Summer Wine Guide 2023

2020 Elderton Command Shiraz

G 96

A beautifully made wine and highlights the warmth, generosity and vigour of top-notch Barossa Shiraz. With its glossy deep crimson colour, ripe dark cherry, dark chocolate aromas and flavours, velvety firm tannins and underlying new oak, it captures the essence of an exceptional yet small-yielding vintage. The acidity is linear and fresh, giving the wine attractive mineral length. 2028–2040 2021 Seppeltsfield The Southing Shiraz G 96 Deep crimson. Intense and classic dark berry, praline aromas with roasted chestnut, hint marzipan notes. Supple with fresh dark plum, blackberry fruits, fine persistent chocolaty/velvety textures and integrated praline/ roasted almond notes. Finishes chocolaty and long with vanilla/cedar, aniseed notes. Impressively balanced with superb generosity, freshness suppleness and length. 14 months in French oak hogsheads. From the Chooks Block, Lyndoch. Now–2030 2020 Chapel Hill The Vicar Shiraz G 96 Deep crimson. A classic McLaren Vale Shiraz with blackberry, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf/rusty aromas. Deeply concentrated and compact with ample dark berry dark chocolate flavours, fine muscular/ ferruginous tannins and well integrated mocha notes. Finishes grippy firm with pure dark berry fruits. Well balanced wine with lovely density, vigour and impact. Now–2035 2021 Krondorf Stone Altar Shiraz G 96 Medium-deep crimson. Beautiful ripe blackberry, dark plum, liquorice aromas with roasted walnut hint wax polish. Lovely claret style wine with plentiful dark berry fruits, fine grainy/cedar tannins and underlying mocha notes, finishes firm and tight with pure blackberry fruits and a fine tannin plume. 14 months’ maturation in 25% new and 75% seasoned French oak hogsheads. Now to 2032 2020 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz G 96 Deep crimson. Fragrant inky, blackberry, graphite aromas with hints of roasted walnut and spice. Complex and evolved, with blackberry, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, chinotto flavours, fine loose-knit lacy chalky firm tannins, and underlying graphite, walnut notes. Finishes claret firm and tight. A refined style with lovely complexity and mineral length. Should develop very well. 100% Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, 12 months’ maturation in large seasoned oak vats. 2025–2040

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