Long Shadows Sequel Shiraz 2015

Long Shadows Sequel Shiraz 2015

Wife Linda prepared roasted chicken with tomatoes, onions, peppars and cheese, served with baked apples and arugula and sweet potatoes, with toasted Parmesan sour dough bread. 

I had already pulled from the cellar this hearty Aussie Shiraz, the oldest in our vertical collection of this label spanning half dozen vintages.  

As chronicled in my recent blogpost, excerpted below, on the Long Shadows Vintner's Collection, this is part of the portfolio of six premium wines produced by legendary winemakers from around the world who are masters for their artwork with specific varietal wines.  

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-feast-features-rhone-wine.html

At ten years of age, the label, foil, and most importantly the fill level and cork (shown) were ideal condition. This was likely at the apex of its drinking window, but will certainly hold for several more years to come. 

Long Shadows Wineries Vintner’s Collection Sequel Syrah 2015

This Sequel Syrah is crafted by legendary Syrah winemaker John Duval, known for the leading Syrah label from Australia, Penfold's Grange. We hold a OWC (original wood case) of the 1990 Penfold's Grange, commemorating Alec's birth year. That label was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year for the year 1993. 

I wrote back then, “This could likely improve with some further aging as it could benefit from some time to settle and should improve with a couple more years to achieve more balance and harmony as it reaches the apex of its drinking window, which clearly will be another decade or more. With our deep cellar, we'd normally hold a bottle like this for a while before consuming but we tried it now since it is available still at Binny's, our local wine super store so we can go get some more to replace this bottle and stock up some more, (even though we're in the highest level of the Long Shadows wine club and will be receiving some in our shipment allocation; but that will be the next 2016 vintage and we'll want to hold the '15, as it is birthyear of two grandkids, Reid and Jessie.).” 

We just acquired a mixed case of vintage Long Shadows in their cellar clearance so we pulled this, the oldest vintage in our collection of this label as part of cellar management. 

Consistent with that earlier tasting …. 

Dark inky purple colored, rich, thick concentrated ripe black berry and black raspberry fruits, black pepper, smoked meat and subtle notes of camphor, vanilla and caramel. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2777751

https://www.longshadows.com/