Winemaker Notes
A rich and vibrant dark purple. Black forest fruits, chocolate, vanilla on the nose. The palate consists of flavors of plum and berries, chocolate and has a spice finish. Full bodied, rich; a classic Barossa Shiraz.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An impressive hearty Barossa shiraz with blackberry and dark-cherry aromas, feeding into a succulent, long palate. Plenty of hearty flavor here. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
The Ashmead family farms three shiraz parcels in Barossa, including their home vineyard in Nuriootpa, most of the vines dating to the 1940s. This 2016 is typical of the powerful shiraz they produce, a dense wine, thick in its up-front concentration, then lasting through an expansive finish, where detail in the tannins keeps yielding flavor, from floral notes to salty edges and tangy, tarry, cool freshness. It leaves a brisk impression, ready to take on slow-braised short ribs. Best Buy
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.