Kaesler Old Bastard Shiraz 2001 750mL

Purple and maroon with a dense, youthful edge. Blackberry, raspberry, plum, blueberry, with lifted mocha and spice complexity. Secondary aromas of vanilla, coffee and charred oak offer added complexity. Due to the season the palate is powerful and assertive. Robust tannins grip well but are nicely balanced with glycerol sweetness from the old vines. Finish is firm with excellent persistence in flavour.

Wine Spectator  A big but remarkably elegant wine, focusing its pure blueberry, blackberry and plum flavors on a laser beam of finely balanced tannins and judicious acidity, persisting on the finish with glints of white pepper, licorice and coffee. Serious stuff that begs for cellar time. ..... read more

Wine Advocate  Racheting up the level of concentration, intensity, flamboyance as well as structure is the 2001 Shiraz Old Bastard. Although expensive, it is produced from 110-year old vines, and represents one of the great classics from Barossa. When compared to the price of a wine such as Penfolds Grange, it is a reasonably good bargain. The inky purple color is accompanied by gorgeous aromas of smoke, camphor, melted licorice, blackberries, cherries, and flowers. Dense, rich, and full-bodied with the wood well-concealed beneath spectacular concentration and extract, there is not a hard edge to be found in this old vine Barossa Shiraz. ..... read more