Black night ruby, obliteratingly staining.  Smokey urine roasted leaf pile smoldering savory hot dog and tennis ball with a sharp pillar of clammy acrid, fruit clawing to peep through.  Pomegranate tinged with an alcohol burn, meager on entry, buttery and fat, with acid spiraling through, fruit slowly building DNA-coils around it before the ridiculously tannic finish.  Fruit difficult to grasp amongst all the smoky peat and structure.

This is dusty dank funky teeth-staining Rhone with a blisteringly bright backbone needing several years to settle down.  Multiple heavy decants is the name of the game with this uncouth youngster.  It really is the LEAST Australian Shiraz I’ve ever had and maybe that is why they label it “Syrah”.  A beautiful wine, but if you crank it open and start sipping, you are missing out on all its generosity.  Two hours in air, or ten years in bottle, and you will be handsomely rewarded.

2014 HENRY’S DRIVE Syrah Padthaway Australia 14.5

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