Langton’s Selections ^2Chris Ringland Shiraz, Randall's Hill Shiraz (declassified Three Rivers) Chris Ringland Shiraz, formally known as Three Rivers, is an utterly gorgeous wine that not only seduces, bombards and challenges the senses but suggests a deep emotional connection between the winemaker and his vineyard landscape. Technical brilliance, physical resilience and a painterly eye for detail makes this wine a uniquely interesting experience. Ringland is a passionate proponent of Barossa Shiraz. Three Rivers is an impossibly small vinification ranging from 2 to 3 hogsheads, making the total make approximately 100 cases at the very most. The fruit is sourced from Chris Ringland's dry-grown vineyard on the edge of the Barossa Valley – but technically in Eden Valley – along Flaxman’s Valley near Randall's Hill. The "unusually thick skinned" Shiraz is sourced from Chris Ringland's dry grown vineyard, planted originally in 1910 on shallow skeletal granitic sandy loams over underlying clay moisture holding podzols. Ringland believes his century-old vines yield Shiraz of unique lushness, tremendous concentration and unusually thick skins. The Vines will ripen up to 17 degrees Baume yet retain excellent acid balance and flavour. Ringland describes Three Rivers as a celebration of tiny parcels of true vineyard selected fruit. The wines are ‘painstakingly hand made’ in open fermenters, regularly plunged to extract colour, flavour and tannins. After draining and pressing through a traditional wooden basket press, fermentation is completed in 100% new French oak hogsheads. A period of up to 40 months oak maturation follows to achieve optimum complexity and balance between oak and fruit. The very limited release Chris Ringland/Three Rivers is about opulence, flamboyance, richness and concentration. This is a prodigiously important wine, but rare and expensive. Since the waning of the cult wine scene Chris Ringland Shiraz has maintained its strong position on the secondary wine market. In 2005 it was included in Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine debuting at ‘Outstanding’. This reflects a common belief that the wine is something very special and worth seeking out. It is not unusual for bottles to exceed $1000. Andrew Caillard MW, Langton's