Ardent Estates Shiraz

The wine is drinking very well. A good hour in the decanter is required. the bouquet is less suppressed and the wine has smooth mouth drying tannins. Flavour as before but finish longer. The last bottle I rated lower seems to be a one off.

This bottle did not inspire the nose was muted whilst other bottles gave an intense cassis. Palate long but confused and not well integrated. Was this just a bad bottle? no sign of oxidisation or corking.

This wine still remains one of my favorite and was superb with venison and port cassorole. Intense long complex palate very smooth and lots and lots of fruit. Tannins mellowing but still strong. This will continue to improve for a few years.

This is a superb wine with a wonderful bouquet and smooth long lasting palate. The wine needs 1 hour in the decanter and should be served cool 17-18. After 3 hours in the decanter it developed even more and opened up to a more complex wine without any deterioration. The tanin levels are still high but mellowing. This wine will steadily improve. This will keep longer save a few bottles until 2008.