Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz 2018

From vines planted in 1892, the 2018 Block 6 Shiraz is another ripper, as Aussies might say. Aged in 40% new French and American oak, the cedar, grilled meat and vanilla accents are there, but they’re just part of a compelling package that includes notes of blackberries, licorice, black olives and intricate herbal complexities of sage, thyme and the like. Full-bodied and concentrated, it’s structured yet supple, powerful yet elegant, with a long, velvety finish, simply a terrific example of Block 6 – perhaps the best I’ve had the privilege to taste. Impressive now, it really deserves a few years in the cellar, and it should drink well for up to two decades. Drink date: 2023-2040. Score – 97. (Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com, Aug. 31, 2021)