Best's 2010 Great Western Shiraz

Hi Bob – a few interesting notes on my latest acquisition. Jim 2010 Best's Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz
Great Western, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

RATING: 98	VALUE:	CELLAR: 10 - 15 years (2022 - 2027)	ALC/VOL: 14.00%	TASTED: 8 Mar 2012

The Thomson Family Shiraz is produced from Henry Best’s original 1867 Shiraz plantings, and is only produced in exceptional years with yields typically at less than two tonnes per acre. Opaque black dark purple crimson colour with deep purple crimson hue. The nose displays strong white and blackpepper top notes followed by some more subtle liquorice, vanillin oak and spice scents. The palate delivers an explosive yet beautifully controlled flavour experience of blackberry, blackpepper and liquorice followed by some vanillin confectionary and cedar characters with a strong white pepper back palate. Magnificent concentration, power, richness and depth all delivered with great finesse and refinement. Velvet smooth perfectly balanced tannin structure. Exceptionally long blackpepper, liquorice, cedary vanilla and spice aftertaste. A youthful Thomson Family Shiraz that will potentially evolve into one of the greats with the components eventually all seamlessly integrating. Cellar 10-15 years (2022-2027) Alc 14.0% It’s a $30 increase on the 2008 release, and I’m never a fan of hefty increases. That said: the make is only 350 dozen, it’s from a single vineyard planted in 1867, and from a vintage like 2010, the quality result is Grange-like. How much would Grange cost if they only made 350 dozen of it? This is a tremendous wine. Just terrific. The tannin feels so mature, so long, so sinewy. The fruit flavours are ripe and blueberried – and intense – but there is no heaviness here. Musky, vanillin oak plays an assertive role but given time, this won’t be an issue. Has an iodine character to it. A small amount of spice. A commanding presence. It finishes – eventually – with searing length. Drink : 2020 - 2030+ 96 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front An amazing Great Western Shiraz. Already a complete and focused wine that will continue on this line and length for the next twenty to thirty years. Dark purple in colour; the nose is a mix of blueberry fruit, spice and cloves. The palate is interwoven with dark red fruits, dark chocolate, spice and integrated tannins. Drink 2017-2037 96 points Anthony D’Anna Every time I think of Best’s Bin 0 Shiraz I hear estate owner Viv Thomson saying: Best’s Bin 0 is built on acidity, rather than on fruit flavour. From a tasting I attended over a decade ago. The Thomson Family Shiraz is produced from Henry Best’s original 1867 Shiraz plantings, and only available in exceptional years, on average about six times a decade. The vines are cropped at less than two tonnes per acre (four tonnes per hectare) and are then meticulously hand-harvested, selected and sorted. Thomson Family Shiraz was first made in 1993, one hundred years after the Thomson family settled in the area. It is produced predominantly from the fifteen rows of vines planted by Henry Best, recorded as “Hermitage” by Henry in his daily journal. Today the clone is referred to by the CSIRO as the Concongella clone and it is the mother clone of all subsequent shiraz plantings at Best’s Great Western. Thomson Family Shiraz is hand harvested, hand plunged and fermented in small open fermenters and the wine is only produced in years when the quality is second to none. The Langton’s Classification is “Outstanding”.