Tasting note No.36
It's nice to be surprised. My absolute favourite everyday drinking red is the Taylors Shiraz (except I don't drink every day). I've been following it ever since the absolutely stunning 1998 vintage which simply blew me away with it's superb quality at AU $14. I've drunk that Shiraz on a number of occassions, last time that wine went into hybernation so now it rests in the cellar. The 1999 Taylors was a very powerful, heavily oaked and slightly different wine with lot's of vanilla oak. I still consider it fantastic, it too rests in the cellar, throwing sediment, waiting for the right moment to be opened. I bought the 2000 vintage on release but for some reason, I didn't open any bottles until now. The 2001 I bought as well and opened it around this time last year. I noted that while I should not complain at the price it was good but not stunning. It had tonnes of alcohol on the finish, no surprise at 14.5% vol. I will purchase the 2002 vintage today but let's go back to the amazing 2000 now:
Colour black cherry red. Very very dark. Fragrant nose of ripe shiraz with exotic spices, earth and red berries and dark chocolate. Very classy. The palate is sublime! It is a beautifully balanced rich, rich wine with perfect harmony, length and character. Plummy shiraz fruit mixing with red berries, bluberries and toasty oak. A perfect mouthful. I had a similar sensation when I was drinking the 1998 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz. Very comparable to the 1998 Taylor Shiraz as well. If you own any of the 2000, open a few bottles, it's drinking beautifully right now. Great strength and power, it's full bodied, this wine will cellar until 2012. No hot alcoholic aftertaste, alcohol is at 13.5% vol. Cost AU $14...a great bargain really. Even at $30, I would not complain. Go for it if you could still find some.
Tasted:March 2004