Hobbs Shiraz, Barossa Valley
Overlooking Flaxman’s Valley, Hobbs Estate is next door to Chris Ringland, who has been a consultant to Greg and Allison since 1995. Their grapes, sourced from dry grown vines that are over 100 years old, produce wines of richness and intensity and are a pure expression of their unique terroir.
The spectacular 2004 Shiraz was sourced from vines planted in 1906 with yields a meager 1.25 tons per acre. It was aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads (300-liter barrels). Opaque purple-colored, it has a superb bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, blackberry, and blueberry pie. This leads to a full-bodied, mouth-filling, opulent wine with layers of flavor, great depth, and a long, 60-second finish. It has enough structure to evolve for 6-8 years and should drink well through 2025.
97 Points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate
The spectacular 2004 Shiraz was sourced from vines planted in 1906 with yields a meager 1.25 tons per acre. It was aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads (300-liter barrels). Opaque purple-colored, it has a superb bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, blackberry, and blueberry pie. This leads to a full-bodied, mouth-filling, opulent wine with layers of flavor, great depth, and a long, 60-second finish. It has enough structure to evolve for 6-8 years and should drink well through 2025.
97 Points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
