Elderton's Command Shiraz is one of Australia's truly brilliant traditional Barossa Shiraz's. Named because of the special treatment the quality fruit 'commanded', this is a Shiraz of foreboding concentration. The fruit for this 'Excellent' Langton's classified Australian icon comes from the century old Elderton vineyard located on the banks of the Para River and is matured in a mixture of French and American oak. This allows the wine to retain its driven power while also giving the wine a level of complexity and balance unique to this region and producer.
2004
Very deep black crimson colour with a dark red hue. The nose displays good intensity and lift with liquorice, dark chocolate and toasty vanillin oak to the fore followed by some subtle complexing leather-like notes mingling with hints of spice. Still plenty of voluptuous fruit here as the palate unfolds. An opulent burst of liquorice, black plum, dark chocolate, mocha and toasty vanillin oak fills the mouth with a faint hint of leather and some spice on the back palate. Velvet smooth tannin structure. Superb depth with very long liquorice, toasty vanillin oak, mocha and spice aftertaste.
2005
The wine has spent 34 months in new American and French oak hogsheads. Almost opaque black crimson colour with black crimson hue. Perfumed nose with top note of violets, followed by cedar, blackberry and vanilla with spice, confectionary and a hint of leather as an end note. Mouthfilling explosive palate. Loaded with ripe joosy fruit flavours. Layers of vanilla, liquorice, blackberry, chocolate and spice. Velvet smooth tannins. Exceptional length and depth. Very long aftertaste of vanilla, confectionary, liquorice and plum.
2006
The 2006 Command is showing much more pepper and spice in contrast to the voluptuous fruit bomb style in vintages like 2003 and 2005. The wine was matured for 34 months in a combination of American & French oak and then given a further 12 months bottle age before being released. The 2006 Command displays a degree of refinement and restraint rarely seen in previous vintages.
Opaque black dark red colour with dark crimson red hue. The nose is closed at first but as the wine warms it becomes more perfumed exhibiting aromas of liquorice allsorts, confectionary, ripe plum and blackberry followed by some spice and blackpepper end notes. The palate displays powerful concentrated flavours but is not as voluptuous as the 2005 vintage. Flavours of liquorice allsorts, blackberry and plum are followed by some blackpepper back palate characters. Fine grained well integrated tannins with very long aftertaste of blackpepper, spice, blackberry and liquorice allsorts. A Command with excellent structure and cellaring potential.
2007
The nose displays red and black fruits & charry oak. Staggeringly complex flavours of plums, cherry and wild blackberry are wrapped around a core of savoury aniseed and smoked meats. A true cellar star with a history of ageing superbly well, this 'Command' is still considered a very young wine and reward the patient ten fold.
2008
Totally opaque black dark crimson red colour with dark red black hue. The nose fills the nostrils with dark chocolate, liquorice and ripe blackberry aromas intermixed with some sweet mocha vanillin like characters and a hint of spice. Full bodied, rich and possessing a voluptuous texture the palate delivers mouthfilling flavours of ripe dark plum, dark chocolate, liquorice, mocha and some vanillin oak overtones with a spicy back palate. Whilst showing off it’s trademark opulence and richness the wine is not as thick and dense as earlier vintages such as 2003 and 2005 displaying a more refined character. Silky smooth, perfectly balanced tannin structure. Excellent length with long persistent liquorice, dark plum, dark chocolate, vanillin oak and spice aftertaste.
2009
Superb perfumed nose with lifted scents of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate and liquorice overlaid with some mocha and toasty vanillin oak. Decadently rich and opulently textured the palate delivers a voluptuous flavour profile of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate bullets and mocha underpinned by some toasty vanillin oak finishing with some spice on the back palate. Plush mouthfeel with super slick polished tannins. Magnificent power with exceptionally long, rich ripe blackberry, chocolate bullets, mocha, vanillin oak and spice aftertaste.
