1995 Greenock Creek Shiraz Roennfeldt Road
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Tasting notes
A monumental effort, the 1995 Shiraz Roennfeldt Road was perfect when I tasted it in June, 2001, and this is the first time I have had it since. Made from 50-year-old vines, it is the most compelling wine I have tasted in 2009. Inky/purple-hued with notes of smoke, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, camphor, incense, and graphite, it is massive, but incredibly pure, with a multidimensional personality and a texture equivalent to a skyscraper. Yes, it’s big, but even the Euro/Francophiles at the tasting were blown away by this legend in the making. It still needs 10-15 years to reach full maturity, and is one of the most remarkable Shiraz wines made in the last 25 years. Bravo! This has always been one of my favorite Barossa wineries - great proprietors, tiny yields, old vines, and a hands-off style of winemaking. Of all the flights we tasted, these stood out as the most riveting wines of the entire tasting. The Shiraz cuvees were off the charts - every one still young and not close to full maturity. These are all high octane wines (14.5-16% alcohol), but any evidence of wood (little new oak is used here except for the limited production Roennfeldt Road cuvee) is completely buried under the aromatic complexity and richness.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Deep, saturated ruby. Explosive, slightly port-like aromas of blackberry, milk chocolate, sandalwood, shoe polish and minerals. A thick, superconcentrated fruit essence on the palate; conveys an impression of saline extract and solidity. Thick, slightly alcoholic and almost painful; beyond Amarone but somehow maintains balance and freshness. A monolith that may well merit a higher score with extended bottle aging. Pair this with rare brontosaurus steak, preferably consumed outdoors on a cold January night.