Winemaker Notes
The Clos Otto has become known for its capacity to combine richness and intensity with complexity and elegance, and this vintage is no different. Rich primary fruit characters of Blackberry, Blueberry and Blackcurrant combine with spices of Nutmeg and Cumin and floral notes of Violet and Jasmine. This nose is made all the more complex with the addition of underlying aromatics of mocha, truffle and mushroom. The palate provides a silky texture that coats the palate without overpowering, providing length and ageability. flavors persist from start to finish and mirror the balance and complexity shown on the nose.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Maintaining a very youthful deep garnet-purple color, the 2013 Shiraz Clos Otto is a little coy and mute to begin, opening out to crushed blackberry, cassis and licorice notes with dark chocolate, violets and underbrush in the background plus a peppery waft. Full-bodied but in no way over-ripe, it is densely packed and complex, with firm, grainy tannins and enough acid to lend freshness through the very long, multi-layered finish. Forget about it for 3-5 years and drink it over the next 15-20.
Rating: 96+ -
Wine Spectator
Smooth and thick, this drips with dark chocolate accents to the kirsch, raspberry puree and rosemary flavors. Shows plenty of power and torque on the finish, which sails on. Drink now through 2030.
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.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.