Hentley Farm Clos Otto is hard to get - no surprise given its $290 price tag and 98 point scores from both Huon Hooke and James Halliday. We managed to get another bite at the cherry, from Hentley's museum stock- just enough to create a v2.0 of this ripping, subscriber-only pack. Kilikanoon's Revelation is even harder to get... with only 4 vintages released since 2010, all miniscule production. This doz will give you one bottle of 2018 and one of 2019. It is a Grange killer! See also Irvine's Grand Merlot, unequivocally the best Merlot made in Aus, reflected by its $150 a bottle price tag. Dandelion's Red Queen Shiraz, tiny production off a 100+ year old vineyard, is a complex stunner which sells for $350 a bottle. We've also included the 96 and 97 point Neldner and Lone Palm Selection Shiraz, worth $150 and $250 respectively, both exceptional examples of what A-grade fruit and high-end oak are capable of producing out of the Barossa. More? Ok, a beautifully crafted Champagne which has spent 2 years on lees. There's also a stunning reserve Chianti, a magical GSM from the Rhône Valley and an exquisite Nebbiolo from Piemonte. These are all superb. This pack will likely sell out very quickly.
Unequivocally the finest of the five vintages of Revelation that have been released between 2010 and 2024, this is made in tiny quantities; fewer than 3,000 bottles were produced of this flagship Kilikanoon Shiraz.
Just 1725 bottles were made of this incredible Shiraz made from the best parcels of fruit grown by Kilikanoon in 2018. Complex and refined, this wine offers blueberries, blackberries, cherry, dark chocolate, incredible quality French oak, effusive acidity and perfectly modulated tannins. It has massive fruit intensity but is so well balanced it drinks well already AND will cellar for 20 years plus.
Sorry, this product is not available individually, only in packs.
Aussie Merlot doesn’t get more complex or highly awarded than Irvine’s Grand Merlot, twice recipient of the best Merlot in the world award. Recent releases are even better structured and livelier thank the oldies, and we are confident the 2018 will improve for 10 years plus. The 2018 exceeds the power and complexity of the 2017 vintage, adding a rich sheen of plum and fig to the mix of violet, blueberry, dark chocolate and five spice. Excellent acidity and plenty of fine French oak here too. Decant for several hours before drinking.
Less than 200 dozen were produced of this magnificently concentrated and impossibly smooth beast. The best fruit is hand selected from the lowest yielding rows of the winery's best vineyard in Marananga. This was supplemented in '23 by fruit which used to supply the incredible Magpie Estate Malcolm Shiraz. Some whole bunch and 100% whole berries are fermented slowly in open fermenters before basket pressing into French oak. Liquorice, star anise, cassis, plum, dark chocolate, blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrants can all be found here. Fruit intensity and length are profound. An utterly brilliant wine.
Every vintage thus far has been compared favourably to Penfolds Grange and no doubt the '23 will enjoy the same accolades. Handpicked grapes from an 80 year old contoured vineyard in Gomersal; long, slow fermentation including more than 10% whole bunch fruit before basket pressing into 30% new oak inc. both French and American. A stunningly perfumed nose leads to a palate with exceptional structure and richness. Blue fruits, black fruits, coffee, cherries, red plum, dark chocolate, spice and fine, powdery tannins to finish. A pinnacle Barossa Shiraz experience.
A tiny patch of 111 year old Eden Valley Vines produces miniscule bunches of velvety Shiraz which are fermented wild with a high percentage of whole bunches. Lots of new oak here, lots of dark cherry, spice, plum, chocolate, black pepper and licorice. Good already with the promise of becoming exceptional.
Produced in Piedmont, specifically in the famed Langhe Hills, this beautifully structured Nebbiolo is aged for 12 months in a combination of large format French oak and stainless steel. This is more approachable than an equivalent Nebb from Barolo, the tannins, whilst noticeable and an important part of the wines structure, being less strident than you'll find in most wines from nearby Barolo or Barbaresco. Lots going on here from violet and red fruit aromatics, fresh straw, vanilla, liquorice and spice through truffles, which will continue to develop as the wine ages, plus tobacco and dark chocolate. A stunner after decanting and will cellar magnificently.
2020 was a low cropping, intensely fruited vintage - fairly consistently warm and foliage was retained until harvest; qualities which have led to an excellent vintage! This is a powerful wine with plenty of chalky tannins, so double decant a few hours before getting stuck into this one, and when you do, consider pairing with a lump of quality protein - will work beautifully with this wine's tannin profile. Red fruits here, dried cherries, tobacco, spice, hints of balsamic, oregano, coffee and more. This is complex, powerful and long, delightful now with a decant and one you can cellar for more than a decade.
98pts James Halliday, 98pts Real Review, 96pts Winefront
This is an exceptionally dense and concentrated Barossa Shiraz, which nonetheless evinces an elegance and grace which belies that power whilst multiplying its impact. Incredible. Just 12 Barossa Shiraz have scored higher than the 98/100 the 2021 Clos Otto has just received from the Wine Companion. 12 wines across the entire history of the Wine Companion. 5 of those were for various vintages of Penfolds Grange.
Winefront 96/100
'Gee, it’s some wine. Outstanding.'
The Real Review 98/100
'...retains tension and focus right to almost never-ending finish. A benchmark of Barossa'
James Halliday's Wine Companion 98/100
'...a study in fruit density and grace ... plush fruit and latent power. Some finish, too! Long, sustained and rich, it's a no-brainer'
97pts Kim Brebach, 96pts Sam Kim, 95pts Ray Jordan, Gold AWC
Bright red fruit wrapped in the silk and spice you’d expect from a classic McLaren Vale Shiraz. Generous yet balanced, with a vibrant acidity that lifts the fruit. Layers of well-integrated oak add structure, making this a wine that will cellar beautifully for 10+ years.
A full flavoured Champagne this comprising 60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne. The wine is aged on lees in a bottle for a minimum of 2 years. As a result, autolytic breakdown of the yeast cells is well underway and imparts a lovely brioche character to the fruit which comprises powerful green apples, a lick of lemon and a hint of grilled nuts.
Red fruited, black fruited, aromatic, juicy, rich, with satsuma plum fleshiness and juice. Cloves, smoked meat, cinnamon and spice. Powerful! Opens superbly with decanting and definitely worth having with food. This is an organic and biodynamic wine. There is a little CO2 trapped in the wine as a preservative, so give it a vigorous decant before drinking.
