Lights Valley Surveyor General Shiraz
Lights Valley wines commemorate Colonel William Light and his discovery and naming of Barossa Valley in 1837. Barossa Valley was named in memory of the British victory over the French in the Battle of Barrosa in 1811. However, due to clerical error the valley was misspelt Barossa. Tasting Notes: The Surveyor General Shiraz offers generous flavours of black fruit, chocolate and hazelnut. Fine tannins provide impressive depth of palate.
Sons of Eden Stauros Mourvedre
Established in 2000, Sons of Eden is intimately involved in all aspects of crafting wines of unquestionable quality, from the vineyard right through to the bottle. Varieties that the Barossa produces to a world standard are hand-picked from 30 unique vineyard sites and handled through Sons of Eden’s minimal intervention small-batch winery. As a result, the wines have a strong sense of individuality. With a combined 50 Barossa vintages amassed between the Sons’, Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham, their focus on crafting world class wines is uncompromising. Stauros is a Mourvedre made from a unique old vine single vineyard and released only in years of exemplary quality. The vineyard site, in the northern Barossa Valley, is set on ancient soils that have been home to naturally occurring, but rare, stone crosses known as Staurolite. This mineral takes its name from the Greek word stauros, referring to cross.
Hentley Farm Black Beauty Sparkling Shiraz Non-Vintage
Founded in 1997 by Keith and Alison Hentschke, Hentley Farm embarked on a remarkable journey with a singular vision: to create exceptional single estate wines that showcase the distinct character of the Barossa Valley. Prior to this endeavour, Keith's extensive credentials in Agricultural Science and Wine Marketing, earned through his studies at Roseworthy College, set the stage for his pursuit of excellence in winemaking. During his years of preparation, Keith diligently explored the region, seeking guidance from local winemakers and viticulturalists who pointed him in the direction of the Barossa's red/brown soil over limestone. Armed with this invaluable knowledge, he strategically located the finest parcels of land using an old soil map from the 1950s. This quest led them to a picturesque mixed farming property nestled among the rolling hills along the banks of Greenock Creek in the western region of the Barossa. Here, they discovered a remarkable diversity of soil types, varying aspects, and altitudes, forming the foundation for their winemaking pursuit. In 2004, Hentley Farm expanded its estate with the acquisition of a neighbouring vineyard that shared the coveted natural amphitheatre of rolling hills surrounding the property. This addition further enhanced the diversity of the site, solidifying Hentley Farm's position as a single estate spanning 150 acres of pure vinous potential. Keith's background as an agricultural scientist played a crucial role in the meticulous exploration and understanding of the land before the planting process could commence at Hentley Farm. With a keen eye for detail, he delved into the unique characteristics of the site, discovering the intriguing influence of altitude differentials and variations in the east-west aspect, which resulted in unexpected microclimates. Collaborating with local viticulturalists, Keith embarked on an extensive endeavour to explore the diverse soils present on the property, employing the excavation of forty soil pits throughout the site. The extraordinary diversity of soil, aspect, and altitude presented both an opportunity and a challenge that demanded careful planning and precision in the vineyard layout. Factors such as varietal selection, clone selection, row spacing, orientation, trellising methods, and water management were meticulously considered. As a result, Keith and his team devised the concept of "viticultural blocks," dividing the single vineyard into nine distinct blocks based on similarities in soil type, aspect, and climate. Each block was further subdivided into rows to account for variations in soil, aspect, and microclimates. The vineyards were planted with a selection of grape varieties, with Shiraz comprising 70% of the plantings, followed by Grenache (17%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Zinfandel (2%), and a small parcel of Viognier (0.5%). In 2002, the first wines from the property were released, showcasing the exceptional results of Keith's meticulous planning and the team's dedication to crafting wines of distinct character and quality. With his tenure beginning in 2008, Head Winemaker Andrew Quin has played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the vineyard, dedicating himself to the creation of contemporary wines that embody the essence of traditional Barossa varieties. Andrew's unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence has left an indelible mark on the vineyard's evolution, ensuring that each bottle reflects the harmonious marriage of time-honoured grape varieties with a contemporary winemaking approach. With a keen focus on showcasing varietal diversity, the wines of Hentley Farm captivate with their allure and accessibility in their youth, while possessing the depth and structure necessary for extended cellaring. Andrew's dedicated stewardship has firmly established Hentley Farm as a prominent boutique winery in Australia, garnering acclaim from around the world, including the prestigious title of 2015 James Halliday Winery of the Year. Every bottle released from Hentley Farm tells a unique tale of the vineyard and the vintage, with production volumes limited by the boundaries of the estate and the conditions of each specific harvest. Hentley Farm Black Beauty Sparkling Shiraz is a traditional Barossa indulgence, and their Seppeltsfield vineyard is the perfect fruit source to produce this homage to the style; rich in flavour with a delightful air of elegance. This sparkling shiraz has a profile of blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, cured meats, peanut brittle, and freshly baked brioche. There is a fine even bead with soft tannins together with balanced acidity and a dry finish.
Krondorf Settler Old Vine Shiraz
On the nose, we find a broad depth of dark and red fruits, concentrated plums and blackberry supported by a backbone of elegant oak with underlying nuances of cedar and spice. Fruit carries through on the palate with luscious berry fruits and graphite, with amazing structure from the red clay soil. Fine, velvety tannins carry through on the lengthy finish. Will benefit from decanting. Drinks well now, or will benefit from cellaring for a further 10 plus years.
Schild Estate Narrow Road Barossa Valley Shiraz
Relish a “magnificent Shiraz" (Wine Orbit) from the Barossa Valley and the Schild Estate's Narrow Road Vineyard, with scores of 93, 94, 95 and 96pts. Ray Jordan WinePilot calls it "a generous wine with excellent structure... Bursts with all manner of dark ripe berry characters from the first take on the nose through to the opulent concentrated palate." Dave Brookes in The Halliday Wine Companion gives it 94pts. "Dark berry compote and blueberry with hints of clove, bay leaf, roasting meats, licorice, dark chocolate, cedar and earth. A modern style with pure fruit leading the way, fine, powdery tannins in support and a long, velvet-like finish.” Sam Kim admires its "... excellent concentration, combined with velvety texture and multi-layered mouthfeel, finishing impressively long and satisfying. 96pts” (Sam Kim, Wine Orbit).
Utopos Cabernet Sauvignon
UTOPOS Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley Utopos is a project by Kym Teusner (Teusner wines) and Neil Panuja, making distinctly Barossan wines out of their vineyard. It is named Utopos in reference to the root word of Utopia, indicating just how special this vineyard is. The Cabernet is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Shiraz. Its made with fruit from vine planted in 2000, and aged in approximately 40% new French oak for 24 months.
Teusner Righteous Grenache
The now much sought after Righteous range of wines from Kym Teusner was first established in 2005 with the Grenache and this is the latest incarnation of this foreboding Barossa wine. Sourced from an 80 year old bush-vine vineyard, the Righteous Grenache was gently crushed and fermented in open fermenters with regular pump-overs. Maturation was completed in a mix of French and American oak and has resulted in a modern classic Grenache.
Teusner Riebke Shiraz
Another hearty expression of Barossa's generous fruit from the impressive Teusner stable. Black olives, black pepper and blackberries, there's a dark side to this feisty Shiraz. Concentrated and thick yet artfully constructed with balance and efficiency.
Wolf Blass Wines Platinum Label Medlands Vineyard Shiraz
WOLF BLASS WINES Platinum Label Medlands Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa Valley