Posted on 28 October 2023.
This release is a blend of five vineyards, Barossa and Eden Valleys, and is the only wine to come out of this project for commercial release in 2022. While the five vineyards combine, there is also a barrel of 2021 Dero in the wine, a barrel of 2021 Le Bomb and a splash of pinot noir. There’s a lot of winemaking and blending that goes into this wine, dare we say a bit reminiscent of the Sami Odi motif, albeit not quite the mathematics there. That being said, big effort to get five vineyards, largely whole bunch, to ferment away and then blend and add in a parcel that spends extended time on skins, plus the cellared wine, and the pinot noir, all together and coherent and 13.9% alcohol. Only eight barrels of sixteen produced made it into this wine.
It’s a ripper. It has this levity and freshness that Barossa shiraz can miss, yet maintains this swarthy depth, grunt and lavish array of spice, wood seasoning, herbal inflection, ripe and less ripe fruit character, Italianate tannin and general crunch. Scents of red berries, black cherry, cocoa powder, Aussie bush, sandalwood and Chinese five spice. Flavours similarly set, gnarly in the weave of sandy tannin with a cool undertow of maraschino cherry juice spiked with a orangey tang, orange amaro and crushed rock minerality. A reserved, almost nebbiolo-like tension and compactness. Sheesh, gulp away!
Mike Bennie.
Rated : 96 Points
Tasted : OCT23
Alcohol : 13.9%
Price : $45
Closure : Diam
Drink : 2023 - 2030
