Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert
'The finest vintage to date, better even than the stellar 2010, the 2015 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine De Thalabert is a gorgeous, deep, layered and incredibly satisfying Crozes. Blackcurrants, olive tapenade, truffles and earthy notes all emerge from this full-bodied, gorgeously textured and seamless 2015. With fine tannin and no hard edges, it can be drunk today or cellaring for 15-20 years.' Jeb Dunnuck
Domaine Belle Rouge
Two Hands Yacca Block Shiraz
Kay Bros Amery Block 6 Old Vine Shiraz
Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz is a very powerful, concentrated cellaring style with plenty of fruit richness, chocolaty tannins and underlying malty oak. The 1.6 hectare Block 6, which forms part of the Kay Brother's larger 22 hectare Amery Vineyards, was originally a "pumpkin patch" of old bush vines. The Block 6 fruit is batch-vinified in three to five tonne traditional open fermenters originally built by the Kay Brothers in 1895/6. Some parcels are hand plunged while others are fermented under header boards. At completion of fermentation the wine is drained and basket pressed into a combination of one-third each new, one year old and two year old American and Eastern European oak. Maturation takes place for around 18 to 24 months before assemblage and bottling under screw cap.
Krondorf 121 Settlers Shiraz
Krondorf 121 Settlers Barossa Valley Shiraz The 121 Settlers Old Vine Shiraz is sourced from a single site at the cooler southern extremity of Barossa, in St. Jakobi, abutting the western ridge of the Lyndoch sub-zone. Here, a conflation of red clay and loam promotes earlier ripening, a mitigating factor against inclement weather and the growing risk of early season frosts that Climate Change has foisted upon us. As importantly these dense soils imbue the wines with a firm tannic carriage, ensuring passage to greater complexity in the cellar, while serving as a structural harness for typically exuberant Barossan fruit. The average age of the vines is in excess of 35 years, with gnarled octogenarian survivors among them. Yields are inherently low as the established root systems reach deep below the soils substrata in search of water and the requisite nutrients drawn through it. Yet the fruit that is produced is immaculate: vibrant, concentrated and firmly stamped with the regional postcode of generosity. The winemaking is dutifully sensitive, chaperoning the fruit from vineyard to bottle with minimal intrusion: gravity feeds, gentle pigeage and 16-18 months in used, rather than new, oak. The result is one of dark fruit allusions from plum to blackberry, underlain by a potpourri of spice including black pepper, clove and star anise, all melded to a pungent thread of mineral. The oak is apparent, but only as an adjunct to propel the finish long. As with many Barossan greats, the fruit weight allows for early appeal, albeit, this is a wine that will easily cellar for 15 years onwards.
PARKER ESTATE FIRST GROWTH
Under Wraps Coonawarra Shiraz
It would be fair to say that this wine ticksd about as many boxes as it's possible to tick. One of the oldest and most respected wineries in the region, made by one of Australia's most revered winemakers, an iconic wine, widely regarded as one of the best shiraz in Australia and also an excellent vintage, described as one of the "finest" in it's line - this wine will also last for decades with careful cellaring. Concentrated dark berry and cherry falvours pepper with dark spice - a medium bodied silky Shiraz that is simply beautiful.
ORWynns John RiddochCab 18
The iconic Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, the definitive Coonawarra flagship crafted only in exceptional years from the heart of the terra rossa soil, is now beginning to reveal its incredible potential. This wine is a masterclass in balance and structure, where a seamless line of plush black and red fruits meets layers of eucalypt and exotic spice, with subtle hints of freshly turned earth hinting at maturity. Its powerful yet refined structure, supported by a fine tannin framework, has achieved magnificent balance and length, confirming its status as a world class collectible with many graceful years still ahead in the cellar.
Tyrrell's Vat 9 Shiraz
Z Wine Plowman Dry Grown Shiraz
This wine comes from a meticulously hand manicured small vineyard, that consistently produces superbly concentrated fruit. The cuttings were taken in the late 1960's from the original Penfold vineyard in Magill, dry reared and planted in 1999. This is a rare viticultural practice, and the bravery has paid off in an equally brave wine. True Barossa Valley guts and glory, this demands to be cellared long term. On the nose, you will find brooding forest berry fruits with layers of dark chocolate and black liquorice aromas, with lingering notes of dark cherries. The palate is exceptional. The concentration builds and this wine delivers as one of the best in its class. A distinct individual character has been developed and is rich and fleshy with generous flavours of raspberry, ripe plum and dark berries that are perfectly balanced with hints of kirsh, vanillin spice and savoury earthiness finishing with luxuriously soft tannins.
