Purple Palate

Shaw and Smith's cool climate, 'syrah'-styled Shiraz is typically concentrated, firm, spicy and themed with white pepper. Pushing for a modern, complex expression of Australia's adopted red grape, this is ostensibly an old-world, Rhone-inspired wine. In 2009, nonetheless, the fruit is relatively forward, expressing a heavy perfume and mouth-coating texture. French oak (1/3 new) imparts a masculine undercurrent to the inky, blackberry fruit, adding cedar, vanilla-bean and subtle coconut. Intricately layered and destined to cellar well, it finishes long and with a gentle creaminess. -NT