97 Points from James Halliday; Halliday Winery of the year 2016
Probably one of those wines you really should have in the cellar and in the drink now - special occasion bin at home or in the office. A wine that will constantly rock your world. Brilliant full bodied Shiraz that socks a big punch of dark fruits with bundles of sashaying complexity from mixed american and french oak and tannins that provide balance, harmony and structure. If you have been looking for an exemplary Victorian Shiraz as a present or as a personal award this wine will be hard to beat today or in 10 years time!
97 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "Produced in limited quantities from old vines; matured in French and American oak. This is a full-bodied shiraz, speaking loudly of its place and variety, yet totally comfortable in its own skin, not needing to raise its voice. A symphony of red and black fruits, gently earthy tannins and a support role of integrated oak are all in complete harmony, the future limitless."
94 Points - Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front "The thing about this release is that it has a bit more grunt than usual. It carries the beef well. It’s leathery, blackberried, minty, dusty; it’s exactly as you’d expect of a Tahbilk shiraz, complete with earthen undergrowthy characters, except there’s more volume of fruit and (particularly) tannin. It’s quite developed; it’s ready to go anytime from now. Complexity is well and truly on its side."
From the Winery
Selected from the most outstanding casks produced by the Estate from a particular vintage, each is made utilising Tahbilk’s traditional red winemaking approach. Fermentation takes place in 100 year old plus open oak vats followed by maturation in small French and American oak prior to bottling and then further cellaring before release. These quite remarkable wines fittingly carry the name and signature of Eric Stevens Purbrick who began their dynasty under the monikers ‘Special Bin’ (1948 - 1984) and then ‘Reserve’ (1985 - 2001).
