Geoff Merrill Henley Shiraz 2000 (Recorked)

94 Points  – James Suckling

Bottled in a super-heavyweight bottle this is Geoff’s ultra-premium icon wine, named after Henley beach where he has fond memories of growing up with his grandfather. Only 200 dozen bottles are produced, and the selected wines are aged for 18 months in Radoux French oak. Very gamy, supple, subtle animal and bloody notes on the nose, where no one component of oak or fruit dominating. On the palate there’s a beautiful warmth of supple, toasty, plummy fruit, with a really seamless quality. The structure of the tannins is beautifully linear and harmonious, with plenty of spice, pepper and toast, but that integrated, deep, sensuous fruit and finely integrated acid just extends the finish leaving this very long and very impressive indeed. Outstanding.