JP Belle-Terroir, Barossa Valley, Shiraz 2002

Black/purple.

Toasty oak, pepper, grilled meat, earth, spicy fig, toasted nut - this is like smelling a reduction sauce, still in the pan.

Round and broad in the mouth, but not fat. Quite measured and refined, in fact, and totally loaded. Flavors flow bank to bank without a ripple. Structure, slightly favoring acidity, frames everything without intruding. Slight saline impression. Gets a bit dis-jointed in the finish, but I don't seem to care. Another wine I could go blind drinking.

Day 3 - Still grilled/spicy/savory on the nose. I think this saw a good bit of new oak, but it reminds me of a Standish Shiraz aged in old wood. A certain old-school feel. Very deep. Sweet/sensual palate-impression, very long, with structure slowly revealing itself. Killer action.

A collaboration between Chris Ringland and Trevor Jones. 30 months in oak.

$90