2005 Oracle Shiraz Reserve

A full bore Australian Shiraz, the 2005 Kilikanoon Shiraz Oracle spent 24 months in a combination of new and 1 year old hogsheads. It’s packed with decadent plum and blackberry fruit, violets and spice. Pepper and leafy herbs add complexity with air, but this seems to be all about the fruit. Full bodied and lush on the palate, the wine is beautifully texture, soft, supple and long. A real crowd pleaser, this should drink well over the next 5 to 8 years.

Youthful, opaque ruby. Explosively perfumed nose offers an exotic bouquet of ripe, oak-spiced blackberry, cassis and candied plum, along with Indian spices and cola. Deep, fleshy dark fruit flavors boast liqueur-like concentration and sweetness, with soft tannins gaining strength with aeration. A huge, palate-staining and undeniably impressive shiraz that will please fans of the type immensely.

The 2005 Shiraz “Oracle” was aged in 100% French oak, 50% new. Purple-colored, it exhibits aromas of cedar, damp earth, mint, blueberry, and blackberry. Made in a focused, racy, elegant style, it has luscious flavors, excellent balance, and a long, pure finish. It has several years of aging potential but can be enjoyed now and over the next 15 years. Jay Miller, Wine Advocate # 173 Oct 2007