Clarendon Hills Shiraz McLaren Vale Astralis 1996

98 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Deep garnet-colored, the 1996 Astralis wows right from the start with an incredibly profound nose of meat and fertile loam intermingling with black truffles, black cherry and black plum preserves plus a whiff of Christmas cake. Ripe, rich and seductive, the medium to full-bodied palate is generous and refreshing with crisp acid, medium levels of rounded tannins and a finish that lingers a very long time. It is mature, for drinking now. (2/26/14)"

97 points Robert Parker: "The blockbuster 1996 Astralis Syrah is the most Hermitage-like. Its dark plum/purple color is followed by a big, sweet kiss of roasted meats, creme de cassis, blackberries, pepper, and forest floor. Dense with superb purity, full-bodied power, and beautiful balance, it is the only Astralis we tasted that exhibited a strong tertiary/secondary aromatic development. (6/29/09)"

95 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Saturated, opaque ruby. Perfumed, multidimensional aromas of blackberry, cassis, woodsmoke, game and oak spice. Amazingly thick and sweet in the mouth, but ripe acidity and deep spiciness gives clarity to the flavors. A real powerhouse, with fruit of steel. Finishes with huge, tongue-coating tannins, very complex berry, meat and oak flavors, and great length. Superb wine, a bit more forward than the '95 but likely to be long-lived. (Jul/Aug 1998)"