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SOUL GROWERS Equilibrium Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre, Barossa Valley

This bright, juicy Grenache displays peppery notes, along with raspberry, cherry and wild strawberries on the palate. Balancing blueberry and sandalwood, it finishes with a floral high note. Absolutely scrumptious.

A myriad of mulberry, wild thyme and enticing savoury undertones are interwoven with layers of ripe summer berries. The palate displays both generosity and restraint, with plump and supple tannins that are supported by an amalgam of summer ripened plums.

Though part of the Barossa, the Eden Valley is a slightly cooler climate than the neighbouring Barossa Valley, so generally produce Shiraz that is slightly more elegant in style. That said, the Eden Hall Shiraz is a wine that is not only rich, vibrant and full of life today, it will also hang in for the long haul.

From vines over or approaching 100 years old, this was open - fermented with wild yeast, then spent 18 months in some new, mainly old, French oak barriques. Concentration shows in the colour and aroma of this shiraz, as well as the powerful, full-bodied palate, which shows guts and grip, if not great elegance. Dense chocolate and blackberry aromas are a feauture of this beautiful wine.

John Duval was the Chief Winemaker at Penfolds from 1986 - 2002, entrusted to make some of Australia's most iconic wines. This traditional old vine blend is a superb expression of the Barossa. Savoury, spice and subtle oak sweetness on the nose lead to smooth, seamless palate laden with plum jam and liquorice fruit.

Hentley Farm was established in 1997 by Keith and Alison Hentschke, who had a single vision to craft exceptional single estate wines from the Barossa Valley. Using an old soil map from the 1950’s to strategically locate the best parcels of land, they discovered a mixed farming property set among the rolling hills on the banks of Greenock Creek in Barossa’s west, with remarkable diversity of soil types, and varying aspects and altitudes. In 2004, the estate was extended with the purchase of a neighbouring vineyard which shared the treasured natural amphitheatre of rolling hills that surround Hentley Farm and resultant diversity of site. This single estate of 150 acres is Hentley Farm. Beyond the single vineyard estates, Hentley Farm produce a portfolio of modern wines sourced from select vineyards across the Barossa including a range of wines under the Villain & Vixen label. As villains against convention we favour vixen like elegance, textural wines with enhanced vibrancy of fruit and varietal characteristics.

Kaesler’s new Reach for the Sky collection seeks to combine thoughtful winemaking and regenerative viticulture to create vibrant and unique wines that reflect the diversity of the Barossa, while honouring the ancient vines from the estate. At Kaesler our younger vineyards have been planted using cuttings from our icon vineyards (Old Bastard, Alte Reben etc). It’s part of the journey to ensure we don’t lose our unique genetic material as we know it’s so special to our wines and to the Barossa. Reach for the Sky parcels are selected from blocks that stylistically suit a more bright, fresh and vibrant style of wine that is made to be soft and approachable. VINTAGE CONDITIONS The 2021 vintage was in a word ‘Brilliant’. Barossa saw cool and dry conditions which has produced excellent quality reds and whites. Great growing conditions combined with good yields created a memorable harvest, with all wines showing a wide array of aromas and flavours. Soft supple tannins are in abundance in the reds which has ensured easy drinking in their youth, with careful cellaring also reaping rewards. The highlight for 2021 was the overall quality, a genuine 10/10 season. WINEMAKING All three varieties are picked and fermented separately prior to blending before it goes to bottle. Getting the blend right can be one of the most challenging part of the winemaking process as once its blended, it can’t be undone! Fortunately we were blessed with excellent quality for all three varieties from the 2021 vintage, which is a major reason why we have similar percentages of each variety in the blend. Best enjoyed slightly chilled! APPEARANCE: Deep crimson, bright hue. BOUQUET: Lifted red cherry, some dark brambly fruit with savoury spice from the Moucredre coming through. PALATE: Rich plum, with a dense middle palate with a soft pure fruited finish. Fresh and vibrant, it hovers between medium and full bodied, the blend displays all the hallmarks of each of these great varieties perfectly. FOOD MATCH: Tender red meat dishes with roasted mushrooms, or a charcuterie board is a great match.

The family Grenache block on Thiele Road in Bethany are one of the old vines planted in the 40's and still producing fantastic fruit today. Schwarz has dark inky purple colour with a great aromas of sour cherry, ripe dark fruits and a hint of fresh raspberry on the nose. Although not fruit driven, the red fruits characters are lifted with some earthy oak undertone on the palate. Hint of fresh spices with some subtle tannin towards a rather long finish. A bold wine with a difference.