TN: High scoring Parker wines (Mitolo, Amon-Ra, Torbreck)

Alan Rath · Post by **Alan Rath** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:22 pm

Another nice shop tasting. Wines had been opened a few hours before. FWIW, I happen to like many styles of Syrah/Shiraz, from French Hermitage & Cote Rotie, through the numerous California styles, to the wide range of Australian wines. These are all "high scoring" Parker wines, and I feel comfortable evaluating them in the context of the style they attempt to achieve. In light of other concurrent threads on the subject of Parker vs. Halliday, I don't have any problem with the style of these wines. I enjoy drinking them on occasion, just as I enjoy wines in other parts of the spectrum (e.g., Graveyard, Dalwhinnie, Aberfeldy). I find the idea of blasting one style of wine, while favoring another style ridiculous (particularly if it's done to spite other critics). Enjoy what you like, live and let live

2001 Elderton Shiraz "Command"
Dense, ripe, lush, silky, some spice and road tar, very nice, fairly long finish, moderate tannins. Quite similar to previous versions. 93/100

2004 Glaetzer Shiraz Barossa
Dark, lush, slightly sweet, moderate/medium tannins, slightly savory on the finish. 91/100

2004 Mitolo Shiraz "G.A.M."
A puzzlement. Ripe, silky, dense, lots of toasty anise, and road tar coming through on the finish, I presume from a fairly high oak exposure. An impressive wine in some ways, but the problem I have with this (and it's previous versions) is that it is like a black hole - nothing escapes its grip. Essentially, there is too much of everything, never a chance for the various components and characteristics to be delineated. Like walking into a house that is just crammed to the ceiling with so much furniture and knick-knacks that you can't take it all in. Couple that with the higher levels of tarry oak, and this is not really my style. 90/100

2004 Mitolo Shiraz "Savitar"
Big, but a bit more reserved than the G.A.M. Very nice balance, just touches of licorice/tar. 92/100

2004 Amon-Ra Shiraz
Intriguing nose of spices and violets; in contrast to the Mitolo wines there is higher acidity and more tannic structure; dark and dense, but restrained in its way, with great balance. Perhaps toned down a half notch from the 2002 wine (I never tried the 03), this is even better, and I scored it higher than Parker's 93. 95/100

2004 Amon-Ra Shiraz/Cabernet "Godolphin"
Huge, deep, rich fruit, an edge of sweetness, but grounded by an immense, dark foundation. Perfect acidity and tannins, a very long finish with an unusual kicker of a secondary layer of dark baritone fruit. Incredible wine, one that meets the challenge of achieving such immense proportions, while maintaining a superb balance - this could be an even more impressive wine in 10 years. 97/100

2003 Torbreck Shiraz "The Descendant"
Now we've shifted gears. The previous wines are like driving a Ferrari - all flash, speed, and sizzle. The Torbreck wines are like driving a Jaguar - powerful yet classy and sophisticated. The Descendant's Viognier component is strikingly obvious at first whiff, with its sweet perfume that transitions to beautiful, deep, black fruit flavors, lifted to a level of brightness by the Viognier, with a long, memorable finish. 96/100

2003 Torbreck Shiraz "The Factor"
Ripe, almost jammy nose, even a bit caramelized; Deep, ripe fruit, quite tannic, medium finish with mouth puckering tannins. This is a wine to put away for the long haul. 94/100

2002 Torbreck Shiraz "Run Rig"
Slight Viognier perfume, but not nearly as evident as the Descendant; explosive, bright, black/boysenberry fruit, quite high levels of medium/fine tannins, and a medium long finish. Tremendous wine, but needs some years. 97/100

Regards,
Alan

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:20 pm

Alan,

Thanks for posting your thoughts on the tasting. Aren't you a lucky bugger! :mrgreen:

I agree with your comments regarding wine preferences and styles. Different horses for different courses. It'd be a boring world if all wines were made to the same style.

Did you find any oak evident with the Command? Nothing on your tasting note, and I'd be interested to hear based on my experiences with previous vintages of this wine (and also the Ashmead). I think a lot of the wines tasted, especially the G.A.M., are just too young as well. Remember that they're only 2004's, having only been in bottle for a short time. Havind said that, I am in no way enamoured by the Godolphin unlike the seeming majority of the forumite population. Although the wine does have a nice texture and good length, I found the fruit over-ripe and alcohol evident too. IMO, the Amon Ra is an altogether classier wine with better structure and fruit quality.

Cheers,

Red Bigot · Post by **Red Bigot** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:04 pm

Max, If you have any spare Godolphin you want to get rid of I'll be happy to oblige. I think it's one of the best reds I've tried this year, stunning balance in a young wine, hits all the spots for me. I wish I'd bought 12 instead of 6 @ $39.99 when I first saw it long before all the Parker fuss.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:32 pm

Red Bigot wrote:Max, If you have any spare Godolphin you want to get rid of I'll be happy to oblige. I think it's one of the best reds I've tried this year, stunning balance in a young wine, hits all the spots for me. I wish I'd bought 12 instead of 6 @ $39.99 when I first saw it long before all the Parker fuss.

This is your conscience speaking; you are not meant to be buying anymore wine until you get rid of some or you will miss your year end target. :!:

(And I had better drink up or I will miss mine, I found some more that had not been entered into the database. :shock:

Alan Rath · Post by **Alan Rath** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:15 am

Maximus wrote:Aren't you a lucky bugger!

Uh, assuming that I translate this to mean "fellow," then yes :wink:

Did you find any oak evident with the Command? Nothing on your tasting note, and I'd be interested to hear based on my experiences with previous vintages of this wine (and also the Ashmead).

Max, in all honesty I didn't pick up as much overt oak as I have sometimes with previous Commands. Funny, I have given up buying this wine because of the unpredictable oak characteristics - not only from vintage to vintage, but almost from bottle to bottle for my palate. One day it will be delicious, and another bottle will, for whatever reason, just seem more dominated by green/raw oak. Good to know about the Ashmead, there is actually some of this about, and I was thinking of trying one. Think I'll pass now, if it is known for its oak.

Regards,
Alan

Gavin Trott · Post by **Gavin Trott** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:21 am

FWIW

the Command is fantastic IMO and in no way over oaked, delicious.

Amon Ra and Godolphin I both thought very classy indeed.

The 2004 Savitar I put in my cellar, very sophisticated wine, and I lashed out for one single bottle of the 2002 Run Rig. I am not a lover generally of Shiraz Viognier, but this is all class, silky and stunning!