Tasting Notes

Redesdale Estate Shiraz 2006

James Halliday Rating 94 5 Star - Drink to 2020
Bright colour; a strong minerally character envelops dark fruits, sage and a touch of blueberry; medium bodied with vibrant acidity, well defined dark fruit and a little bay leaf on the palate; long fine and supple on the finish.

Jancis Robinson Rating 17/20 - Drink 2009-14
Spicy with lots of acidity and lots of mineral, the minerals shown on the label perhaps? Pretty good and racy and well balanced, though seriously mineral!

Redesdale Estate Shiraz 2004

Nicks Vintage Direct Rating 94 - Drink 2012-2013
Totally opaque black purple colour with black purple hue. The nose is classic Heathcote, with top note of black cherry followed by blackberry, vanilla and spice with violets overtones. The palate is filled with spice and black pepper followed by blackberry. Fine grained tannins, excellent balance. Very long aftertaste of blackberry and black pepper.

James Halliday Rating 92 4œ Star - Drink 2013
Strong purple-red; medium bodied, clean and fresh; black fruits and fine tannins. Continues to evolve slowly and convincingly.

Redesdale Estate Shiraz 2003

James Halliday Rating 94 5 Star - Drink 2013
Dense purple-red; medium to full-bodied; rich, supple, velvety, round and fleshy plum and blackberry fruit; ripe tannins.

Ralph Kyte-Powell - Age Epicure 5 Star - Drink 2005-2013
This deeply concentrated, glass-staining Heathcote region Shiraz has gorgeously lush blackberry and spiced plum fruit with smooth, dense texture, great depth and balanced supporting ripe tannins. Great.

Paddy Kendlar - Herald Sun Rating Unbeatable
Redesdale is making the best of a soil and climate ideally suited to great red wines, especially shiraz. The '02 was excellent, so too, the '03 with its lovely rich fruit flavour ever-so-neatly packed within a perfectly poised palate. The texture is smooth and supple and the effect totally satisfying... drinking superbly now but will develop into an absolute cracker over the next five years.

Andrew Wood
...a powerhouse of a wine with great complexity. Black, brooding and inky with notes of spice, liquorice and ripe plum and black cherry. The palate has an army of very fine tannins marching through the plush fruit, bringing definition and order. Finely balanced, enormously deep with a rush of fruit on the finish... also graceful. Has years ahead of it.

Nicks Vintage Direct Rating 97 Value: 5 Star - Drink 2010-2011
A magnificent Heathcote Shiraz... a great follow on from the 2002. Opaque black crimson colour with black crimson hue. Superb perfumed nose of violets, blackberry juice and spice followed by a touch of new leather showing strong varietal character. The palate is explosive, concentrated and classic Heathcote. Flavours of liquorice, cherry and black pepper encase the mouth. Excellent weight and depth. Very long aftertaste of spice, blackberry, plum, violet infusions and liquorice.

James Bone
Inky darkness, black olive brine and herbal thyme. Slight medicinal and rhubarb. Shows a warm vintage - vanilla oak - holds tight. This will always be a big wine. Palate shows much more lively acidity and tannin structure- a very generous mouth-feel and wonderful flavor aroma.

Redesdale Estate Shiraz 2002

James Halliday Rating 94 5 Star - Drink 2017
Intense raspberry and blackberry fruit with fine tannins throughout; excellent mouth-feel, length and aftertaste.

Grant Dodd  
The shiraz exhibits seriously intense, ripe, spicy berry fruit flavours with impeccable balance and precision. It also has some enticing earth and aniseed characters running through the nose and palate- all up, it is a terrific wine with a bright future in front of it.

James Bone
Primary ruby, amazing bright red fruit-hints of vanilla and armaretto-morello cherries in full bloom. The oak just holds the fruit together. Palate is white pepper finish- a gentle length of acid- softening of tannins. Slight cherry yet savoury finish with some alcohol warmth.

Redesdale Estate Shiraz 2001

Jancis Robinson Rating 18/20 - Drink 2006-12
The most fashionable source of Rhone like Shiraz is in the state of Victoria.
'Very, very spicy and fine-nosed. Aromatic and sleek. A bit of mint, but very much finer than most... plus richness but quite a dry finish'.

James Halliday Rating 90 4 1/2 Star - Drink 2011
Strong colour; excellent regional style; supple, round, smooth and sweet black fruits (cherry, berry); savoury tannins to close.

Redesdale Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2004

Nicks Vintage Direct Rating 96 Value: 5-Star - Drink 2012-2013
Opaque black purple colour with black purple hue. Perfumed nose - filled with violets, blackcurrant with a hint of mocha and chocolate. Mouth filling palate. Elegant, yet forceful. Flavours of spice, mocha and chocolate over cassis and blackcurrant. Fine grained tannins. Perfect balance with spicy back palate and aftertaste.

Redesdale Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2003

James Halliday Rating 92 - Drink 2013
Medium to full re-purple; medium bodied; complex black fruits, cedar, spice, blackcurrant and cassis; flows along the tongue.

Ralph Kyte-Powell - Age Epicure 5 Star - Drink 2005-2015
This glass-staining youngster smells of blackberry pastilles, currants, spice and subtly fragrant oak. A seamless palate is beautifully concentrated, finishing with fine tannins and a deliciously sustained aftertaste.

James Bone
Dark red, raspberry jam colour. Typical cabernet - a touch of green and menthol. This wine needs more time in bottle and decanter. Some rich plumy/Christmas cake palate- lots and lots of lingering fruit and flavor - almost too generous.

Nicks Vintage Direct Rating 98 Value: 5-Star - Drink 2008-2009
Very deep, almost opaque black crimson colour with deep black crimson hue. Lifted aromatic nose of cedar, blackcurrant, spice and liquorice allsorts. Mouth filling palate, superbly balanced with no sign of any green vegetative fruit. Flavours of spice, blackcurrant, liquorice and cedar emerge. Excellent weight and mouthfeel. Perfectly balanced with velvet tannins. Very long aftertaste of liquorice and spice.

Redesdale Estate Cabernets 2002

James Halliday Rating 93 - Drink 2017
Luscious cassis/blackcurrant fruit carries its 14.4 degrees alcohol without any fuss at all; long and supple finish.