Winemaker Notes
Bouquet: Up-front dark cherry and raspberry fruits with a hint of spice
Palate: The dark cherry and raspberry fruit flavors continue onto the palate and combine with chocolate and spice, offering a burst of lively berry fruit followed by an even, textural experience with smooth and supple tannins. This generous wine proves itself as a benchmark Barossa Shiraz.
This wine will make a perfect complement to the usual suspects: grilled rack of lamb or filet steak. It is also amazingly versatile and will partner nicely with a variety of cuisines - try it with fragrant curries spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. The 2006 Faith Shiraz can also be enjoyed on its own as a glass that bursts with flavor.
Professional Ratings
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.