Intensely aromatic this is a wine that reminds you of its quality vino credentials from the moment you open the bottle. Dark bloody plums, spices and a nice hint of apricot at the front with vanilla and dark chocolate bringing up the rear – the resulting smell is both luscious and rich yet uplifting all at once. Medium bodied and juicy in texture the fruit aroma translates well into the palate, giving a chewy/wine gum sensation. Well-blended tannins form a good strong backbone and make for a nice finish. This is ready to drink now, although a few years in the dark isn’t going to hurt it. Taylors have always produced consistently good wine, and with the 80 Acres Shiraz being totally carbon neutral (apparently a world first) and five percent of profits going to help fund sustainability initiatives, it’s as generously down to earth as the soil it grew from.