1996 The Malcolm Shiraz

This is an example of an over-the-top fruit bomb (16.5% alcohol) that has turned into an utterly profound, complex, still youthful wine. Made by Rolf Binder, this 1996 possesses a dense blue/purple color as well as a beautiful sweet nose of camphor, incense, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and spring flowers. It is super-concentrated with good focus, no evidence of wood, and a multilayered, full-bodied mouthfeel with sweet tannin and a long, harmonious finish. This beauty is a testament to how these wines are often seemingly too much of a good thing, but can become very civilized with proper cellaring. This effort should evolve for another decade or more.