2003 Run Rig

The 2003 RunRig is from a hot year. It was an interesting string of vintages: 2001 was hot and dry, 2002 was cold, and 2003 was a return to 2001-like conditions. Aromatically, the wine leads with the heat of the seasons, in the dark plum pudding, date, licorice, roasted meat and tar. In the mouth, the wine is dense, meaty and savory. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

(includes 5% viognier) Inky violet. Explosively aromatic nose offers the full range of red and black fruits, along with notes of candied violet, cinnamon, mace, star anise and exotic tobacco. Hugely concentrated and velvety but also remarkably precise and energetic, with very pure flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, plum preserve and kirsch Ripe, explosive and deep on the back; as rich and sweet as this is, it's not at all thick or cloying. A real balancing act of power and purity. The tannins are completely buffered by the wine's sheer concentration of fruit. I'd give this at least five years of cellaring to gain in complexity. As impressive to my palate as the superb 2002 version.

The estate’s flagship cuvee is the virtually perfect 2003 Run Rig. Made from 8 separate Barossa vineyards (ranging in age from 94 to 158 years), it is primarily Shiraz with 4-5% co-fermented Viognier included in the blend. The wine was aged in French oak of which 60% is new. The sensational, inky/purple-tinged 2003 exhibits a stunningly sweet nose of blackberries, blueberries, litchi nuts, smoked meats, and a hint of apricots. Elegant yet super-powerful, rich, concentrated, and long, it is a tour de force in winemaking as well as a modern classic example of Barossa Shiraz. It should drink well for 20-25 years. Oct 2006, www.robertparker.com