Winemaker Notes
A blend of their finest Shiraz barrels from across the Barossa Valley region. This is a sumptuous wine, defined by its aromatic complexity and finesse.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Shiraz Bella's Garden is a real gem and well worth seeking out for readers who love high-class Barossa Shiraz. Deep purple-hued with a kaleidoscope-like array of red and black fruits, ground pepper, spice, herbes de Provence, and cured meats, this beauty hits the palate with no hard edges, remarkable purity of fruit, and a great finish. It’s impossible to resist today, and I see no need to delay gratification.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Ripe and silky, the 2017 Bella's Garden Shiraz boasts oodles of black cherries layered with loamy-earthy notes. It's full-bodied and expansive but stays balanced, with supple tannins lingering on the finish.
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.