Birks Wendouree - Shiraz - 2020

A straight Shiraz from 1919 Eastern and 1893 Central. As an aside, I’ve never noticed quite so much oak in the Shiraz as I have in 2019 and 2020. It’s not over the top, I should say, just noticeable. Opens with some char and toasty oak, which settles back into the wine with some air. Black fruit, coffee and liquorice, cracked black pepper and dried herb/floral perfume. It’s full-bodied, very dense and concentrated, masses of chewy ferrous tannin, iodine and blackberry, freshness to acidity, and a huge finish of black tea tannin and inky dark fruit. So intense. It’s the only wine (from Wendouree in 2020) that I would not go near for at least six or seven years. 96 Points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front