Nine Stones Barossa Shiraz 2011
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Other Vintages
2016-
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Nine Stones began as a collaboration between Leonard Paul “Len” Evans, often referred to as “the godfather of the Australian wine industry,” and his friend Denis Powers. Both men are of Celtic origin, and when the opportunity to create a wine brand based on this common ancestry presented itself, they named it “Nine Stones”. The Celts left many groups of standing stones, including Stonehenge. These standing stones or Druids Circles are believed to have been tribal meeting places. They are circular in aspect and amongst all the Celtic tribes, the wheel is the symbol of the Sky-God. This is the number of planets thus nine and its derivatives are “lucky” numbers. The initial three wines releases were of the Shiraz variety, chosen to display the characteristics of the region from which they emanate. Each wasa powerful, fully-ripened example of the variety. Today, the brand is owned and produced by Calabria Family Wines, a dynamic family-owned company that was established in 1945 in the Riverina region. They are committed to producing outstanding premium wines and are proud to carry on Len Evans’ great tradition through the Nine Stones brand.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.