Winemaker Notes
Aroma: This has a very intense bouquet of mineral, roasted chestnuts, fresh crushed currants, burnt toffee, spices, dark chocolate and lavender; this is brooding and will take a few more months to develop further.
Palate: The palate is very full on and juicy, starting with a huge amount of layered and penetrating black fruits. The mid palate is quite extended and leads nicely to a moderately long and supple finish. This is all very dark fruits, with an almost Christmas cake/chocolate tart-like texture, which is really fun ride. The tannins are initially sweet then bone dry finishing nicely on slow, drawing tannin. This is a drink now wine that will age well in the medium to short term and will give great pleasure for up to 5 years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
On the tart side, with bright berry and pomegranate flavors that zing across fine tannins and linger on the lively finish, hinting at tea at the end. Drink now through 2017. 11,500 cases made.
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.