Initial review, by way of background: This is Burley Fox Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, 2006, a wine that I was introduced to through the 4 Seasons Wine Club originally. For 2006, this bargain-priced shiraz is finished at 14.% alcohol. I was a fan of the 2004 version of this, which I reviewed here. In the glass: Deep red, ruddy magenta, brick at the edges.
On the nose: Poured cool with a brief decant and swirled vigorously, this shows shy but sweet shiraz fruit with just a hint of vegetable overtones. I notice that the vegetable blows off quickly, leaving clean shiraz fruit.
On the palate: The primary elements on the palate are a sleek lightly-candied middle, showing raspberry and black cherry. Inky, sweet and full. Big mouthfeel. The finish lingers, helped along by the high alcohol, and it ends on a balanced and clean note.
In summary: Overall, three stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale, with a really big plus for concentration and complexity. The three and a half stars at a "practically free" price make this a screaming best value. With a short additional decant, this knits together further and just manages to touch four stars, meaning I would forsake other reds for an evening, and making this a crazy best value.
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