Fairview, Paarl (South Africa) Shiraz “The Beacon” 2005

($36): Long before Charles Back created his Goats do Roam label, he was making stellar wines at his Fairview property in Paarl, near Capetown.  This Shiraz, named for a nearby surveyor’s beacon, is a big, ripe but well-balanced wine whose herbal aromas capture your immediate attention.  Its appealing combination of black-cherry-like flavors and black peppery notes shows that grape’s great potential in South Africa.  Polished tannins allow you to enjoy it this winter. 90 Michael Apstein Dec 30, 2008