Schild Estate 08 Barossa Shiraz

Wine is such a perplexing subject sometimes. The 08 Schild Estate Barossa Shiraz was awarded 8th best wine in the American based Wine Spectators yearly evaluation report of all the tastings conducted through out the year. Yet James Halliday rated the same wine only 87 points in his annual guide. Yes I respect that some questions have surfaced about a second bottling to fill orders was not the same wine! The bottle in front of me does not have the markings of this second run so I must believe that it is the wine that spectator rated so highly. Good, solid deep Barossa fruit is the hall mark of the style and this wine has that in spades. The tell tale savoury almost earthy finish showing some bottle development was also appreciated. If I was a person who rated wines tasted by numbers, which I am not by the way, this wine would in my opinion be a solid 91+. The beauty of this subject is, I suppose totally subjective.