Winemaker Notes
Vibrant crimson with garnet hues. Intense and alluring aromas of fresh raspberries, dark plums and cumquat are complemented beautifully by savoury nuances of mace, nutmeg, cracked black pepper, anise and Dutch licorice. The palate is pure and concentrated with ripe raspberry and dark plum flavours balanced by hints of chicory, candied orange and black pepper; complex layers of texture, minerality and fine-grained velvety tannins with an exceptionally long finish.
Pair with rag pasta with forest mushrooms, broccolini, peas, almonds and goats curd.
Blend: 79% Grenache, 21% Mataro
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A mid-ruby color, segueing to aromas of satsuma plum, kirsch, pomegranate, ume, sassafras and damson. Some-orange rind edges, as well as more resinous notes of briar and smoked meats. Mid-weighted of feel and finely tuned. A taut wine, reliant on a mandala of chalky, fine boned tannins for tension, savoriness and immense pleasure. Delicious grenache-dominant wine of a contemporary sheen. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Johann's Garden comprises 92% Grenache and 8% Mataro. The nose leads with that sweet roast meat spice, cranberries, black cherry, layers of coulis and exotic spice. In the mouth, the wine is shaped by ductile, clothy, firm tannins (fine, though) and concentrated fruit. This is a really lovely wine: fierce and flowing, lively and restrained.
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Wine Spectator
There's a sense of restraint and elegance, with dried currant and plum flavors that mingle with aromatics including dried rose petal and violet, plus a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Dense, with muscular tannins covered in a silky accent. Grenache and Mataro.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.