SA Wine Guide 2025

Yalmba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021

Soul Growers El Mejor Cabernet Sauvignon Mourvèdre Shiraz 2022

G 96

Medium-deep crimson. Fresh blackberry, negroni aromas with vanilla, espresso notes. Supple and balanced with lovely pure blackberry pastille, chinotto, roasted almond, vanilla flavour and persistent chalky textures. Finishes firm with seductive pure dark and red berry fruits. Beautifully handled wine with the fruit, oak, tannins and alcohol all well integrated. Should develop really well. 14% alc Drink now–2035 Soul Growers Kleinig Single Vineyard Shiraz 2022 G 96 Deep crimson. Pure blackberry dark chocolate aromas with roasted chestnut notes. Richly concentrated choco-berry fruits, supple granular/touch al dente tannins, and well-balanced marzipan, toasty oak notes. Vibrant, elemental and flowing, Should develop very well. Lovely oak handling. Drink 2026–2036 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2019 G 96 This label was one of the earlier Barossa elites and an absolute favourite. Hard to imagine just how much was enjoyed over businessmen’s lunches. Over the years, there has been plenty of competition, but it has always hung in there and with this wine, we see it right back on top. The grapes are 83% Barossa and 17% Eden Valley. The average age of vines used here is a whopping 91 years. The colour here is an inky dark maroon. A gorgeous and gorgeously evocative nose, the wine is plush, saturated in flavours and generous. It exhibits black fruits, cassis, hints of chocolate mud cake, spices, mocha, coffee beans, cocoa powder, soy and liquorice. The use of oak is exemplary, the balance superb and the length just so impressive before finishing with satiny tannins. A 20-year proposition. Drink now–2044 Two Hands Holy Grail Single Vineyard Seppeltsfield Road Shiraz 2022 G 96 From a single vineyard in the Seppeltsfield sub-region of the Barossa, this is under diam. A vibrant purple hue here, this is still tight and restrained, but what a future it offers. We have aromas of black fruits, mocha, axle grease, cloves, liquorice, and dark chocolate. This is still very young and would benefit from a further five or six years in the cellar, before drinking it over the next 10 to 15 years. The palate sees the flavours of chocolate cake emerging. There is oak but it is well integrated. A supple structure with silky tannins, there is very serious length. Seamlessly crafted, this is immaculately balanced. Put simply, it is really good. Drink now–2039 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2019 G 96 Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate, roasted chestnut aromas. Inky deep, voluminous and chocolaty with abundant dark cherry, cassis flavours, fine dense velvety tannins and well-integrated roasted chestnut, marzipan notes. Builds chocolaty firm at the finish with ample dark berry fruits. Elemental and powerfully structured wine with the density, volume and torque for long-term ageing. Keep for a while to allow the elements to fold. A high-quality vintage destined for a great cellaring future. 77% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Barossa Shiraz. 19 months’ maturation in 24% new and seasoned French Barriques. Drink 2027–2040+

Medium-deep crimson. Intense fresh elderberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, hint praline, mint aromas with underlying roasted chestnut notes. Inky deep pure and tight with ample black cherry, blackcurrant, herb garden flavours, plentiful fine loose-knit/slinky touch al dente tannins and well-balanced roasted chestnut, vanilla notes. Finishes claret firm and minerally with some star aniseed notes. 19 months’ maturation in 23% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Generously concentrated wine with beautifully defined dark berry fruits, oak complexity and torque. Should develop very well. Drink 2025–2038 Yalumba The Virgilius Viognier 2022 G 96 Yalumba have long established itself as Australia’s (and one of the world’s) top producer of Viognier and the Virgilius is undoubtedly the leading example of the variety from this country. Fermentation is in mature French oak puncheons with wild yeasts, before 10 months maturation. A green-gold hue. This is a Viognier of excellence and elegance with fine acidity and serious length. The nose exhibits the classic apricot skins characters, spices, ginger and almond kernels. This is balanced, focused and intense, with a firm and yet creamy texture. Expect this to drink exquisitely for the next six to eight years. If you want to see how good local Viognier can be, this is the wine for you. Drink now–2032 Elderton Wines Command Shiraz 2021 G 95+ Medium-deep crimson. Expressive blackberry, black olive mocha roasted chestnut aromas. Rich and voluminous with ample blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate, espresso, roasted chestnut flavours, some flinty notes and long fresh firm chocolaty tannins. Minerally and claret firm at the finish. Should develop beautifully with age.

Drink 2026–2040 14.9% alc Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

G 95+

Medium deepish crimson. Intense blackcurrant, dark chocolate marzipan, roasted hazelnut, aromas with fragrant bell pepper, rose garden notes. Fresh cassis, redcurrant, chinotto, praline flavours, fine supple loose knit graphite tannins and underlying roasted chestnut/ hazelnut notes. Finishes chocolaty firm with fresh long acidity. Medium powered wine with remarkably fine and ripe tannins. Delicious drinking now showing poise and balance, but should enjoy further development. Henschke-embossed bottle. Vino-lok seal. 14% alc Now–2032 Kalleske Wines Johann Georg Shiraz 2020 G 95+ Deep crimson. Very polished wine with lovely dark cherry, blackberry, liquorice aromas with ginger marzipan notes. Concentrated and voluminous wine with dense blackberry, marzipan, ginger flavours and firm gravelly tannins. Builds up claret firm at the finish with pure dark berry fruits and a graphite plume. Lovely wine. Drink now–2038+ 14.5% alc

The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus

South Australia 2024