R Wines, Grenache Chateau Chateau Island Ebenezer, Barossa Valley

Decanted for 1+ hours and enjoyed over the evening. The cork broke apart upon opening but the wine shined through. A really balanced wine exhibiting notes of meat juices, cooked cherries and pepper leading to a smooth palate. No signs of the 17.5% alcohol at all.

Drank decanted over 3 days. Huge raisin and leather notes. An artistic wine!

I've loved this wine in the past but that was not the case tonight. It was not a horrible bottle but certainly it was not up to the past ones that I have had. Clear and light red with some orange tinges to it, the wine had a bouquet of burnt cherries and prunes to it (actually somewhat port like). In the glass was a slightly hot wine with flavours of dark berries mixes with dark chocolate and some cashews. …

Decanted 1+. Incredible considering the listed 17.5%. Second bottle. Finally showing its grace. An artists wine and brilliant example of Chris @ his finest.

Decanted for 1+ hours and enjoyed over the following 1-2 hours. Initially it showed an intriguing nose of raspberry, strawberries and spice but with more air it showed classic Grenache with notes of kirsch and spice leading to a round, succulent and phenomenally textured mouth with great glycerin. No heat whatsoever (even upon opening) and really balanced. I agree with "Tantotinto" when he/she said "I don't taste the 17.5% but can feel it."

Tasted immediately after opening. Opaque, almost black. Great nose. Black fruit, allspice, smoke and earth. Very full, lush and rich. Power rather than nuance. Mellow tannins. I don't taste the 17.5% alcohol but can feel it. Hits like Vintage Port. I like it but it's not for the faint of heart. If I had another bottle I would save it for winter evening sipping.

Usually this is a great bottle of wine but there was something wrong tonight and it was definitely flawed. Quite orange in colour (one would have thought that this wine was 25 years old, based on this) with a prune like nose that was almost port like. Quite sour as well to taste. Not corked but it was suggested to me that the wine was cooked somewhere along the way. Too bad as I was really looking forward to it. …

This was popped and poured and frankly suffered a low score because of it. Slightly orange in colour with a tangy acidity to it. The wine had a strong blueberry and cherry taste to it. The alcohol level was very nice and overall, it settled down very nicely after an hour. There is a slight bit left and I look forward to tasting it tonight. Perhaps with some time decanted, this would move up a point or two in my …

Popped and splash decanted for about 2 hours. Medium, clear ruby hue flecked with dark amber, looks more mature than it's vintage would otherwise indicate. Expressive, perfumed nose...raspberry, clay loam, scorched earth, dried rose petal and assorted herbs (some heat as well). Intriguing note of game develops with extended air. Medium body, quite viscous on the palate...with tiers of fruit cascading across the palate...dried cranberries, fresh raspberry, blood orange, under-ripened strawberry, etc. Haunting. As this wine is exposed to air, …

This was superb -- maybe my favorite wine of the 2008 holidays so far. The fruit and smoky earth flavors are distinctive, and this wine is expressive and intriguing. I did not find the alcohol overpowering, although it was very present. We drank by itself, and not sure I would recommend trying to drink this with food.

Opened for 6 hours before tasting. Knockout nose of scorched earth and herbs. Now fruit forward and a tremendous wine with great aging potential.

A Night With Chris Ringland (Pappas Brother Steakhouse, Houston, Texas) : At 17.5% alcohol.. just a big hot wine. Intense... but a bit alcoholic.