2004 Chris Ringland Dry Grown Shiraz Barossa

(100 points) The 2004 Chris Ringland Shiraz is from another top vintage. Like the other wines, it spent 42 months in new French oak. Aromas of scorched earth, pencil lead, espresso, black currant and blueberry lead to a dense, complex, youthful wine with layer upon layer of succulent fruit, impeccable balance, and a decade of aging potential. Chris Ringland is a relatively modest bloke who gives most of the credit for his extraordinary wines to his nearly 100-year-old vineyard. He now has 21 vintages under his belt the results of which place him with Marcel Guigal, Gerard Chave, Christophe Baron, Manfred Krankl, and Michel Chapoutier as the international grandmasters of Syrah/Shiraz. (JM)  (12/2009) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate