Curtis The Gladiator Shiraz 2021

97 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

A sumptuous offering, the wine shows dark fruit richness, toasted spice, liquorice, cedar, and mocha characters on the nose. The concentrated palate exhibits outstanding depth and power while remaining harmonious and balanced with a sustained, sophisticated finish. At its best: now to 2041.

96 POINTS

Ray Jordan

The fruit source for this exceptional McLaren Vale is a plot of 80-year-old vines. After handpicking the fruit was cold soaked and fermented for 21 days on skins, and this is reflected in the excellent tannin balance. It was then given a whopping 36 months in French and American oak, and yet the balance is impeccable. Deep and concentrated plum, nutmeg and dark chocolate with a vanillin oak contribution to balance. It’s effortlessly structured and focussed with precision to a long finish

94 POINTS

Ken Gargett - WinePilot.com

Before anyone goes all Russell Crowe, this superb McLaren Vale red is all Australian in every way (okay, a mix of French and American oak in which the wine spent three years maturing, but you know what I mean). A twenty-one day fermentation, the fruit is from 80-year-old vines. The wine is under cork. A deep crimson/red colour here, the nose exhibits warm earth notes, coffee grinds, animal skins, tobacco leaves, black olives, soy and chocolate. This is a powerful and bold wine. There is certainly oak evident and it still needs a little time to fully integrate, but it is well on its way. The palate sees sweet black cherries to the fore. A wine of medium length, good intensity and fine tannins, this will be even better in two to three years and then drink beautifully for a further decade.

93 POINTS

Ned Goodwin MW

Accepting that this wine is a behemoth and the style, old school, the qualitative pillars on which it is built are solid: densely concentrated old vine fruit, a confluence of ample French and American oak and little real grape tannin, following a reasonably short maceration. This is a wine that bludgeons rather than caresses, with explosive aromas of mulled fruits, Christmas cake,bourbon and clove. The intensity pummels the palate, while driving the flavours to impressive length and a bright future, especially should one have a predilection for the style.