2006 Massena "11th Hour" Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: " The 2006 Eleventh Hour Shiraz was sourced from 60- to 125-year-old vines that were saved from the bulldozer at the eleventh hour. The wine was aged for 20 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads (300-liter barrels compared to 225 liters for a standard barrique). It exhibits an alluring bouquet of wood smoke, charcoal, mineral, black raspberry, and wild blueberry. Liqueur-like on the palate, it has layers of savor fruit, incipient complexity, and impeccable balance. Light on its feet, this gorgeous effort will be in its prime from 2012 to 2024. 93 points Wine Enthusiast: "Made by Dan Standish, this resembles the wines under his own label in its sense of elegance and proportion. It's big, but not too big, with intriguing aromas of smoke, blueberries and pepper, followed up by flavors of blueberry, cherry and spice. Drink now-2020." (03/10) 92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Saturated red. Compelling bouquet of blueberry, cherry compote, violet and Asian spices. Sappy dark berry flavors are velvety and round, with peppery spice adding nerve. Gains sweetness and power with air, finishing with outstanding clarity and thrust. Deeply flavored but not heavy, this deftly combines richness with energy." (Jul/Aug 08)