TN: 1999 Wild Duck Creek Estate Springflat Shiraz
Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 10:32 am
1999 Wild Duck Creek Estate Springflat Shiraz (Heathcote)
Given I get a good-sized stash of this every year on my standing order, this is my everyday quaffer. Three bottles drank over last 8 weeks and all consistent. Mid purple and impenetrable in the centre. Nose is divine, with blackberry purée and jam. Exotic and rich and a hint of acetone on initial uncorking. Delightful stuff. Palate holds its 15% A/V with ease and there is no hint of heat. Already throwing sediment. Wine is like sweet Lebanese coffee with lush black fruits and excellent structure that dispels any notion this is an over-ripe “fruit bomb”. Finishes very clean and dry with fine velvety tannins. Little hint of acidity and oak but its there, saturated with fruit. Maybe lacking decent length to make it excellent (you get that in the Reserve bottlings) but may improve. A joy to drink and not at all over powering. Easy to drink with a BBQ or just lazing around like a bum. It’s that type of wine. It’s not theoretical physics. I’m glad. It’s just damn enjoyable and there is nothing wrong with that.
87/100
Given I get a good-sized stash of this every year on my standing order, this is my everyday quaffer. Three bottles drank over last 8 weeks and all consistent. Mid purple and impenetrable in the centre. Nose is divine, with blackberry purée and jam. Exotic and rich and a hint of acetone on initial uncorking. Delightful stuff. Palate holds its 15% A/V with ease and there is no hint of heat. Already throwing sediment. Wine is like sweet Lebanese coffee with lush black fruits and excellent structure that dispels any notion this is an over-ripe “fruit bomb”. Finishes very clean and dry with fine velvety tannins. Little hint of acidity and oak but its there, saturated with fruit. Maybe lacking decent length to make it excellent (you get that in the Reserve bottlings) but may improve. A joy to drink and not at all over powering. Easy to drink with a BBQ or just lazing around like a bum. It’s that type of wine. It’s not theoretical physics. I’m glad. It’s just damn enjoyable and there is nothing wrong with that.
87/100