2002 Kilikanoon Shiraz R Reserve

Barrel samples of the 2002 Shiraz (it will be bottled by the end of the year) demonstrates the potential greatness of this vintage. A new offering, which is meant to be the flagship wine for Kilikanoon, is the 2002 Shiraz Reserve. Cropped at one ton of fruit per acre (from a 35-year old Barossa vineyard), it will be aged a total of 24 months in 100% new French oak hogsheads then bottle aged 12 months prior to release. There will only be 300 cases produced, clearly not enough for this South Australia classic. A wine of great intensity, richness, precision, and fruit character, it is super-deep and full-bodied, yet is not too massive or over the top. Pure and ripe, with a 60+ second finish, this compelling Shiraz will be at its prime between 2006-2022. Aug 2003, www.robertparker.com