Lots of goodness here starting with Forester's multiple Trophy winning Shiraz. This is 86% Margaret River Shiraz blended with Fer. Fer is an ancient varietal, likely of Basque country origin which is widely planted in Southwest France, and generally makes up 100% of reds coming out of the Marcilliac region. It is prized for its impenetrable black coloring and density of fruit. Flavours sit in the blackberry, cherry and black tea spectrums, and the variety also typically offers a pleasing smokiness. Next up, the Angas King Reserve Clare Shiraz, which is black, rich and smooth. Dowie Doole's Architect might be the best Shiraz in the pack - it offers incredible density of fruit and great length. Finally, Dune's Empty Quarter is McLaren Shiraz blended with a little Grenache, Mataro and Touriga. Medium bodied and fragrant, this really is delightful. The whites are all Riesling, Lone Palm's Old Vine Eden, packed with steely citrus and offering excellent persistence and Kilikanoon's linear Clare lovely. Oh, we've rounded out the pack with a bonus bottle of Yaldara's $250 RRP Grand Cuvée Shiraz!
The 2021 Yaldara Grand is a straight Shiraz, owing to the concentration and profundity of the Shiraz fruit from this vintage. Unsurprisingly, this offers more power and concentration than any previous vintage. A massive, deep and complex expression of the best bits of the Barossa Valley. Dark chocolate, liquorice, tobacco leaf, blue and black fruits, cedar, cassis, plums, cherries, spice and plenty of cedary oak and tannins. Incredible.
Only tiny quantities are made of the Dowie Doole Architect wines, which are the product of the finest of Dowie Doole's A-grade fruit from each vintage ('21 being an incredible vintage has elevated this even further). The '21 is exceptional, and represents a barrel selection chosen from only A-grade parcels from the old, dry-grown Blewitt Springs vineyard. There's brightness with density of blue and black fruits, cedary oak, gravelly tannins and exceptional length.
Gold, top gold and 2 trophies - Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Best Shiraz 2022 and younger, Best Shiraz in Show, 1 Gold elsewhere
A supremely confident and self-assured wine, with exceptionally bright yet intense red and blue fruits, and spice. Texture is wonderful, the acid tannins balance perfect and the finish a beautiful amalgam of fine fruit tannins and cedary, chewy oak tannins which add complexity. An amazing wine comprising 86% Shiraz and 14% Fer. Fer is an ancient varietal, likely of Basque country origin which is widely planted in Southwest France, and generally makes up 100% of reds coming out of the Marcilliac region. It is one of the grandparents of the superb Carmenere varietal and is prized for its impenetrable black coloring and density of fruit. Flavours sit in the blackberry, cherry and black tea spectrums, and the variety also typically offers a pleasing smokiness.
Gold Medal Royal Adelaide Wine Show, 94pts Wine Front, 95pts James Halliday
Power, fragrance and balance. This wine manages to offer all three, with fresh red and blue fruits, floral aromatics and a palate that's both crunchy and smooth, and laden with mulberry, cherries, marzipan, vanilla, cured meats and white pepper. A stunner!
Serious, old vines Riesling this- with an expressive florality backed by intense fruit, minerality and great length. White flowers, Tahitian lime, minerals and more. An absolute joy to drink!
A glorious Riesling from the 2022 vintage, widely considered the equal of the great 2002 and 2021 vintages. Stephen Pannel commented that, “2022 (Clare) Rieslings are particularly strong, the stylish nature of these wines and the purity of their varietal character show the strength of the beautiful Clare Valley as a Riesling stronghold." So here's the Kilikanoon Meyman's, more linear and higher in acid than the 2021 but still built around lemons and limes, offering minerality and brilliant length and intensity. Can be cellared for a decade or more.
Rich, black, dark, deep, black curranty, powerful and well oaked. Blackcurrant, black olives, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, velvety goodness here. A superb follow-up to the excellent 2017 vintage.
