Kind of an odd time of year for this admittedly,but it's what the people we invited like to drink. (And I was picking out odds and ends from the cellar that fell into this category.)
We tasted blind but I will list them from least to most successful, IMO.
4. E. GUIGAL COTE-ROTIE BRUNE ET BLONDE 1998 12.5%
This was the second of two bottles I bought; both have been disappointing. It may have been the provenance, but it was over the hill: thin, tired, weedy. No oomph; no fruit; no interest. Very disappointing.
3. DOMAINE CHEZE ST.-JOSEPH ANGES CUVEE D'EXCEPTION 2005 13%
This and the next wine were essentially a tie (and both much better than the Guigal). Good syrah notes, some chocolate and spice at the end, midpalate was a little week. Solid enjoyable wine, which may gain some complexity with age, but will never be great.
2. TORBRECK THE FACTOR BAROSSA VALLEY 2005 15.5% (methinks)
I paid way too much money for this when I began buying for my cellar a few years back. It is indeed a big, burly wine, with a long finish and some very nice notes of exotic spices at the end. No one will ever accuse it of lacking stuffing. Yet it is sadly just too sweet--jammy, not terribly, but just enough, to get in the way of the other things going on. C'est dommage.
1. GREENOCK CREEK BAROSSA VALLEY SEVEN ACRE 1999 15%
WOTN Balanced, deep, harmonious, the finish went on and on. Every sip was a joy to drink. Not at all jammy, just solid; and even a little bacony at the end (true of 3 as well). A real pleasure. I somehow picked this one up for a song, but I don't think I'll be drinking more of it soon, if the prices I am finding at the moment are any indication.
Cheers!
Josh