Yalumba "The Octavious" Barossa Shiraz 2002

i tried this shiraz at a tasting and held off writing about it until i could find the words to describe it. i am still not sure i will do it justice, but here goes. wow. the nose was blackberry, plums, figs and chocolate with spice and pepper notes mixed in. huge, beautiful nose. i have smelled wines that were big on the nose and then disappointed with the taste. not this wine! the palate was exceptional, with flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate, some roasted meat flavor, and spice notes. a big, bold wine that was well balanced with medium tannins and a long finish. wow again. and you will have to pay for the wow factor as this sells for $85. thankfully, i was able to try this at a tasting. not quite in the budget, but i was glad i got the opportunity to try it. if you can afford this wine, buy it and lay it down for a special occasion. you won't be disappointed.