Winemaker Notes
Nose Intense, fresh primary fruit aromas of loganberries and cassis, layered with undertones of spicy pepper and eucalyptus. The combination of sweet and smokey, vanillin oak bouquet adds an extra dimension of depth and complexity to the youthful nose.
Palate Shows an abundance of ripe, concentrated Shiraz berry fruit and spicy, eucalyptus flavours, complexed by smokey, vanillin oak and a hint of volatile acidity (a unique character found in many Barossa Shiraz wines). The mouthfeel is smooth and rounded with firm, yet fine-grained, dusty tannins balanced by a clean, dry acidity and medium weight warm alcohol. The finish displays long and persistent flavours.
Cellaring The wine has many layers of complexity that will develop with maturity and it shows the potential to age gracefully for 10+ years with careful cellaring.
Winemaker's Comments 1996 was an excellent vintage in the Barossa with some truly outstanding parcels of Shiraz. We selected the best batches for their colour and flavour intensity. With two years on oak and eighteen months bottle ageing, this wine has excellent varietal character, it is well structured with good balance, length and persistence.
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.