Winemaker Notes
Deep red with a purple hue. Aromas of black accent fruits like blackberry, juniper, charcutierie and notes of coal dust and aromatic black pepper. Medium to full bodied in weight. Saturates the palate like only a Barossa Shiraz can. Plenty of bounce and energy across the palate with aromatic notes of dried flower, black peppercorns and a good dose of Barossa preserved meats.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very rich, open-knit aromas here with ripe raspberries and blackberries given full voice. The palate’s silky mouth feel carries plenty of blackberry and dark-plum flavor.
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Wine Spectator
Blackberry, spiced plum and lavender details mingle with dark chocolate, black pepper, gunpowder tea and dried porcini mushroom accents that linger on the finish. Tannins are appealingly firm on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As always, sourced from the Barossa Valley, the 2019 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz features darker fruit tones than the McLaren Vale-based Angel's Share. Blackberries and hints of black olive mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lined with supple tannins and brambly spice nuances, leading into a softly dusty finish.
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Wine & Spirits
This rustic Barossa shiraz contrasts the fruit sweetness of violet candies with the saltiness of earthy tannins. The two aspects come together with a lot of umami notes—salty anchovies and fruity mushrooms. Tart acidity keeps it clean. For grilled bratwurst.
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.