Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A heady waft of ripe red berries and a freshly mown meadow framed by eucalyptus trees sets the stage for a grand red berry entrance – plush, opulent and proud. This has rich redcurrant and blackberry speaking in a loud, clear voice, with the solid fruit platform propelled by a firm acid seam. It finishes tight, aided by a cluster of fine-grained tannins, which suggests a long, fruitful life in the cellar.
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Australian Wine Companion
A blend of Barossa and Eden Valley shiraz that presents deep crimson in the glass with excellent fruit purity and depth. Juicy plum and black fruits, abundant spice, licorice and dark chocolatey notes. It presents terrific value with a lot of Barossa packed into the bottle, tannins fine and sandy and a seam of fresh acidity as it trails away.
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James Suckling
A dense, focused and well-made shiraz with dark berries, wild herbs, dried flowers and some baking spices. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Generously fruited with a mellow, peppery finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Barossa Shiraz leads with garden roses and sandalwood, arnica and soft licorice, moss and lichen. The wine is red fruited and spicy alongside, with scraped vanilla pod and spicy plums. It feels and tastes like Barossa, without the overt weight and density of other estates. The earthy tannins speak of the Barossa. I love the finish.
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.