      McLaren Vale

2003 Marius Shiraz Reviews

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate):

2003 Marius Shiraz Single Vineyard
Rating: 91 points
Producer: Marius
From: McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
Variety: Syrah (a dry red table wine)
Drink: 2006-2014
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 2003 Shiraz Single Vineyard exhibits a deep ruby/purple color along with scents of smoke, espresso, white chocolate, blackberries, and cassis. A beautiful texture, low acidity, and ripe tannin suggest it should be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years.

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

-Robert Parker

Campbell Mattinson of Winefront Monthly reviewed the 2003 Marius Shiraz in the March 2005 issue:

FROM MARCH 2005 WINEFRONT MONTHLY:

Marius Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003 ($26) screwcap: This has settled down magically, offering a well-defined, fruit-etched, perfectly ripened mouthful of true McLaren Vale shiraz flavour. It's got an edge of to-die-for minerality, lots of blackberry fruit, low-impact chocolatey oak and a run of cedary savoury interest. I like it as much as the excellent 2002. Lovely, fruity, following finish. Drink: Now-2010. 92 points

Huon Hooke

Gourmet Traveller WINE

100 Top New Releases

October 2005

The May/June 2005 issue of Winestate Magazine has awarded ¬¬¬¬½ to the 2003 Marius Shiraz:

Marius Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003

Year - 2003

Price - $25.00

Rating - ¬¬¬¬½

Refined, elegant nose with loads of fruit and coffee and spice. Palate is rich, powerful and long with lovely silky mouthfeel. Excellent concentration of sweet ripe mulberry flavours and nice tannins. Needs time.

Ric Einstein of www.torbwine.com , a fiercely independent and much respected authority on Aussie reds reviewed the 2003 Marius Shiraz in June 2005:

Marius 2003 Shiraz June 05

After a couple of hours in the glass, the bouquet shows restraint, indeed it was more intense when first opened; plum, earthy notes, black olive, coffee and chocolate are all evident. Palate flavours of black dark chocolate, plum, coffee, black olive and aniseed combine to produce a very attractive flavour profile. Interestingly enough, at one stage there was a slight sappiness but it completely disappeared over time. Ample in weight with very fresh acid (which calmed down with time in the glass) and chewy, long tannins; it finishes with good persistence. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value. This is worth buying!

James Halliday (Australian Wine Companion 2006):

Complex, rich, typical of 2003; blackberry, chocolate and plum; good oak.

Rating 90 Drink 2013

Winewise (August 2005): Recommended

2003 Marius Single Vineyard Shiraz: An attractively fresh, plummy wine with well handled oak. Attractive drinking.

Gourmet Traveller WINE:

Max Veenhuyzen - Guardian Express (WA):

Marius McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003:

Simply put, this is a very hard wine not to like - from the deep, dark teeth-staining colour and seductive bouquet of black cherry and licorice, to the rich, ripe and warming palate full of sweet blackberries and blueberries. This is one of those bottles of wine you'll struggle not to empty in a single sitting. Well worth hunting down and a joy to taste.

Gary Walsh - Winorama

Marius Single Vineyard Shiraz 2003 Monday, Jan 23 2006

Very dark colour. Aromas of chocolate, plum and blackberry with some licorice, charcoal and well measured vanilla/cedar oak. On the palate richly fruited with blackberry, plum and chocolate flavours. There is also an attractive subtle herb and savoury undercurrent which complements the sweet fruit very well. Tannins are fine and ripe and although the wine weighs in at 15% alcohol you don’t notice any heat - just some gentle warmth. Dark chocolate and herb finish of good length. The vineyard has delivered the goods in a less than perfect vintage.

Rated : 92 Points Drink : 2006 - 2010+