Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz, 1985

This wine was made by Trevor Mast but before he owned the vineyard, when he was consulting for the Frattin brothers. Trevor brought this Shiraz to Chicago to show distributors and try to attract interest in the Shiraz vineyards he considered special. He then spent several days with us in Kalamazoo and left a few bottles of the 1985 for us to enjoy. For all of us at the table tonight, this fantastic bottle served as a fitting tribute to a gifted winemaker who left us all too early.

I've tasted many older Langi Shiraz wines--notably the 1989, 1992 and 1997--but this has to rank at or near the top of the list. The color is deep and dark with minimal browning. Looks, smells and tastes like a much younger wine. The smell and taste of freshly ground black pepper is there--a trademark of Langi Shiraz. It's subtle, of course, part of the overall elegance and class. Black fruits, Syrah spice--not thick but strong and persistent. Trevor apparently liked it enough that he bought the vineyard. And wine lovers are all better off because he did.