is bringing growers higher prices than their best Shiraz. Today, the best examples avoid any jamminess or the appearance of dilution. They are wines of subtlety, complexity and elegance, soft yet generous of flavour with purity of fragrances and an intriguing blend of silky/sandy tannins, and with an explosion of flavour on the finish. The variety seems to prefer older, larger oak while aromatics and structure are what distinguish the better offerings. The vast majority of the gems we tasted for this Guide for the Barossa came from one or another of these grapes, or a blend of them. The world has embraced these wines. What makes them even more special is that many of these wines derive from grapes from vines which are more than a century old. There is more, of course. Riesling and Semillon dominate the whites, although Riesling is more at home in neighbouring Eden Valley, along with Chardonnay, as well as some of the emerging Mediterranean varieties like Fiano and Vermentino (the Mediterranean having a climate reminiscent of the Barossa). Semillon is very different to that which we see from the Hunter Valley. It often enjoys time in oak, and there can be some attractive toast and honey notes, which are evident in these full-throated wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, and to a lesser extent the other Bordeaux varieties, has long had a home here. Anyone looking for the grace, perfumes and elegance that Cabernet might provide in Bordeaux or even Margaret River should stick to those regions. In warmer climates like Barossa, especially when enjoying a cooler vintage or from a cooler site, we have bold and rich wines, full of flavour, wines which will
The Barossa Valley. Photo: Wine Australia
South Australia 2024
63
Powered by FlippingBook