Peter Lehman Clancy's 2004

43% Shiraz
42% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
14.5% alcohol
Barossa, Australia

Have you met the Big Wooden Guy yet? You can probably tell from the picture what he thought of this one.

From the bottlenotes:

Among the world's great wine drinking experiences. Clancy's has established itself as Australia's Legendary Red. A blend of Barossa Shiraz 43%, Cabernet Suavignon 42% and Merlot 15%. Clancy's provides consistent enjoyment with its rich flavours and smooth finish. The stuff of Legends!

First Night

This is a fruity wine. Black fruit is dominant, plums and currants, plus some black pepper and a little tobacco. Cherries from the Merlot were more obvious on the palate, where they joined the black fruit, though the plums and currants were still dominant. Tannins were very soft, as if the Merlot were the primary fruit rather than shiraz and cab. Tobacco and white pepper showed up on the midpalate.

Second Night

The alcohol is a lot more obvious on the nose the second night. I am really having to fight through a hot nose to find fruit. The fruit smells a bit sharper, blackberries instead of plums, to go with the currants. The black pepper is still there. After an hour or so the nose shows some sweetness in the form of maple/brown sugar at the very end.

This has changed completely since Night One. It is more full, rich, thick, and even sweet. The plums and currants are there at first, but black cherries come on strong on the midpalate. Those are followed by a mouthful of brown sugar, cloying and too sweet. The sugars ruin the finish. They leave an aftertaste of brown sugar instead of fruit. Tannins are very soft, so soft the wine lacks backbone. This was not a terribly impressive effort, and not one I could recommend.