2003 Marquis Philips Shiraz 9

The 2003 Shiraz 9 is a flamboyant, opaque purple-colored, full-bodied effort revealing notes of espresso roast, chocolate, smoked meats, and toasty American oak. Fleshy, full-throttle, pure, and intensely concentrated, it is a classic South Australian Shiraz to enjoy during its first 7-8 years of life. The highly respected South Australian viticulturists/winemakers, Sarah and Sparky Marquis, in partnership with their importer, Dan Philips of the Grateful Palate, successfully launched the inexpensive line of Marquis Philips wines several years ago, creating something of a monster because of their enormous crowd appeal. While 2003 is a lighter vintage than its predecessors, these offerings have turned out nicely. The handful of consumers who deemed 2002 too concentrated for such inexpensive wines will be delighted to learn that the 2003s are slightly lighter, but still loaded with character as well as flavor. They possess heavy duty, exuberant fruit, ripeness, and considerable personality. Importer: Dan Philips, The Grateful Palate, Oxnard, CA; tel. (888) 472-5283

Deep medium ruby. Slightly roasted aromas of blackberry and meat. Thick and sweet on the palate, with slightly roasted raspberry, pepper, black licorice and saline flavors. Denser and more oily than the basic shiraz under this label but not more vinous. Broader on the finish, though, with more sweetness of fruit.