Innocent Bystander Shiraz Viognier 2006
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Wine Spectator
Effusively peppery, with tremendous black and white pepper aromas that lace through the vigorous blackberry, currant and floral flavors, finishing with impressive vibrancy and length. Best from 2009 through 2016.
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2007-
Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert
Innocent Bystander is an estate-based wine grower and winemaker in the Yarra Valley, one hour east of Melbourne, Australia, crafting wines to reflect the purest interpretation of each varietal. Innocent Bystander’s close-knit team has a long standing track record delivering a range of wines with a personality all their own: distinctly regional and varietally expressive. In 2023, its wineries and vineyards were certified sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia.
Winemaking, headed by Joel Tilbrook, is carried out at Innocent Bystander’s modern artisanal winery, a facility designed for hand-crafting small, individual batches of wine with a natural winemaking philosophy, while making quality the priority. Using 100% hand-picked fruit, wild ferments and gravity-flow winemaking techniques, the wines are made with minimal filtration and fining.
Though Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley of France, Australia is home to the oldest Syrah (called Shiraz here) vines on the planet. Found in Australia’s Barossa Valley, where phylloxera has never threated viticulture, these ancient vines are between 140 to 175 years old!
Having brought fame and merit to the country’s wine scene since the early 1950s, namely via the debut of Penfolds Grange, today Syrah (Shiraz) claims rank as the most widely planted grape in Australia. In fact, the amount of land dedicated to Shiraz in Australia is now almost equivalent to what it is in France. Australian Shiraz has its own personality with flavors and aromas of intense blackberry, fruitcake, menthol, tobacco leaf and umami. Conveniently one can find great Australian Shiraz at a variety of price points but the very best will be dense, gloriously complex and capable of long aging.