2011 Giaconda Shiraz Warner Vineyard

Opaque ruby. Vibrant, spice-accented dark berry and fruitcake aromas are complemented by cola, licorice and black olive. Sappy, penetrating and gently sweet, offering an array of black and blue fruit flavors that are given spine and lift by juicy acidity. More lively and forward than usual for this bottling, showing excellent purity and focus on the long, smoke-tinged finish. (I also had the chance to retaste the outstanding 2010 Estate chardonnay from this producer, which I reviewed last year, and it's just moving into its prime drinking window. Always among the handful of truly world-class Aussie chardonnays, it measures up to pretty much any rendition of the variety that I've tasted from anywhere so far this year.)