Plantagenet, Shiraz, Great Southern

Deep purple, pretty much opaque and maybe slightly muddy. On opening, a strong whiff of decay, but that blows off after 15 minutes or so. It's clear by nose alone that it's a mature - old even - wine, but there are lovely black cherry aromas there too. It really shows its stuff on the palate: rich, sweet, smooth, bright with acidity even at 21 years old. There's little or no tannin, but it's well balanced and the fruit even …

Cork. 14.5% alc. Still has a dark core with slight bricking. Full of dark fruits, liquorice, sweet anise, herbal element. The palate is medium bodied, but still quite rich. It's delicious drinking. Tannins almost resolved. Juicy but with a savoury edge.

Not much evidence of age in the colour, but on the nose it's very mature: decayed fruits of the forest... On the palate, well balanced: smooth and long. Some like this more than me. I admit it's a serious and pleasurable wine, but I didn't get the same excitement from it as I have from other old Plantagenets - especially Cabernets. Cork, 14.5%.

A nose of dark fruit and white pepper, dark purple in color. A full bodied Shiraz, with blueberries, olives, meat and spice, still a bit hot, just ok.

- Crimsom color.