HEAD Wines The Brunette Shiraz 2023
G 96
Garnet/magenta, fading to red on the rim. Leather, cassis, dark cherries, blackcurrants, ripe raspberries and a hint of bacon fat, along with delicatessen meats and herbs, with a touch of warm earth. Seamless in structure with a laser-like focus, silky tannins and great length. Intensity throughout, but a wine which has muscle and yet exhibits such immaculate balance. To make the ‘Brunette’, the fruit must come from exceptional vineyards which “represent the ‘dark-side’ of shiraz in the Barossa”. This is a brilliant Barossa Shiraz. Drink now–2045 Head Wines Wilton Hill Shiraz 2022 G 96 The Wilton Hill vineyard in Eden Valley was planted at an altitude of 480 metres back in 1965. Alex uses partial whole bunch fermentation. This wine represents just 0.5% of his total production, so you can be pretty certain that his top fruit is destined for here and the result is a cracker, a wine worthy of the title of Barossa icon. From a top vintage, only 576 bottles were made. Under Diam. The colour is an inky dark maroon with a garnet rim. Still very young, we have notes of chocolate, tobacco leaves, smoked meats, sage, black fruits, coffee beans, beef stock, liquorice and a touch of graphite. The oak integration is exemplary. Structure is immaculate with a silky texture and serious length; this is finely balanced with cushiony tannins. Love it. This wine should provide immense pleasure for the next fifteen-plus years and continue to improve even further over that period. Drink now–2040+ Henschke The Wheelwright Shiraz 2021 G 96 Medium-deep crimson, Intense blackberry, dark chocolate herbgarden aromas with mocha, vanilla notes. Smooth, dense and compact with abundant blackberry, praline flavours, well-balanced espresso, marzipan notes, attractive mid-palate viscosity and plentiful fine bittersweet, touch ferruginous tannins. Finishes firm and tight with persistent dark berry/ brambly/ liquorice notes. A distinctive, sturdy and elemental Eden Valley Shiraz that should unfold with further cellaring. 14% alc Drink 2028–2045
Barossa 2025
35
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