Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Dark ruby color with purple highlights. Aromas of blackberry, tar, forest floor and black licorice. Flavors of dark plum, blackberry, dark chocolate, baking spices and black cherry. Long velvety finish, balanced acidity and smooth tannins. Fruit forward and bombastic, but also nicely textured and somewhat savory. Excellent value. — 2 months ago

Daniel M

9.1

After Thorne shotfire barossa shiraz which was round, very oaky and lacking a bit of acid, I wanted another expression of the same varietal from the same region, but with more zing to it.
Boy this one is zingy!
The nose is showing blackberry, black pepper, a tiny soy sauce note along with an eucalyptus thing. This is very inviting and quite complex! The palate shows a massive acid drive, extremely powerful, but not overpowering at all. A big and bright blackberry note shines through and through, some width, some matter on the sides, a silky mouthfeel that turns into a great tannic wall in the rear with a strong grip and a drying effect that continues till the very end. The finish is all about blackberry and a reminiscence of that eucalyptus /mentholy note that could be felt on the nose. The finish is long and the after taste of blackberry keeps on for almost a minute. Great take on Australian Shiraz, without the artificial, sometimes overwhelming oak treatment. I like it very much. Two hands deserve a high five! — 6 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.0

Deep purple in color; chocolate, blackberries, and earth on the nose; medium plus acidity; high tannins; tastes like black currant, black pepper, and eucalyptus with a long finish. I think it will improve with a good decant.

After decanting for about 30 minutes, I smell chocolate, black plums, and graphite. I taste black currant, blackberries, eucalyptus, and a hint of black pepper. It's much more in balance. Very tasty. — 8 months ago

Ming L

9.3

When last tasted about 3 years ago, the palate left much to be desired. This is finally coming together.
The nose shows beautifully with blackberries, prune, black tea leaf, cured meat, black pepper, and cocoa powder. Medium to full, the palate is lush, silky, and powerful. Fresh round acidity and fine grained tannins. Long candied herbal finish.
This will continued to evolve and provide drinking pleasure for the next 10-15 years.
— 2 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Blend of Shiraz (77%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%) and Merlot (7%). Deep purple core with a lighter ruby rim. Aromas of cooked blueberries, plums and dark chocolate. Same fruits on the palate with additional spicy notes of black pepper and black licorice. Long and fruity finish. Creamy texture with soft and velvety tannins. The acidity is still quite lively. Medium-plus body. Aged beautifully. Thanks for the gift, Petey! — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Red and Black fruits. Coffee grounds from the oak. Plummy aromas. Not as luscious as many previous Stonewells and 2008 was a ripe and pretty good vintage in the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Finishes with a little astringency. As HH said, a good but not great Stonewell. — 7 months ago

Mark S.

8.9

Deep violet. Vanilla. Matured fruits. Black berries, fruits. Smooth over time. 2019 @8800, AD, 240430 — 8 months ago

Paul Secombe

9.1

Beautiful aged Shiraz .. paired with a calzone rustico. Smoky mint and earthy dark berries. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured, enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1998 “Command” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. Definitely some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and mostly dried black and red fruits: brambles, blueberries, blackberries, dates, grilled meat, leather, purple flowers, marjoram, earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (mostly integrated) and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with the addition of an umami/Maillard reaction sort of thing giving a rich, savory finish. Drink now as it’s in slow decline. — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

Mount Edelstone is Stephen’s favourite Henschke vineyard - planted in 1912 by Colin Angas and sold to Cyril Henschke in 1974. I have 7 vintages of Mt Edelstone in my home cellar but somehow missed the 2013 so I bought a bottle -released from the Henschke museum. This was absolutely delicious and early in its drinking window is to 2045+. Chosen for the masterclass to taste beside the current release 2019 as they were both from drought years. A beautiful fragrant perfume. Black pepper, sage, spice and plum pudding. First released at 6 years of age. A brilliant wine. Particularly loved by my wife Barb. — 7 months ago