Mount Langi Ghiran Victorian Langi Shiraz, 1992

Mount Langi Ghiran is my favorite Australian Shiraz, and 1992 may be the best vintage of the wine that I've tasted. Trevor Mast bought the property in the mid-1980s because he knew that this spot in the mountains was well suited for producing world-class Syrah wines. And then he set about making wines that reflected the unique terroir and micro-climate.

The color is a deep, dark crimson; good saturation with very little amber at the rim. The bouquet is very expressive--dark spices, black fruit, coffee and hints of American oak. The black pepper that was dominant when the wine was young has matured into scents of cassis/licorice. It's on the palate that this wine really shines. It's smooth and ripe from front to back with a very long, ripe fruit-oriented finish. I can still taste the lovely flavors several hours later.

Mount Langi is no longer a Trevor Mast wine, and Trevor, sadly, at age 62, is a victim of early Alzheimer's dementia. Under new owners, the estate makes wines that win medals, but Trevor's wife, Sandra, told me they are no longer made in the same style. Fortunately, I have more of this 1992, as well as other vintages of Langi Shiraz, as a fond memory of an extremely talented winemaker in his prime.