Tyrrell's Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2003 (review)

90 points

Heathcote, Central Victoria, Australia. 15.2%

Dark red, with good gylcerol legs. Deep concentrated aromas, warm but not baked. Black pepper and rich berry fruit. This is a hefty wine yet quite tightly structured, certainly not blowsy nor jammy. Nor thankfully reeking of added acidity.

In spite of the very hot vintage, and the high alcohol, this wine is still fresh and well suited to food.

Extremely good value.

Given the hot vintage I have some doubts about how it will develop with age. Yet based on how it appears now I'd predict a long future of good drinking.

The low price is a bonus, as is the screwcap enclosure. Buy now before it disappears.