Big Barossa Red. Expect black fruits, licorice, aged balsamic vinegar and menthol with sweet oak flavours hovering. It's on the cusp of being too ripe, but the acidity and fleshy tannins plus its drive, keep it in check. One for the fans.
95 points, Wine Companion (January 2020)
Deep red colour with a good purple tint. The bouquet is spicy and complex, elegant and restrained, with star anise and balsamic herb accents, a hint of Campari and attendant herbal bitterness, the palate full-bodied and powerful with a long-lasting aftertaste. A big, bold and very impressive shiraz. Some acceptable bitterness in the tannin/alcohol combination. A long-term wine.
95 points, The Real Review (February 2020)
Thick, rich, sweet and luscious. Concentrated plum jam flavour, cloves, graphite and woodsmoke. Cream-like texture. You don’t just pour this wine; you ooze it into the glass. Fine-grained tannin lends shape, and while it’s overwhelmingly made in a warm/rich style, it maintains good overall balance.
94 points, The Wine Front (November 2020)
Planted in 1899 at Marananga and sustainably farmed. Concentrated layers of black fruit, licorice and spice, and while dense, tannins are smooth, all neatly tucked in, leaving an agreeable savoury texture. As with the other wines in this stable, acidity is fresh and lively.
95 points, Wine Companion (January 2019)
Fruit off the estate's Marananga vineyard planted in 1899. The wine is matured in 35% new French oak and aged 16 months. It's full-bodied, bold and rich with densely packed tannins and all manner of dark fruit, spice and gravelly/ironstone notes. Retains purity, even a brightness.
96 points, Wine Companion (January 2018)
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.