2006 Hewitson "Mad Hatter" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia (Previously $40)

92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Shiraz The Mad Hatter spent 21 months in new French oak. Purple-colored, it delivers an alluring perfume of pain grille, black pepper, plum, blueberry, and blackberry. Dense and powerful on the palate, this layered Shiraz will continue to unwind over the next 6-8 years and provide prime drinking from 2015 to 2030." 91 points Stephen Tanzer's IWC: "Deep, bright violet. Intensely floral bouquet displays dark berries, cola, violet, wilted rose and Asian spices. Fleshy and smooth in texture, offering sweet dark berry flavors and betraying no rough edges. Impressively sappy on the finish, which strongly repeats the floral and cola notes." 94 points James Halliday's Wine Companion: "A single vineyard wine with 20 months in French oak, which is countercultural in its elegant, medium-bodied profile and moderate alcohol; red fruits and touches of mocha and chocolate predominate." "Dean Hewitson's wines always show a great sense of balance, place and purity. I've been barrel tasting with him for nearly a decade, and it's always one of my highlights when I visit Australia." Jim Chanteloup K&L Australian Wine Buyer.