TN: Two GOLIATHS

[Chow Chow]

Kaesler "Weapon of Mass Seduction '02" (2/3Shiraz, 1/3 Cabernet)
Black/purple in color. Nose is very open, everyone around the table could smell it. On the palate - Huge structure, tannic, powerful and concentrated with pure expression of fruit. Notes of plums, currants, caramel, dark chocolate and pepper. Finish equally outstanding - long, powerful.

O'Leary Walker Reserve Shiraz 2002 - Stelvin
My 1st experince with David O'Leary was the "Black Opal" 1998 (a sub<$12 export label) when he was at Mildara Blass. It was excellent, even Andrew Caillard was bowed over when we tasted it.
Last mth I had a O'Leary Walker Shiraz 2002(regular bottling) and I daresay I havent drank anything quite like it for a sub-$20. Mr.O'Leary is a genius to be able to produced wines that outperformed the price tag. When the Reserve was released @ 5x their reg. bottling, I hesitated until I read TORB's glowing review. It certainly galvanised my purchasing decision.
The WOMS was a terrific wine and its a tall order for any other wine to do a head-on collision and came up triumphant.
Opaque black, the nose was firing on all cylinders, thickly texture and vicuous like WD40. A glass stainner. Explosive in the palate, it delivered layers upon layers of cloves, plums, cinnamon, blackberries, mocha, blackpepper & liquorice. For such a massive wine, surprisingly it wasnt heavy. It has a symentry of a thoroughbred. Enormous structure, beautifully formed tannins with enough of reserve to run a marathon. The attack is very persistent and the finish lasted for over a minute leaving my mouth parched(the challenge of drinking a young wine)
This wine has conquered the Platinum Shiraz 2001 as the best wine I've drank in the past 12 mths!

[Guest]

Fully agreed. The O'Leary Shiraz is the best wine in the $20 category. IMO a better made wine than the Mamre Brook.

[TORB]

Fully agreed. The O'Leary Shiraz is the best wine in the $20 category. IMO a better made wine than the Mamre Brook.

~~~~~ Sigh ~~~~~ shaking head. I wonder if this is the same "Guest" who thinks that "the only red that Shaw and Smith only makes is a weedy Merlot"

]b]The Reserve, [/b] which is the subject of this post is not in the $20 category.

[Red Bigot]

Last mth I had a O'Leary Walker Shiraz 2002 and I daresay I havent drank anything quite like it for under $20. Mr.O'Leary is a genius to be able to produced wines that outperformed the price tag.

Take it easy Ric, the $20 OLW wine was mentioned by Martin, Guest was just agreeing with that bit.

[TORB]

Ok Brian, I guess I should not post before the coffee hits.

[Chow Chow]

Thanks for ur recomendation Ric. I wouldnt have bought the O'Leary Rsv. without your "glowing" review.


Heck, if Ric has bought using his hard earned dosh for a $90 bt., how wrong can I be (coming fr a man who received "free samples" for review every week)