The Auswine Forum

Under cork. Decanted immediately before service, and the first glasses poured and then left for 20 minutes.

Crimson colour. Initially, developed red fruits and leather on the nose. As the wine opened up, it started to show darker fruits (e.g. blueberries, dark plums), vanilla, cloves and a little menthol.

The palate emphasises the red fruits. There's moderate supporting acid, reasonable tannic grip, and more developed fruit characters heading towards the back palate. The finish itself is quite long and lingering, but a little sharp.

Given the vintage, I wasn't expecting big things. Given its age, I don't think it will get any better, but it is quite drinkable, especially if you like aged and developed characters.

Cheers
Allan

I'd agree with this, even given the extra time in bottle:

• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=4201736]2003 Tahbilk Shiraz Eric Stevens Purbrick[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes (17/03/2014)
  {cork, 13%} A fabulous copy of last July's note - or it would be fabulous if the wine was just a bit more exciting. There is a nod to fruit sweetness here, but it's very drying on the finish, and becomes more so with subsequent glasses. Reasonable wine at peak drinking.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=3704226]2003 Tahbilk Shiraz Eric Stevens Purbrick[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes (27/07/2013)
  {cork, 13%} Another immaculate cork heralds a wine which is the perfect replica of June's bottle. The one thing I noticed particularly was how quickly the rich plummy/mulberry nature of the fruits faded once the bottle was open an hour or two. Attractive medium-bodied older-style new world shiraz drinking at its peak, but get into it quickly, don't decant and leave it lying around.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=3622499]2003 Tahbilk Shiraz Eric Stevens Purbrick[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes (14/06/2013)
  {cork, 13%} There's certainly a nod to the typical Tahbilk liqueured plum and strawberry sweetness on the nose of this developing wine. It's all fruit, with little oak. But Stewart is right about the palate; there's just a little too much drying astringency about this to have much confidence in its future (which may explain why Tahbilk is flogging it off in their wine club shiraz dozens just now at an average of half the usual $50 asking price). The palate isn't without redeeming features; it's nicely balanced, with medium-bodied weight, and a medium-length finish; it has a polished texture which hints at richness but just fails to hit the mark somehow. Tastes - flavourwise - in line with the aromas, although at lower intensity; it's always a let-down when the palate can't quite match the nose. Perhaps a victim of a hot, drying vintage as much as anything; this should be drunk fairly soon.

cheers