Winemaker Notes
Full, even, dark ruby-red color, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is elegantly presented, but well-concentrated, the fruit expression a little reserved initially, unfolding vibrant dark raspberries and blackberries, lifted by subtle, fragrant spice notes and aromatic black pepper, licorice and cedar. Full-bodied, the palate features a well-concentrated, tight core of sweetly rich and succulent flavors of dark raspberries and blackberries. The fruit is melded with layers of black pepper, licorice and Asian spices, and shows vitality. Fine-grained, flowery tannins provide strong grip and structure, and the palate flows with acid vibrancy and energy, carrying to a luscious and lingering finish of black fruits and spices. This is a full-bodied, vibrantly rich and succulent Shiraz with blackberry and raspberry fruit, and notes of liquorice, pepper and spices on a fine-textured, well-extracted palate.
Pair with slow cooked brisket, grilled lamb, grass fed beef or a hearty beef stew or, of course, steak.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesA lush, rich, and earthy character meets a meaty, smooth, and toasty palate in this single-varietal wine.
The 3 Rings label was founded in 2004 and soon thereafter was earning 90+ ratings for its Shiraz and
Reserve Shiraz in the world wine media, with the grapes coming from the rich terroir of Australia’s
famed Barossa Valley.
The vineyards for 3 Rings Shiraz lie on an east-west slope with predominantly north-south rows, at an
average age of 35 years. The soils are ancient and primarily clay over calcrete and slate bedrock, moving
to more weathered slate at the bottom of an ancient glacier. Over the hills, the soils are deep, sandy
loam and black clays. The grapes for 3 Rings Reserve Shiraz come from the nearby Kalimna sub-region of Barossa. It is a single vineyard owned by David Hickinbotham (one of the “three rings” of the wine’s name). The terroir here also is sandy loam over black clay -- and the age of the vines is an average of 85 years.
