• 2002 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (4/22/2006)
  WIML95,NOWA,WS97
  
  Tasted April 22, 2006 at LilacWine’s house in Fredericksburg, TX. Opened and served hours later in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted coffee, chocolate, black berries and plums. Flavors of black cherries, plums, black currants and pepper. Considering how long after this bottle was opened it was tasted and that it was likely opened at least five years too early FOR A FIRST TASTING I’m betting this will be an excellent wine in due time. Rating reflects that. Hold for at least five years before visiting again. Considering this could be an excellent wine some day at a price of around $70.00 a bottle I’d consider the value to be somewhere between highly recommended and excellent. (95 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Aside from Grange, this may be the most consistently high scoring bottling from Oz. I've only had one bottle, from an earlier vintage (thanks Baird! ), but look forward to trying others in the future.

Thanks for the tasting note. I have a few of these just waiting to be opened....

This wine is being released up here in a couple of weeks so I did a search to see who has tried it. Whaddya know, Joe has tried it. Sounds pretty good, but what did Purple rate it? I trust her palate more than yours.

One of the VERY few wines I have from Oz is the 1998 E&E.

Holding for an offline when the theme is Shiraz.

quote:

Originally posted by steve8:
This wine is being released up here in a couple of weeks so I did a search to see who has tried it. Whaddya know, Joe has tried it. Sounds pretty good, but what did Purple rate it? I trust her palate more than yours.

On her behalf..."it was a really smooth 92 points but I'd like the opportunity to revisit it". Translation in my humble opinion? We blew through close to 30 wines that night and the tasting conditions were less than ideal so this wine definitely deserves a revisit.

Go with my note.

quote:

Posted by wine+art:
One of the VERY few wines I have from Oz is the 1998 E&E.

Holding for an offline when the theme is Shiraz.

Funny you should mention that. There is a shiraz offline occurring right this very minute, approximately two miles from where you are. Currently in attendance are a burgeoning wino and multiple felines...

quote:

Originally posted by just a skosh:
Currently in attendance are a burgeoning wino and multiple felines...

Is that offline poolside?

Joe, I'm buying. At CDN$90, it's a little more expensive than your price, but it's only money and austerity is for the birds.

Good man. Buy a couple of bottles, toss them in the back of the cellar and visit one of them in about 5-7 years. Go from there.

quote:

Posted by the charming Canadian:
Is that offline poolside?

But, of course.

The charming Canadian. Gee thanks. I think I like that better than Steve8, but it's a tad pretentious.

Have you checked your post count Skosh?

Pretentious???

It was sincere. Earnest. As heartfelt as my desire that you return (along with that brave colleague of yours ), so that we may again enjoy the food, wine, and atmosphere of Draelion...

I meant it would be pretentious if I used it as my monikor. I am definitely due for a trip to Dallas.

Cool.

quote:

Originally posted by just a skosh:
Pretentious???

It was sincere. Earnest. As heartfelt as my desire that you return (along with that brave colleague of yours ), so that we may again enjoy the food, wine, and atmosphere of Draelion...

steve8,

Not sure we called what we watched "atmosphere"!

Man, I love Draelion.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
One of the VERY few wines I have from Oz is the 1998 E&E.

Holding for an offline when the theme is Shiraz.

The 98 E&E is a great bottle of wine. Had my last one this year. Wish i Had more.

quote:

Originally posted by bman:
Aside from Grange, this may be the most consistently high scoring bottling from Oz. I've only had one bottle, from an earlier vintage (thanks Baird! ), but look forward to trying others in the future.

Hi Bman,
Do you, or anyone, happen to know when E&E was founded by chance ?
Thanks for the Tn WIML.

quote:

Originally posted by Mishy:

Do you, or anyone, happen to know when E&E was founded by chance ?

I don't know, but the first vintage of Black Pepper that I ever bought was 1991 (C$25, thank you) and they had been around for a while then, I believe.

Where's TORB when we really need him?

Seaq,

I am here; sorry I missed this post.

Barossa Valley Estate is a cooperative of growers that has been around for some time. They are 50% owned by the growers and 50% owned by Hardy's Wine Co. They have their own winery but Hardys is invloved in the distribution in Oz (at least.)

The Black Pepper Has been around for some time, since at least the late 1980's. The oldest vintage I can remember trying was the 88 (a few years ago.)

Thye have had a succession of winemakers in recent years, so the wine quality has been a bit patchy but the 02 is bloody good.

• 2002 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (8/20/2006)
  Opened and decanted 30-45 minutes. It should have had more decanting, but opened well in the glass. Deep ruby with purple edge. Nice nose of dark fruits, spices and a hint of chocolate. Flavors of fruits, mostly cherries and a nice (not overwhelming) presence of pepper. The palate was nice and smooth, well balanced and plenty of stuff for the future. Not a typical fruit bomb Shiraz, it was more about finess and depth. This is way to young, but having young cellar and wanting a little Wow, I wasn't disappointed. (94 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

quote:

Originally posted by Vinaigre:
Not a typical fruit bomb Shiraz, it was more about finess and depth.

Good to hear. Glad I picked up 3, but am planning to wait a few years before cracking the first one.

quote:

Originally posted by steve8:
Good to hear. Glad I picked up 3, but am planning to wait a few years before cracking the first one.

I will replace the bottle I had. It was serious DRABing !! But this was really nice, specially after a summer of rose and cheappy whites, I needed to fire up my passion for wine and to gear up for the next offlines !!

quote:

Originally posted by Vinaigre:

quote:

Originally posted by steve8:
Good to hear. Glad I picked up 3, but am planning to wait a few years before cracking the first one.

I will replace the bottle I had. It was serious DRABing !! But this was really nice, specially after a summer of rose and cheappy whites, I needed to fire up my passion for wine and to gear up for the next offlines !!

Let's just keep in mind who suggested buying the E & E black pepper and give credit where it is DUE!!

quote:

Originally posted by mimik:
Let's just keep in mind who suggested buying the E & E black pepper and give credit where it is DUE!!

But I don't remember the SAQ sales clerks name !!!!