2008 Chris Ringland Shiraz

Chris Ringland's 2008 Shiraz is being released this year as a ten-year-old wine. This immense, enormous, full-bodied behemoth of a wine must be tasted to be believed. It oozes brandied cherries, cinnamon and an incredible potpourri of dried spices. Lush, velvety and long, with licorice notes on the never-ending finish, it's simply mind-bending stuff. Through some miraculous high-wire balancing act, the 18.3% of alcohol defies all logic, and while it leaves a warm impression on the palate, it's still supremely enjoyable.