2004 Clarendon Hills Old Vines Grenache Romas Clarendon

Roman Bratasiuk's outsized red wines boast explosively ripe, dense berry fruit; thick, velvety texture; and complementary oak. Note that the wines are labeled Syrah rather than Shiraz, partly due to the fact that they are aged in French, not American, oak. (The flagship Syrah Astralis is extremely expensive and rare.) As revered as Bratasiuk's Syrahs are, his flamboyantly fruity Grenache bottlings are also among the most successful examples of the variety in the New World.

Roman Bratasiuk's outsized red wines boast explosively ripe, dense berry fruit; thick, velvety texture; and complementary oak. Note that the wines are labeled Syrah rather than Shiraz, partly due to the fact that they are aged in French, not American, oak. (The flagship Syrah Astr... more