is Yalumba’s The Octavius Shiraz, which will be launched through La Place de Bordeaux in September with the 2018 vintage. The inclusion of 1854 shiraz material in the wine is mindboggling to the Bordeaux négociants who live their lives through the prism of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Other labels also show wonderful promise as regional stalwarts. Chateau Tanunda has impressively pushed forward the Barossa’s old vine agenda. Soul Growers is also making wines of beautiful complexity and character. Alex Head, once my auction manager at Langton’s, has shown great fortitude and persistence in creating modern classics. An embarrassment of riches would be the best way to describe Barossa Shiraz. Few disappoint, most are pleasing, and many are exceptional. Among the standout performers are Arila Gardens, John Duval Wines, Gibson, Michael Hall Wines, Hare’s Chase, Laughing Jack, St Hugo, Max & Me, Orlando, Paulmara, Planta Circa, Poonawatta, Rosenvale, Sons of Eden, Tarrawatta, Thistledown, and Thorne-Clarke. The shiraz wines tasted in this review were, in general, very well made and possessing indisputable regional characteristics. The superb aromatics, buoyancy of fruit, and chocolaty textures reflect a place where the variety has found a perfect home. While winemakers inevitably are trying to find a style that suits their own source blocks and vineyards, the best examples are the shirazes that show varietal definition, richness of flavour, and suppleness. These come in all sorts of guises, but ultimately there is a uniformity in quality, reflecting skill, experience, and the benefits of technological breakthroughs over the years. There are of course outliers: some which are picked early or made with Burgundian- type techniques. Wine enjoyment is much like music, and if made well, will always find a fan base. The 2018 vintage, some released this year, has proved exceptional, and has been followed up by a very decent 2019 vintage. Very good wines were made in 2020, but the cool-to-mild and longer growing season leading up to the 2021 vintage contributed significantly to the lovely gloss, buoyancy, and freshness of these wines. Many will have very good ageing potential.
to the 1888-planted Kalimna Block 42 vineyard and c1890s Woodlands Zimmerman Vineyard, highlighted visions for claret-type wines, which were also popular in England. As the wine market changed with social expectations and living standards, so too did wine styles. The evolution of Barossa Shiraz over the last 40 years, for instance, highlights a compounding rate of knowledge in all aspects of viticulture, winemaking, and wine trade. When I recently tasted a series of Hill of Grace vintages dating back to 1958, I was struck by the continuity of quality, the impact of the growing seasons, and the fidelity of the vineyard site. On a more subliminal level were the topics of sustainability, winemaking techniques, oak maturation, and heritage. The natural sovereignty of the local Aboriginal community was also respectfully acknowledged. Not all of these things intrinsically change the biochemistry of wine, but ultimately the experience of fine wine is all about a voice of place. The taste of Hill of Grace Shiraz hasn’t really changed that much in 60 years, but the feeling about the wine – what it stands for and its place in the pantheon of fine wine – has transformed immeasurably. The experience is, therefore, massively different today than 25 years ago.
Ultimately, the experience of fine wine is all about a voice of place.
Barossa Shiraz is one of Australia’s most important wine types, and it is unsurprising that this review is overwhelmingly dominated by this genre. Over the last 40 years, the secondary wine market has also acknowledged Barossa Shiraz as the leading collectible wine at auction. Barossa Valley Estate, Glaetzer, Grant Burge, Elderton, Greenock Creek, St Hallett, Henschke, Kaesler, Kalleske, Langmeil, Peter Lehmann, Charles Melton, Pewsey Vale, Chris Ringland, Rockford, Penfold’s Seppeltsfield, Standish, Torbreck, Turkey Flat, and Yalumba are all strongly associated with the Barossa’s fabric and reputation. This is a credit to the region’s community, who have built remarkable credibility by creating authentic wines with impressive backstories. Among those
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
Barossa 2023
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