1997 Ralph Fowler Shiraz

This is a mainstream wine with creamy American oak, excellent concentration, and abundant quantities of sweet, peppery, blackberry, and cassis flavors. The texture is supple, and the wine is pure, but it lacks complexity and the extra flavor dimensions present in many of the wines from importer Dan Philips. Nevertheless, it is a top-notch effort produced from 30-year old Shiraz vines cropped at two tons per acre. Importer: Dan Philips, The Grateful Palate, Oxnard, CA; tel. (805) 278-9095