Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 2005 (Clare Valley, SA)
Cork, $25
Winery Website

This has already picked up 3 trophies and I think its pretty easy to see why – its a show pony (at least on the nose).

Bright purple tinged red colour, the nose is big, ripe & roasted with liqueur cherries & coffee bean oak. Unsurprisingly, it shares alot with the 03 Taylors St Andrews Shiraz on the nose, but with more freshness and less oak. The palate seems to be closing down – there is a hit of very ripe sweet fruit, but after that it shuts shop, with some somewhat oak derived tannins to finish. What escapes is syrupy, overripe and not all that attractive, but only time will tell whether it can come out as a drinkable red. If its anything like the 1998 then history will be kind, but if it follows the 03 St Andrews, then ignominy awaits. 16.0