Shiraz 2017 - Black Market Deal #65528

This wine comes from vines planted in 1920 using original Chateau Reynella cuttings, making it nearly a century old. The dry-grown vineyard has developed extraordinary depth and complexity over decades, producing fruit that's recognised as among Australia's finest. With 11 years of careful cellaring since vintage, this wine has reached optimal maturity, showcasing the legendary terroir that McLaren Vale is famous for.

The dark fruit profile of black cherry and blood plum provides a rich, concentrated foundation typical of premium McLaren Vale Shiraz, while the spicebox element adds layers of complexity from pepper, clove, and warm baking spices. This combination creates a wine that's both powerful and elegant, with the spice notes lifting and complementing the intense fruit flavours. The full-bodied palate weight ensures these flavours are delivered with impressive depth and persistence.

A 97-point Wine Advocate score places this wine in the 'extraordinary' category, representing fewer than 1% of wines reviewed. This rating, combined with Langton's Classification status, indicates serious investment potential and collectibility. Wine Advocate scores above 95 points typically appreciate in value over time, making this not just an exceptional drinking experience but also a sound addition to any serious wine collection.

Vines planted in 1920 represent some of Australia's oldest Shiraz plantings, predating most of the country's wine industry development. These centenarian vines produce incredibly low yields but extraordinarily concentrated fruit, as their deep root systems access minerals and water sources unavailable to younger plantings. The Chateau Reynella cuttings connect this vineyard to South Australia's wine founding fathers, making each bottle a piece of living wine history.

With 11 years of development since vintage, this wine has reached a beautiful drinking window where primary fruit, secondary development, and tertiary complexity are perfectly balanced. However, wines of this calibre and structure can continue evolving for another 10-15 years, developing more savoury, earthy characteristics. The choice depends on your preference - drink now for peak fruit integration, or cellar for further complexity and the emergence of classic aged Shiraz characters.