Wine Advisor
Kaesler, Old Bastard Shiraz 2003
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2003 Shiraz Old Bastard is a candidate for Shiraz of the vintage from South Australia. Exhibiting an inky/purple color along with serious velocity and intensity, it is a superb expression of top-notch Barossa Valley Shiraz. A glorious perfume of charcoal, blackberry liqueur, smoke, and vanilla is followed by an enormous, but neither heavy nor over-ripe wine that is a testament to the winemaking skills of Reid Bosward. This big, pure, rich Shiraz can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years. Importer: Benjamin Hammerschlag, Epicurean Wines, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 923-1376
About the Producer
Privately owned by the family, Kaesler has a rich history of vineyards dating back to 1893, many of which are old vines. The Kessler family first settled in the Barossa Valley in 1840, purchased part of the valley in 1891 and began their first grape plantings in 1893, with vineyards planted with Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Riesling and Semillon. The family members of Kessler Winery have been accompanying the growth of Kessler estate until Kessler Winery was sold in 1986, and finally the winemaker and his business partner bought the winery in 1998, and they also He is the third-generation owner of Kessler Winery. Originally, the estate, including buildings and vineyards, totaled only 26.3 acres. But in 2001, the estate was expanded when they acquired the 28.5-acre vineyard next door. The backbone of the region's complex, intense wines comes from Kessler's non-irrigated, knobby vines. The winery is dedicated to producing high-quality wines with strong flavours, grown and brewed on family estates. At the same time, Kessler Winery produces limited quantities of its wines in order to guarantee its unique character, creativity and quality in winemaking. The incomparable complexity and charm of these highly acclaimed wines makes their rather rare production invaluable.
