Barossa Black Double Oak Series TAWNY Finish Shiraz 2023 750ml

Ahhh Friday afternoon… time for a well earned glass of wine - how about a cheeky Barossa Black finished in a tawny barrel.
It is an impressive sight indeed, as the deep garnet colour burbles enticingly from the bottle into the eagerly awaiting stemless glass - the liquid pulsates like the ruby at Melisandre’s throat on a long winter’s night (Game of Thrones reference).
Our first glance into the chalice shows long quivering legs climbing up the inside of the glass like ten Lords a-leaping on a freshly mowed lawn - hinting at a fine wee tipple…
Oh how easily we can be misled!
The aroma is arresting upon first sniff (the winemaker should have been arrested). I picked up scents of primary school boys toilet, unwashed laundry and a sort of damp fungus. It had the putrid aroma of dark, horrible places, swamps, bogs, soggy wetlands, with top notes of a putrefying carcass, rotten game meat and terrified animal scat. I may have been better off pouring it into one of my old discarded red-bands rather than the previously mentioned chalice.
Upon tasting this shiraz there is an immediate and harsh bitterness followed closely by hints of watery raspberry cordial which give way to notes of battery acid and broadleaf herbicide - before you are overcome by the alcohol-laden tannins mercifully blunting the palate. The finish is not too dissimilar to liquid iron fertiliser which, like this wine, could kill you if ingested inadvertently.
It might go well at a casual barbecue with the in-laws who have overstayed their welcome.
Again, I lie. I love this wine and enjoy sharing it with good friends.