Rosemount Shiraz (Diamond Label) 2002

Price: $8
Maker: Rosemount Estate, Denman, New South Wales, Australia
Varietal: Shiraz
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Rosemount Shiraz (Diamond Label) 2002 starts off a bit different than other inexpensive shirazes from Australia. The bottle has a flared top, and an artificial cork is topped with a wax seal. The artificial cork itself consists of a thin, impermeable outer layer surrounding a slighty permeable core. The latter had absorbed the wine’s color while in storage, rather like a natural cork.

The cork was interesting, but eventually some wine ended up in a tasting glass. The nose was robust and spicy. The flavor was a nicely balanced blend of spice, blackberry, and oak. The finish was a bit more oaky and of reasonable length. The wine’s fruit forward nature makes its first impression, but the other flavors come forward quickly and prevent it from being just another really fruity Aussie shiraz.

This was our first post about a Rosemount Estate wine, and we look forward to tasting more in the future.