  Wines    McLaren Vale

James Halliday Winery Rating 4 ½ Stars

2002 Marius Shiraz Reviews

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate):

2002 Marius Shiraz Single Vineyard
Rating: 93 points
Producer: Marius
From: McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
Variety: Syrah (a dry red table wine)
Drink: 2006-2018
Estimated Cost: $45.00
Source: Wine Advocate #167 (Oct 2006)

This small McLaren Vale grower produces only one wine, a single vineyard Shiraz that is aged in a combination of 70% French and 30% American oak. The opaque purple-hued 2002 Shiraz Single Vineyard performed as if it were younger rather than older than its sibling. Fabulous aromas and flavors of blackberries, blueberries, barbecue spice, and camphor emerge from this ripe, rich, full-bodied, opulent Shiraz. Consume this beauty over the next 10-12 years.

Importer: Joshua Tree Imports, Azusa, CA; tel. (626) 358-6600

-Robert Parker

James Halliday (The Weekend Australian June 5-6 2004):

There are only 500 cases of newcomer Marius Shiraz (91 points, $25), which is intense and concentrated, a vinous black hole in space. If you can get it, be patient.

The May/June 2004 issue of Winestate Magazine has awarded ¬¬¬¬¬ to the 2002 Marius Shiraz:

Marius Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002

Year - 2002

Price - $25.00

Rating - ¬¬¬¬¬

Great Colour! Beautiful lifted nose - excellent fruit, very smart oak and nice barrel ferment characters. Great palate, full-bodied, soft and sweet with leathery/spicy complexity to add interest. A long and stylish wine.

Ric Einstein of www.torbwine.com , a fiercely independent and much respected authority on Aussie reds reviewed the 2002 Marius Shiraz in April 2004:

Marius 2002 Shiraz April 04

I enjoyed the 2000 vintage of this wine which was the first vintage (and the last one) produced. It’s a single vineyard wine from Willunga (McLaren Vale) and was matured in both French and American oak for 19 months. It’s available in either Stelvin or with tree bark plugs. The wine was only bottled six weeks ago and although it has gotten over the bottle shock stage it’s closed down. I poured a glass and left it for six hours and it was much better with air time but even then it was still closed.

A ripe savoury bouquet, with subtle spice, toasty French oak, boot polish, violet notes and black berry fruit. A muscular weight wine, it is perfectly constructed and balanced. Tannins are dusty, its classy fruit pure; add in the youthful acid and excellent construction and it should age very well. The deep, pure fruit shows palate flavours, which are savoury with, blackcurrant, some char from the oak, spice, liquorice, and chocolate that has good intensity and a very respectable length finish. Being youthful, although approachable now, it will continue to improve for many years. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value. I had the benefit of drinking some of the wine with dinner (and it was better with food, even spicy satay sauce) and later that night. Available for $275 a dozen delivered from the winery. This is a must buy!

Campbell Mattinson of Winefront Monthly reviewed the 2002 Marius Shiraz in the April 2004 issue:

FROM APRIL 2004 WINEFRONT MONTHLY:

Marius Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002 ($25/$275 dozen mail order): A little gem of wine from grape grower Roger Pike in McLaren Vale you heard of it first in the September 2002 edition of Winefront Monthly and while the first release was good this one is exemplary: richly fruited, soft and sweet in its perfumes, adorned with plum, chocolate, musk and brandied fruitcake flavours and balanced to a tee. It finishes fruity and fine and it seems classy, but not excessive, at all turns. Terrific value. Drink: Now-2012. 92 points.