Archive for April 21st, 2008

2005 Massena The Howling Dog 95 points

Petite Sirah, Barossa Valley, $32

Get this fabulous wine while you can, it can be cellard up till 2018. Petite Sirah is one of my favorite wines and this is one of the best I’ve ever had. Its inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by scents of blueberry liqueur, crushed rocks, and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, powerful, and rich, with surprisingly supple, but extravagant levels of tannin, it is not yet ready for prime time drinking. Purchasers should forget it over 4-5 years, then watch it unfold over the next two decades.