some earthiness initially. This gives way to a rich palate, balanced between sweet, ripe dark fruits and almost savoury characters, like coffee grounds. There's also licorice across the tongue. Tannins are chunky and grippy, and the wine finishes reasonably long and satisfying.

Possibly approaching its best now, and great value.

[Waiters Friend]

This has moved along a little in the intervening 18 months. Still deep purple and quite dense in the glass. The fruits are only slightly diminishing, and giving way (only just) to cocoa powder. The impressions of earthiness have not increased in intensity, but the licorice has largely disappeared. Still balanced and full, with a long and satisfying finish.

No longer approaching its best, but probably there. Time to drink the rest of the 2012s (and I think a couple of earlier vintages).