Australian Shiraz wines vary all over the place. Some are just huge fruit bombs that aren’t all that bad. But some offer big fruit with complexity; a character that tickles the taste buds. Regrettably, the prices vary all over the place, too, with some rising to the level of $1,000+ per bottle. But not all do. Try the 2013 Mt. Monster. I bought some two years ago and it was great then and even better now, with some bottle age. Everyone I know who has tried the wine gives it a great big thumbs up. According to Josh Raynolds (Vinous Media), who laid a big 90-point rating on it, “Dark purple. Powerful aromas of ripe blackberry and candied licorice are complemented by vanilla, mocha and violet. Plush and expansive in the mouth, offering sweet dark fruit flavors enlivened by tangy acidity and a touch of black pepper. Dusty tannins build slowly on the clinging, spice-accented finish, adding shape and grip to the wine's exuberant fruit." Sadly, the wine may be available from one retailer only: Wine Library, in NJ, at $13 per 750mL bottle (https://winelibrary.com/wines/syrah-shiraz/2013-mt-monster-shiraz-103319). The 2016 version has now hit U.S. shores, but the critics’ ratings suggest that you may want to try some others; e.g., the 2016 Mitolo Jester (https://www.empirewine.com/wine/mitolo-jester-shiraz-2016-i29072/).
