Also recommended: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek (86). (Vine Street Imports, Philadelphia, PA)
2006 Killibinbin Cabernet/Shiraz The Blend Langhorne Creek
($15; a 70/30 blend) Saturated violet. Graphite- and tobacco-accented raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a hint of dried flowers. Lush and silky on entry, then firmer in the middle, displaying vibrant red and dark berry qualities. Fine-grained tannins contribute structure. Finishes crisp and nervy, with very good length. This is a great value.
2006 Killibinbin Shiraz Langhorne Creek
($25) Saturated purple. Explosively perfumed nose offers vibrant mulberry, cassis, tobacco and dark chocolate scents, with a subtle undertone of oak spice. Tangy dark berry skin flavors show excellent clarity and nerve, with zesty minerality adding further energy. Finishes crisp, clean, spicy and long. There's very impressive balance and thrust here.
2005 Killibinbin Shiraz Old Chestnut Adelaide Hills
($35) Inky violet. Exotic Asian spices accent strawberry and raspberry aromas, with deeper licorice and espresso adding a serious cast to the nose. A fresh, energetic wine with red berry and cherry flavors lifted by lively minerality and complicated by a spicy, smoked meat quality on the back. A vivacious, gently tannic midweight that demonstrates an impressively chewy texture on the long, juicy finish.
2005 Killibinbin Cabernet/Malbec Scaredy Cat Adelaide Hills
($35; made from late-harvested grapes grown at 425 meters) Inky violet. Explosively perfumed aromas of vivid redcurrant, cherry and blackberry complicated by graphite, tobacco and roasted coffee. Strikingly fresh, with vibrant red and dark berry flavors, medium weight and bright minerality. Finishes youthfully chewy, with a lingering raspberry quality. Pretty cool stuff.
2005 Killibinbin Malbec Barking Mad Adelaide HIlls
($35) Dark violet. Quite oaky on the nose, with vanilla-accented cherry and blackberry aromas given depth by licorice and espresso. Tangy red berry and cherry flavors are tightly wound but slowly loosen up and take on a riper dark berry quality. There's more acidity than tannins to brace the fruit: I wonder if time will bring more flesh.
2004 Killibinbin Cabernet/Shiraz Cellar Release South Australia
($40; 62% Langhorne Creek cabernet and 38% McLaren Vale shiraz) Deep ruby. Ripe blackberry and cassis aromas betray a lightly roasted note. Sweet, broad-shouldered and full, with dark berry flavors and soft acidity. Finishes very ripe, velvety and persistent, in need of a serious piece of grilled meat.
