Two Hands Angel's Share 2008

Robert Parker: 91 (2007) Wine Spectator: 92 (2007) Stephen Tanzer: 90 (2007) Description: Deep black colour with a slightly purple rim. An aromatic bouquet of ripe fruits such as cherries and blackcurrants, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, peppermint, liquorice and subtle pepper. The palate starts out quite thick and very smooth. A layered density emerges across the palate leaving a fresh mouth feel. Whilst the tannins are quite firm, they are balanced with a good amount of fleshy fruit weight. This wine finishes with excellent precision and persistence.

Robert Parker: 91 (2007)  Wine Spectator: 92 (2007)  Stephen Tanzer: 90 (2007)

Description: Deep black colour with a slightly purple rim. An aromatic bouquet of ripe fruits such as cherries and blackcurrants, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, peppermint, liquorice and subtle pepper. The palate starts out quite thick and very smooth. A layered density emerges across the palate leaving a fresh mouth feel. Whilst the tannins are quite firm, they are balanced with a good amount of fleshy fruit weight. This wine finishes with excellent precision and persistence.Robert Parker: Wine Advocate # 181. Feb 2009. Reviewer : Jay Miller. The 2007 Shiraz Angel’s Share reveals a Cote-Rotie-like nose with its scents of mineral, meat, game and bacon. On the palate there is plenty of sweet, spicy blueberry fruit, silky tannin, and incipient complexity. Give it 1-2 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2010 to 2017.
Jancis Robinson:
Wine Spectator: Issue: Oct 15, 2008. Big, bold and expressive, with some unexpected transparency to the black cherry, raspberry, red plum and Asian spice aromas and flavors, lingering on the open-textured finish. The aftertaste just keeps coming. Drink now through 2015. 6,300 cases made. –HS.Stephen Tanzer: Jul/Aug 09. By Josh Raynolds. Deep ruby. Ripe, smoky aromas of blackberry and cherry pie, with complicating notes of licorice and dark chocolate. Broad and jammy, offering sweet dark berry flavors and a slow-building cocoa quality. Finishes supple and sweet, with a repeating licorice note and zesty mineral and spice qualities.Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com.au, 92pts - "Has this had an apostrophe added in recent times or have I just missed it in the past? In any case, three cheers for its existence. Now for the wine … Okay so we’re talking ripe, sweet-fruited shiraz. With quite a hit of chocolatey flavour. So if you’re not into this classic ‘mid palate of Australia’ style, then turn away now. For the rest of us, this is just about the perfect early drinking Aussie shiraz. It’s pure, not terribly overdone or overly thick, finely tannic and smooth as hell. Blackberries and coffee and chocolate. Excellent juiciness. Excellent wine. "James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2009-  "Angels Share MclarenVale Shiraz 2007. Bright colour; loaded with sweet fruit and attractive spice from the oak-handling; rich and juicy, the wine provides a generous level of sweet fruit. Screwcap."
Vinification: The grapes were crushed into and fermented in 5, 7 and 10 tonne open fermenters. During the peak of fermentation the batches received regular pump overs 3 times daily to extract colour, flavour and tannin. The average time on skins was 12 days. The free run was drained off and the skins were pressed, with the pressings then combined with the free run. After 24 hours the wine was racked to barrel where malolactic fermentation proceeded. The final blend was lightly fined and unfiltered prior to bottling. Matured in 12 months in 20% new American oak hogsheads, the balance in 1, 2 and 3 year old American oak.