Winemaker Notes
Lifted aromas of red currant, pomegranate, red cherry and red plum. The secondary aromas of spice and earthy, such as clove, star anise, bay leaf and wild thyme add complexity. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a dense core of plush red-berried fruits whilst leaning towards the savory side. Firm tannins envelope the mouth and provide depth and a plushness with an elongated finish. The 2021 Steading is indicative of the harvest from low yielding old bush vines hat produced high quality wines.
Pair with game meats poultry or Chinese roast pork.
Blend: 51% Grenache, 28% Shiraz, 21% Mataro
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 The Steading is incredibly sweet on the nose: summer raspberries, blood plums, black cherry, licorice, star anise, some cardamom and chewing tobacco. This offers insane value for money, at around $40AUD, but then, I feel like it has been that price for at least a decade, so it has been an insane value for a long time. This is reliable, delicious, complex, plush/generous and, through the lens of this lovely cool vintage, a superstar. The best yet.
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James Suckling
I like the tannin tension to this with berry, dried meat and spice aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with a firmness and brightness. Juicy finish. Nice texture at the end. Vivid. Grenache, shiraz and mataro.
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Wine Spectator
Wonderfully dense, with notes of toasted chestnut, bittersweet chocolate, spiced plum and fleshy black cherry, plus details of cardamom, tobacco and fresh-cracked black pepper. Delivers dense tannins that firm up on the finish but never get in the way of the flavors. Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro. Drink now. 5,000 cases made, 385 cases imported.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromatic and layered, this plump GSM offers oodles of currant and blackberry fruit alongside peppercorn and spicy beef-jerky notes. It’s full bodied and fruity with silky texture, lovely freshness and powerful tannins. Approachable now with an autumnal meal, this should cellar nicely over the next several years
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.
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.