Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. The 2001 The Reserve is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Shiraz aged for 20 months in 70% new French oak hogsheads. From old vines with low yields, the wine is densely colored and glass-coating. It has a splendid bouquet of smoke, pencil lead, tar, espresso, blueberry, and blackberry. On the palate it remains an infant developmentally with full, ripe tannin, gobs of fruit, and great length. It needs a minimum of 10-12 years of cellaring and will drink well through 2040. - Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Glaetzer from Barossa Valley, Australia. 94-97 Points The 2006 Shiraz (75%) - Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) Anaperenna is the wine formerly known as Godolphin, the change resulting from a trademark dispute. It was aged for 15 months in new French and American oak. Opaque purple, it offers a sensational bouquet of pain grille, scorched earth, meat, game, blueberry, and black currants. This is followed by a surprisingly elegant yet powerful, structured wine with gobs of spicy fruit, ripe tannins, and a plush texture. The long, 60-second finish is succulent and sweet. Give this classy wine 4-6 years in the cellar and enjoy it through 2030. Hats off to Ben Glaetzer for producing an extraordinary portfolio! The renowned winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, sources all of his fruit for this label from the Ebenezer district in the northern Barossa. Many knowledgeable experts cite this sub-region as the finest in the Valley. - Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Two Hands from Barossa Valley, Australia. Beautiful intense cassis with spice box and tobacco leaf. The fine chalky tannins of the Cabernet are perfectly complimented by the luscious fleshy texture of the Shiraz. Medium to full bodied showing rich blackcurrant fruit with a restrained elegance.

Red Wine by Two Hands from Barossa Valley, Australia. Deep dark chocolate in color. A powerful bouquet of tobacco leaf, charcoal, aniseed and cassis. Initially dense and fleshy the licorice, loganberry and dark currant flavours roll across the palate. This is beautifully balanced and finishes with soft and expressive tannins that remain juicy and concentrated throughout. Very drinkable now but will evolve over the years.

Red Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz from Barossa estate vineyards, the 2003 The Signature is a big, chunky, heady red that is closed at present. Nevertheless, it reveals an inky/purple color, impressive levels of richness, and sweet notes of charcoal, acacia flowers, blackberries, tar, and pepper. This wine spent 22 months in 300 liter American and French hogsheads. It should emerge from its muted stage in 2-3 years, and last for 15 or more. - Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Taltarni from Victoria, Australia. The very pinnacle of Taltarni wines, Cephas epitomises our philosophy of making superb red wines. It combines the two grape varieties that Taltarni is world renowned for; Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz brings body and rich plumpness whilst cabernet sauvignon adds structure, length and the finest of silky smooth tannins. Taltarni Cephas is the ultimate conversation wine; the type you'd want to pour indefinitely while enjoying great company, great conversation and a platter of ripe Australian cheeses. Also enjoyed with food, it will compliment equally well a traditional roast beef, slow-cooked lamb ?hotpot' with winter vegetables or a dish of contemporary new-Asian cuisine such as a star-anise beef salad. Blend: 70% Shiraz, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon Appellation: Pyrenees, Victoria

Red Wine by Parson's Flat from Australia. The Parson's Flat is a seamless blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The average age of the vines is about 12 years and the vines yielded approximately 3 tons to the acre. The nose portrays the pepper of an intense Shiraz, intermingled with the perfumed, leafy, blackcurrant notes displayed by classic Cabernet. From the same team (growers Kim and Mark Longbottom and winemaker Kim Johnston) that runs Henry's Drive, this wine is made in a similar style. Produced from 6- to 12-year-old vines, it is a blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% American oak, of which 80% is new. It is an in-your-face, exuberant, flamboyant Aussie red boasting loads of espresso roast, toasty oak, blackberries, cassis, and licorice. Full-bodied, opulent, and voluptuous, with oodles of glycerin and depth, this hussy requires drinking during its first 7-8 years of life, although it may last even longer. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 93 Points

Red Wine by Penfolds from Australia. Color: Dense, dark red. Nose: At once elevated, the nose is separated from the others in the Penfolds Bin family by the overt high notes of its barrel fermentation contribution. This is archetypal Bin 389 with notes of Maraschino marinated dark berries mixed with dark chocolate, bayleaf, black (Kalamata) olives and roasting pan juices. Oak and charcuterie elements effortlessly fill any aromatic gaps. Palate: The 2005 Bin 389 is complete, full and multidimensional from start to finish, its weight coupled with (understated) power, depth and length. Ripe fig, blueberry and dark plum fruit flavors synergise to create an inky/dense palate with no rough edges. The oak, and plush tannins are at one with the wine, elliciting no one dominant feature and a seamless palate. This is stylistically a classic and complex Bin 389 - a proud flag bearer of this traditional Australian style. Food pairings: Ideal with hearty meat dishes

Red Wine by Glaetzer from Barossa Valley, Australia. Wine Advocate 91-94 points The 2006 Wallace, tasted from a barrel sample, is a 70% Shiraz, 30% Grenache blend with an identical oak treatment. The 2006 is more structured than the 2005 but they could otherwise pass as identical twins. Hats off to Ben Glaetzer for producing an extraordinary portfolio! The renowned winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, sources all of his fruit for this label from the Ebenezer district in the northern Barossa. Many knowledgeable experts cite this sub-region as the finest in the Valley. - Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Penley Estate from Coonawarra, Australia. Blend: 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon The 2005 Condor Shiraz Cabernet expresses distinctive Coonawarra regionality and structure unique to the Penley Estate property. This complex, full-bodied wine leads with ripe sweet berry on the nose followed by aromas of pepper spice, blackberry and subtle oak. Tantalizing flavors of dark berries, exotic spices and chocolate are heightened by the velvety texture and finish. Drink now or cellar for five to seven years for additional complexity.

Red Wine by Mak from Coonawarra, Australia. 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Shiraz, 17% Cabernet Franc Opening with a heady blast of perfumed blackcurrant, cherry and spice, this wine illuminates the cool finesse of Coonawarra. Polished, cedary oak overtones further lift the already fragrant berry characters. The promise of the aroma is translated onto the palate with dense, ripe wild berry flavors traveling the length of the tongue. Defined and persistent, fine-grained tannins provide additional structure to the long creamy finish that is kept in check by tight acidity.

Red Wine by Marquis Philips from Australia. This is a beautiful integration of the three varieties. It's a joy to experience and taste the earthy spicy Merlot characters, the leafy berry fruits and firm structure from the Cabernet, and the chocolate and plum Shiraz flavors to finish. This harmony gives you a wine that is balanced, complex and has lots of fruit. The 2006 Sarah's Blend is composed of 60% Shiraz, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It was barrel-fermented and aged in seasoned French oak for 12 months. Deep crimson-colored, it yields a complex aromatic array of cedar, spice box, clove, pepper, cassis, and blueberry. Full-bodied, fruit-driven, and intensely flavored, this layered blend has a 45-second finish. Drink it over the next 8 years.- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate