Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Entity Shiraz has a deep garnet-purple color and intense notes of kirsch, creme de cassis, menthol, chocolate, anise, spices and tree bark. Rich, concentrated and full-bodied yet not overly alcoholic (14.5% declared alcohol), this is a seamlessly balanced Shiraz unfolding layers of pure dark berry and spice flavors in the long finish. Though approachable now, it should open further in a year or two and drink well to 2020+.
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Wine Enthusiast
Duval's 2008 Entity boasts intense aromas of blackberries, vanilla and coffee, and those notes are echoed in its flavors. It's full-bodied and creamy on the palate, gliding easity into a finely balanced finish, framed by just the right amount of tannin.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and generous, not weighty, offering a ripe mouthful of blackberry, floral and mineral flavors, lingering on the crisp, refined finish. Impressive for its nicely etched flavor profile.
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Wine & Spirits
New oak richness brackets this wine's flavors at the beginning and the end. In the middle, it's packed with blueberry fruit and ironstone tannin, those tannins softened a bit by their time in wood, but still authentic and very present. Give this bottle age to absorb some of its oak; the fruit and structure are there to sustain it.
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.