Dirk R. Notheis tastes thirteen wines from Chris Ringland
from the vintages 1996 to 2012
1996 Chris Ringland Three Rivers Shiraz
100 P
Fully
body,
purple
color
with
reflections
of
violet.
Irresistible,
dense
nose
of
sweet
and
thick
soy
sauce,
fresh
mushroom,
oriental
spices,
dried
fig,
mulberry
and
star
anise,
underneath
black
cherry
and
black
fruits.
On
the
palate,
strong
prelude
with
a
silky
flow.
Orange
zest,
orange
marmalade
and
cranberry
provide
freshness,
followed
by
creamy
caramel
aromas
with
ripe
plums,
Vieille
Prûne,
a
hint
of
sweet
mustard, dried fruit and fig jam. Nearly endless finish with iridescent sweetness of Hoisin sauce, lime honey and dried raisins.
1996 Flaxman Valley Shiraz Rockford
100 P
Fully
body,
flashing
purple.
Dense
nose,
amarena
cherries
wrapped
in
caramel
and
dark
toffee,
thick
soy
sauce
and
Hoisin
sauce
as
well
as
plum
puree.
On
the
palate,
strong
prelude
with
jam
of
black
cherry,
amarena
cherry,
fruit
in
rum
and
dark
chocolate.
A
river
of
silk
elevates
the
fruit
elegantly
and
in
a
creamy
manner
onto
a
plateau
from
which
it
further
develops
it
into
an
endlessly
long
finish
with
juicy
fruit
of
sour
cherry,
Mon
Chéri
and
thick
soy
sauce.
Unbelievable!
The
Flaxman
is
the
counterpart
to
the
1996
Three
Rivers
with
grapes from the Northern part of Ringland’s proprietary vineyard. The two wines drunk in combination is an unforgettable experience.
2005 Chris Ringland Three Rivers Shiraz
99 P
Full
body,
almost
black
purple.
Very
dense
and
sweet
nose
with
layers
of
dark
chocolate,
caramel,
cardamom,
thick
soy
sauce
and
spices.
On
the
palate,
velvet
push
of
caramel
dark
toffee,
red
fruit,
cherry,
plum
and
blueberry,
followed
by
white
chocolate
and
candied
almonds.
Incredibly
smooth
and
balanced
despite
extreme
concentration
and
17.6%
alcohol.
Outstanding!
On
the
finish
with
more
than
a
minute
of
length
Asian
spices,
cloves,
cardamom,
Pastis,
cherry,
Hoisin
sauce
and
milk
chocolate.
Today,
already
incredibly
good
but
with a lot of future potential.
Second
tasting
(48
hours
later):
What
an
opulent
nose!
Plum
paste,
Hoisin
sauce
and
sweet
cherries
flow
out
of
the
glass,
orange
zest
and
British
orange
marmalade
provide
freshness.
On
the
palate,
syrupy
texture
with
ripe
cherry,
red
fruit,
chocolate
mousse,
Crème
Brûlée.
The
fruit
presents
itself
on
a
creamy
carpet.
Orange
zest,
Yogurette,
wild
cherry
and
herbal
spice
are
added
on
a
finish
with
phenomenal length!
2007 Chris Ringland Three Rivers Shiraz
98 P
Medium
to
full
body,
flashing
purple.
Intense
sweet
nose
of
ripe
cherry,
dark
chocolate,
spices,
laurels,
licorice,
black
olive
zest
and
balsamic
vinegar.
On
the
palate,
as
prelude
a
forceful
river
of
caramel
that
mantels
red
and
blue
fruits.
Followed
by
vanillin,
cardamom
and chestnut puree with a more than fifty second creamy finish of thick soy sauce, sour cherry and milk chocolate
Second
tasting
(48
hours
later):
Dense,
but
slimmer
nose
than
the
2005
with
sweet
soy
sauce,
plum
puree,
black
cherry
and
dark
fudge.
On
the
palate,
sweet
cherry,
caramel
bar,
red
fruit.
Port
style
almost
liqueur
alike
sweetness
on
the
finish.
Not
as
thick
as
the
2005
but
very long. Tastes like more!
2009 Dimchurch Shiraz
96 P
Full
body,
purple
with
black
reflections.
In
a
dense
nose,
black
fruits,
vanilla
bean,
dark
chocolate,
notes
of
dark
malt.
