Marius 2005 Symphony Reviews
Philip White (Independent Weekly) June 30th 2007
2005 Marius Symphony McLaren Vale Shiraz: Bits of the windy Front Hills, from Willunga to Sellick’s, produce more intense complexity than the lower Vales. The best slice of Roger Pike’s four-acre Willunga patch is selected for this awesome flavour bomb; the balance goes into the cheaper Simpatico. It’s a veritable compression of sootblack moody shiraz, made the old way, but with 21 months in very fine French oak. The result is a velvety gastronomic delight that silences drinkers with its depth and might. 93++ points
Gary Walsh (Winorama) June 25th 2007
Marius Symphony Shiraz 2005: Aromas of brandied plum, dark cherry, dark chocolate, coffee and leather. On the palate full bodied with intense flavours of blackberry, dark cherry, dark chocolate, coal and licorice. It is large framed, although not clumsy, with plenty of strong fine grained tannins, clean acidity and warming alcohol. Finishes savoury and long with dark chocolate and leather flavours. This looked better on the second day so give the wine a decant if serving now or just keep your mitts off it for a few years. Rated : 93+ Points Drink : 2010 – 2018
Campbell Mattinson – Winefront July 07
Marius McLaren Vale Single Vineyard ‘Symphony’ Shiraz 2005 ($35): Strident, sassy, slippery shiraz, chocka-block with warm, chocolaty fruit and oak flavour. This is seamless and smooth. This is for those wine lovers who like ‘em styled big, coffeed, big-chested – and yet laced perfectly together. This is a peak example of the style. Drink 2007-2012. 92 points.
The 2005 Symphony has been included in Campbell Mattinson’s Top 101 Reds for 2007. “This list is personal. It’s the TOP 101 RED WINES that I’d take to the table to prove exactly how great wine can be, for quality or value or just straight-out excitement.”
The 2009 Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide – Nick Stock
This is the upper deck of the Marius shiraz range and offers plenty of value – a real gem. Ripe dark berry fruits, plums and liquorice; charming juicy smooth tannins from start to finish – a wine with style and grace, eminently balanced and beautifully delivered. 93 points
Adelaide Review/Nick Stock/John Duval – “Hot 100″
“These wines are simply the best of the best, South Australia’s greatest and wines to be truly proud of.”
Marius Symphony Shiraz 2005: Roger Pike’s onto something down in McLaren Vale: here’s his best parcel of Shiraz singled out as a reserve wine. Dark spices, sweet ground cinnamon, dusted through ripe, dark berry fruits and liquorice, the oak is carefully fitted.
Grant Dodd – The Wining Pro
Marius Symphony Shiraz 2005: If you are in the mood for McLaren Vale Shiraz, then you really can’t go wrong with this. It just brings a smile to your face. Big, fun, silky smooth, with lashings of concentrated black conserve fruit flavours, it is one of the most more-ish wines I’ve tried this year. Seriously slick, and a seriously good wine. 94 points Drink 2007 – 2013
Marius 2005 Symposium Reviews
Gary Walsh of Winorama:
Marius ‘Symposium’ 2005: Aromas of blackberry/boysenberry/blueberry, spice, earth, black licorice, cocoa and vanilla. On the full bodied palate there’s a flood of sweet black and blue berry fruit, spice and more earthy savoury black olive flavours. Suprisingly ripe mouthcoating tannins considering the high mourvedre content. A deliciously warm ride right through to the extended finish. I think there is a huge amount of development potential in this wine – especially when the mourvedre starts to break on through to the other side. Make sure you decant this for a couple of hours if you need to do one now. Rated : 95 Points Tasted : Aug06 Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $30 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2007 – 2015+
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion 2008:
Symposium McLaren Vale Shiraz Mourvedre 2005: Medium red-purple; an attractive blend, the shiraz providing the structure and an important part of the quite complex flavours; spice, blackberry, cherry and licorice running through to a long finish. A 50/50 blend. Screwcap. 14.5% alc. Rating 93 Drink to 2018
Campbell Mattinson of Winefront:
Marius Symposium McLaren Vale Shiraz Mourvedre 2005 ($30) screwcap: Marius hasn’t put a foot wrong yet and here we go again: this is lovely. Red wine drinkers are going to love it. It’s ripe and smooth and built to hook into, but there’s also a notch of interest above and beyond the norm. Beautiful tannin structure. Ribs of chocolate cake and earth, cedar and vanillin, liqueured plums and orange rind. A warm, mouthfilling wine that you can’t help but love – I suspect that it would have been even better at a degree or so less alcohol, but that’s just me. It’s a super wine. Drink: 2006-2012. 92 points.
McLaren Vale Wine Show:
Gold Medal – Winner Class 15 – 2005 Red Blends
Judges comments: Good class with quite concentrated wines. Top wine had lovely complexity and sweetness.
Marius 2005 Simpatico Reviews
Gary Walsh (Winorama) June 20th 2007
Marius Simpatico Shiraz 2005: Aromas of fresh berries, cherry, chocolate, licorice, new leather and coffee. Bright and floral too. On the palate full bodied with blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, mineral and coffee flavours. The tannins here are outstanding with a backbone that is firm and fine grained and runs the length of the palate. There is a touch of warmth too but it’s offset by some clean fresh acidity. Excellent length of flavour. A wine with a degree of complexity and interest rarely found at this price point. Rated : 93 Points Drink : 2008 – 2016
James Halliday – 2009 Australian Wine Companion:
Simpatico Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2005: Medium-bodied; flush with cherry, raspberry and redcurrant fruits and a sweet, silky texture to the fine tannins. Rating 91 points Drink to: 2012