1998 Kay Bros Amery Hillside Shiraz Winery: Kay Bros Amery Vintage: 1998 Region: McLaren Vale Bottle Size: 750ml Variety: Shiraz Price: $95.00 (out of stock)

I suspected I would be committing vininfanticide when I pulled the cork on this one but what the hell; I wanted to see how it was coming together. The aroma is rich and dominated by dark chocolate, some mocha and a touch of menthol but most of all the bouquet was tight and unyielding.

Dusty drying tannins are softening well, the acid is still very youthful but the noticeable feature of this wine is the great fruit. Its intense and deep but in no way heavy or extracted and Colin Kay has built a finely crafted wine full bodied drop with great structure and balance. The chocolate, plum and blackberry fruit lingers beautifully with an earthy tobacco like after taste. This wine has all the hallmarks of becoming a fantastic wine when it matures but right now it’s still a baby and is rated as Excellent with room to improve. I will try the next one in two years.  

Copyright © Ric Einstein 2003