This wine strikes me as a bit of a non-sequitur on the shelf.  An Australian brand name – Tar & Roses – and the wine made by Australian winemakers Don Lewis and Narelle King in Priorat in Spain.  I imagine there is a risk here of being neither one thing nor the other.

The wine itself though is very good, if very big in style.  A blend of 77% grenache and carinena, 16% shiraz and 7% cabernet sauvignon, it has aromatics of intense blackberry, oak, anise and tar.  These fragrances give way to a palate with grippy tannin, anise, blackcurrant, thyme, spice and between medium and long length with some acid edges.  If you like the style, which I did, you will find this a very good, well made and quite structured wine that I think will be able to be safely drunk over the next 5 to 10 years.  Good to Very Good

Abv: 15%
Price: low $40s
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.tarandroses.com.au
Tasted: 2012