89 points
"Generous plums and sweet cherry aromas, plenty of baking spices and hints of banana and vanilla. The palate is smoky and sweet - meat and mocha with intense black fruits. The palate is smooth with lifting acidity and fine cocoa tannins on the finish. A tasty mid-week barbecue or pizza wine."
Daenna Van Mulligen, Wine Diva (Canada), November 2009
"Moving to the other side of the world and to a completely different style, consider De Bortoli Deen Vat 8 Shiraz 2006, which I mention in this bargain-themed column because it happens to be on sale in Ontario until Nov. 8 ....There's an explosion of sweet, ripe dark fruit, carried on a soft, full body. The finish is crisp rather than sweet."
Beppi Crosariol, The Globe & Mail (Canada), October 2009
90 points
"This was a surprise gold-medal winner at the Sydney Wine Show 2008 and has flourished over the intervening six months. It has abundant sweet plum and blackberry fruit on both bouquet and palate thanks to the pre-fermentation maceration and has spicy vanillin oak now integrated into the wine."
James Halliday Top 100, The Weekend Australian, 8 - 9 November 2008
86 points
“The 2006 Shiraz Vat 8 is dark ruby/purple-colored with a spice box and blueberry-accented bouquet. This tasty, straightforward wine has good grip and ample ripe fruit. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (USA), 11 September 2008
90 points
“Abundant plum and blackberry fruit on both bouquet and palate; slightly chippy/charry oak doesn’t spoil the party; quite complex and well priced. Surprise gold-medal winner, Sydney Wine Show 2008.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009
84 Points
"This easy-drinking Shiraz features some plummy - almost pruny - fruit aromas, facile plum and berry flavors, little tannin and bright acids on the finish."
Wine Enthusiast, September 2008
"If you're an Aussie Shiraz fan, you'll love this. It has plenty of muscle providing black pepper and dark berry fruit aromas and a generous wave of juicy dark cherry and bramble berry fruit flavours. It's full bodied and fully textured with a lengthy tangy finish - lip-smacking good. Pair this with lamb tenderloins or beef strip loin hot off the barbie."
Victor Harradine, Wine Current, 24 May 2008
“Deen De Bortoli’s Vat Series wines deliver full flavour at a decent price. While I quite like the Vat 10 Pinot Noir, it’s the Shiraz that’s the standout in the reds. Drought conditions in Australia in 2006 led to low crop levels and intensified flavours in the wines. Fruit driven with big alcohol (14%) and velvety tannins, it has hints of spice and vanilla oakiness from a year in wood. Have it with a steak or even a pizza.”
Margaret Swaine, National Post, 23 February 2008
89 points
“…the new vintage of Vat 8 Shiraz is gorgeous. A brand new vintage, and it’s a winner. Aromas of briarwood, blackberry with a hint of smoky bacon. The flavours are plummy, with blackberry, cherry and cedar dominating. The finish has a slightly sweet feel, with black cherry lingering in a very mouth-filling manner. This is sumptuous, but lacks the minty cassis of the fabled 2003.”
Gordon Stimmell - Wine Critic, thestar.com, 13 February 2008
"Shy nose and simple, long and well-structured palate with good depth of varietal fruit and spicy oak."
Winestate, The Top 40 Best Buys Listing, 1 December 2007
"Here's a good one for the glass swirlers, as the nose comes to life giving out cedars, tobacco, gunflint and char over juicy, spiced blackberry fruit showing plenty of weight as all the elements balance. Smart with smoky bbq meats."
Adelaide Advertiser, 21 November 2007
Deen Vat 8 Shiraz 2006, January 1970