On
the
palate,
silky
but
noticeable
tannins,
Mon
Chéri,
amarena
cherry,
dark
chocolate,
cardamom,
mousse
au
chocolat,
dark
fudge
as
well
as
Crème
Brûlée and sweet cherry juice with a wonderful and extremely long finish. There is a lot of unlocked potential in this Shiraz.
Second
tasting
(48
hours
later):
Beautiful,
dense
and
fresh
nose
with
currant
pie
and
vanilla
bean.
On
the
palate
thick
juice
of
raspberry,
chocolate
fudge,
toffees,
caramel.
Dense
texture
with
layers
of
glycerin
and
a
never-ending
length.
The
wines
drinks
beautifully,
now
like
99 points!
2010 Dimchurch Shiraz
98 P
Fully
body
with
deep
purple.
Very
dense
and
meaty-muscular
nose
with
dark
chocolate,
cherry
and
a
hint
of
licorice.
On
the
palate
silky
tannins.
Broader
and
stronger
than
the
Hoffmann
with
forceful
current
of
dark
chocolate,
amarena
cherry,
morello,
cherry
brandy,
spices
and
fruitcake.
Orange
zest
add
a
welcomed
fresh
note
to
the
wine
with
a
salty
finish.
Already
beautiful
to
drink
while
still
being
very youthful.
Second
tasting
(48
hours
later):
A
spectacular
nose
of
black
cherry,
dark
chocolate
and
dark
toffee,
vanilla
bean
and
vanillin.
On
the
palate,
the
wine
develops
extremely
forceful
with
layers
of
glycerin
that
carry
sweet
caramel,
vanilla
cream,
raspberry
and
blueberry.
In
the
further
development
the
wine
is
getting
even
creamier
with
aromas
of
banana
chips
and
dried
mangos.
Fabulous
length,
now
even
longer than the 2010 Hoffmann Shiraz.
2006 Hoffmann Shiraz
97 P
Full
body,
purple
with
black
reflections.
Very
dense
and
complex
mineral
nose
with
herbs
of
Provence,
rosemary,
lavender,
cherry,
sloe
and
black
fruit.
On
the
palate,
sweet
and
spicy
current
of
herbs,
cherry
and
chocolate.
In
the
further
development,
blackberry
jam,
smoked meat, roasted bacon, spices and cinnamon notes in a very long finish.
Second
tasting
(48
hours):
Dense,
sweet
nose
of
dried
fruits,
banana
chips,
dark
fruit
and
hints
of
Sherry.
On
the
palate,
spicy,
creamy
caramel with red fruit, lovage and an extremely long finish.
2007 Hoffmann Shiraz
98 P
Full
body,
dark
purple.
Nose
of
ripe
plums,
Hoisin
sauce,
beneath
that
morello,
roast
and
espresso
flavors.
On
the
palate
massive
weight
with
a
silky
sweet
flow
of
juicy
dark
cherry,
dark
chocolate,
mint
and
dark
caramel.
Café
crème
and
cherry
brandy
in
a
finish
of
more
than a minute. Magnificent viscosity with simultaneous elegance and freshness. A lot of potential!
Secondary
tasting
(48
hours
later):
A
bit
disturbing
nose
of
cabbage
intermixed
with
gooseberry.
On
the
palate,
however,
forceful,
creamy
and
complex
prelude
with
cherry,
sweet
tobacco,
red
fruits
and
herbal
schnapps.
Further
development
with
great
length.
A
bit
more edges, not as silky as the 2010.
2010 Hoffmann Shiraz
99 P
Fully
body
with
black-violet
color.
Extreme
depth
and
precise
nose
of
amarena
cherry,
light
and
dark
chocolate.
Smells
like
a
great
young
Amarone
from
Romano
Dal
Forno.
On
the
palate
forceful
prelude
with
sweet
amarena
cherry,
bedded
into
creamy
panna
cotta,
followed
by
more
and
more
layers
of
cherry
jam,
Yogurette
and
juicy
morello
with
a
finish
of
more
than
90
seconds.
This
is
beautiful
stuff at early stages of its maturity and a clear future candidate for 100 points.
Second
tasting
(48
hours
later):
Beautiful,
dense
nose
of
dark
malt,
dark
chocolate
and
licorice.
On
the
palate
ripe
dark
cherry,
chocolate fudge, dark chocolate, dark toffee and café crème. Wonderful length. Very, very deep and elegant!
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