Best's Great Western Sparkling Shiraz

Best's Great Western Dinner with Justin Purser (The Tea Room, City Wine Shop, Melbourne) : A powerful, punchy aroma of stewy plums and blackcurrant, with some faint oak in the background. Only seems lightly sparkling on the palate, yet it coats the tongue with rich dark fruit flavours. Finishes with a light, semi-sweet port-ish rancio aftertaste, perhaps a result of blending in old fortified muscat for dosage.

Crown seal. Nose shows strong fruit notes: blackberry, cassis, prune, and blueberry. On the palate, it has a bold, liqueur-like flavour of blueberry, violet, soft liquorice, raspberry, and vanilla, but it's crisp and refreshing despite the intensity of the flavour.