The Malbec fruit is sourced from Lodge Hill. Malbec, whose spiritual home is in Cahors in France in beloved of Southern French palates that enjoy full flavours and meaty dishes even in the warm weather, not unlike those of Australians. The middleweight Malbec is long and firmly tannic, showing plums, tobacco and ironstone. These are very well made wines, respectful of their past yet looking to the future.
Focusing on the label of wine can often mean there’s not enough going on in the bottle. But not in this case. The wine delivers a full and layered palate experience. While the label is an honest homage to the wines sold by Jim and Nancy Barry under their St Clare Cellars label before the name changed to Jim Barry Wines. Charmingly retro, the livery is a good reminder that the history of Cabernet and Malbec (and the Barrys) in the region goes back a long way; and the Clare Valley remembers.
'Cabernet and Malbec have a strong history in Clare.'
Sam Barry
"This retro range is striking in its embrace of regional Clare Valley nuance, with a mid-weighted riff of firm, savoury tannins and drinkability. Gritty, even. After-dinner mint, plum and mulberry notes careen along rails of very firm, au naturelle tannins. Considerably more astringent than its cab/malbec brethren."
92 points, Wine Companion (December 2017)
"Has the classic Malbec profile of plum, musk, and roses, with a little Clare Valley mint. Medium-bodied, some tobacco in there too, and a kind of water-coloured flavour profile, but scaffolded with grainy ironstone tannin, fresh acidity, and a crisp red-fruited finish of good length, infused with perfume and dried herb. It’s a fine and beautiful wine, for sure. So much charm."
94 points, The Wine Front (May 2018)
"Malbec has this irrepressible energy to it when it's grown in the right place, and it's clearly happy in the Barry family's Lodge Hill Vineyard. These 20-year-old plantings have delivered a gently glossy array of blackcurrant and red-plum flavors and polished tannins that grasp the finish in a handy style. The length is impressive."
94 points, JamesSuckling.com (August 2018)
The Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is located two hours north of Adelaide in the Mount Lofty ranges. The region was settled by John Horrocks who encouraged his servant James Green to plant the first vines in 1842. Climate in the Clare Valley is continental with hot summers, cold winters and low rainfall that necessitates supplementary irrigation. Soils in the valley are predominantly red brown loams over shale, permitting excellent drainage. Many of the best vineyards are located at higher elevations of 400-500m on sites that take advantage of the cool breezes that funnel up the corrugation of hills from the south. The Clare Valley is renowned for its zesty fruit-pure Rieslings particularly from the sub-regions of Polish Hill and Watervale. The region also produces intense age-worthy sturdy reds from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.Jim Barry
Jim Barry, named after the eponymous founding wine maker, is one of the stalwart wineries of the Clare Valley. In 1959 the late Jim Barry purchased land near the township of Clare, replanting much of it to vineyard. Under the leadership of managing director Peter Barry and sons Tom and Sam Barry the brand has gone from strength to strength. Jim Barry is best known for its flagship Shiraz The Armagh, but also produces an impressive range of wines including Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyard holdings in the Clare Valley and Coonawarra.
