Steingarten goes way back, for me at least. I remember drinking it in the eighties thanks to some of the local wine club dudes and it was sublime. I suppose the fact it, seemingly, went off the boil there for a while, isn't all that important. But with this vintage, Orlando have produced the real deal, so you'll get no complaints from me if this standard is reproduced on a regular basis in the future. The 2002 is another vintage of this label worthy of similar (but less) praise on what I tasted a year or so, too.
Boasting a starbright, brilliant palest of green/white gold hue's, this wine's aromatics are truly stunning revealing a classical bevy of freshly squeezed lime, musk, river pebbles, rosehip, ripe Packham pear, apple blossom; all wrapped (hopefully) in some of the minerality of the rocky soils of this legendary Barossa Ranges vineyard. The palate continues to the beat of the same drum - beautiful entry, expansive palate of pristine, tight citrus fruit combined with an explosive, superbly crafted middle and back palate riddled with vibrant, mouth-puckering, minerally acidity. This wine is very well balanced yet displays such youthfulness and has such incredible potential for improvement, probably for at least a decade, most likely closer to two. Finishes with the resolute persistence of crunchy citrus fruits and zesty, crisp acidity, I predict this wine will be difficult for most people to keep their hands of it before it reaches its final curtain. Drink 2007-2025. 12.5 %A/V and sealed with a Stelvin screwcap. 92 points. About 25 bucks AUS (RRP)