This eJournal explores the history and terroir of the Barossa combined with over 200 reviews of new releases by Andrew Caillard MW and Andrea Pritzker MW.
ANDREW CAILLARD MW & ANDREA PRITZKER MW
VINTAGE JOURNAL − REGIONAL FOCUS −
BAROSSA 2024
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CONTENTS
The Barossa
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Barossa Bloodlines
11 12 21
Barossa Old Vine Charter (2009) The Barossa Grounds Study
Tasting Notes Cabernet and Blends Grenache and Blends
26 34 42 74 78 82 83
Shiraz and Blends
Other Reds
Riesling Semillon
Other Whites
‘Few disappoint, most are pleasing, and many are exceptional.’
THE BAROSSA
A sense of unity is the Barossa wine region’s great strength. Almost all of its successes since the 1840s stem from the local wine industry members helping each other out. Although there have been tragedies, economic downturns and unexpected events, the Barossa has always prevailed. Since the earliest beginnings of a Barossa wine industry, the community has responded and adapted to the challenges of the times. Grape growing and winemaking began because early English settlers failed in their endeavours to farm wheat and barley on a large scale. Dwindling fertility and disease saw yields decline. Industrious German settlers and the visions splendid of 19th-century wine entrepreneurs transformed the landscape. Their efforts still stand in the form of surviving 19th-century vineyards and remarkable winery architecture. The region’s collaborative spirit and enterprise was sorely tested with the outbreak of the First World War, which had a disastrous impact on the German community, despite many joining up to fight with the Australian Imperial Forces. The de-Germanisation of place names around South Australia in 1916 was a knee-jerk reaction to the appalling losses of men in France, but it was also a disgraceful act that would take years for the government to redress (if it ever did). But out of these lost freedoms and unworthy suspicions grew a community that would value cultural diversity and inclusion. The wines of the Barossa are warm and welcoming, reflecting the generosity of spirit and hospitable nature of the community. The legacy of South Australia’s red wine export boom and transition to fortified wine production saw the emerging dominance of shiraz, grenache, and mataro in the Barossa. By 1942, the overall plantings of these varieties were proportionally similar, but mataro was the most planted in the region, with around 4,500 acres under vine. Although shiraz would later become the region’s star performer, it is worth noting that some of the Barossa’s old mataro plantings must have been grafted over to shiraz, but to what extent is not known. Other grape varieties also found a long-term home in the Barossa, notably riesling and madeira (semillon). And pockets of cabernet sauvignon, going back
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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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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.
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While reviewing the wines, I was surprised at the number enclosed under cork. Around 30% of the shiraz bottlings were sealed under traditional or technical cork types. This may have been a result of the timing of my review, the fact that some wines destined for China never left the quay-side, or there is an increasing view that the best red wines, made for the long term, should be sealed with cork. Having spent every year in Bordeaux to taste the grand cru wines since the early 2000s, I can see the benefit of cork-aging, but on the other hand, screw cap and vino-lok seals guarantee freshness and taint-free wines. The argument on each side has validity, and in the end it should be up to the winemaker to decide how they wish to frame their wine. Barossa Cabernet and Cabernet blends are often seen as a supplementary offering, but in great years they really do shine. They have an intensity, richness of flavour, and torque that are massively appealing. While Henschke and Rockford (and occasionally Penfolds) are benchmarks, the region can boast many others which show great character and definition. Elderton, Kaesler, Whistler, and Wolf Blass come to mind. Barossa Grenache and Rhône-style blends are increasingly in vogue. Styles vary, highlighting different approaches to winemaking and benchmark referencing. On our visit to the Barossa, we visited Alkina and enjoyed the results of their quest to make wines of singularity and character, but others, like Kalleske, Murray Street, Planta Circa, Schwartz Wine Company, and Z Wines, show that this whole genre is kaleidoscopic and offers wide appeal. The resonating and beautifully made Cirillo Grenache wines, based on the oldest known surviving Grenache vines in the world, are on track to become one of the region’s star single-vineyard wines. Not least are the Barossa’s Eden Valley Rieslings, which are generally magnificent. Although Henschke, Pewsey, and Orlando’s Steingarten epitomise the genre, Riesling Freak is a story of our times, offering great expressions of the variety while standing for everything that makes the Barossa region such an appealing place to grow and make wine. For several years now, the Barossa has aimed to develop its reputation in both the Australian and international wine markets. It is without question the most well-known of our wine regions. Its potential is also
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The Barossa. Drawing by Andrew Caillard
5 Barossa 2024 Barossa Museum Cellar
highlighted by the number of new projects in the pipeline. Although recent times have been challenging, there are better times to come. Some of the Barossa’s wine entrepreneurs and marketers are already preparing for this. Many are engaging with the new expectancies of the times. The premiumisation of fine wine in the Barossa has allowed many vignerons to invest further in vineyard, new plantings, and winery design and equipment. New technologies, outlooks, and environmental awareness have also led to more responsible ways of wine growing and dealing with waste. The cost associated with regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices is more than offset by the wealth that it achieves. This can be measured by the beauty of the landscape, a community’s sense of purpose, and the quality of the wines. The growing season and all that nature throws at the vigneron are the wild cards, but practices to improve soil health, build resilience in the vineyard, and mitigate climate change have also created new standards of expectations and bring an extra value to the fine wine experience. The Barossa’s rich patchwork of heirloom vineyards is one of the great wonders of the modern wine world. Their survival highlights remarkable multi-generational stewardship, superb quarantine regulations (first introduced in 1875), and natural acclimatisation and adaptation of the vines over the decades. In addition to these surviving old vineyards are many plantings comprising genetic material derived from colonial vinestock. During the early 1940s, South Australia’s Phylloxera Board commissioned François de Castella to survey the viticultural industry. At the time it was deemed inevitable that phylloxera would arrive in the state, as had been ‘proved to be in other wine countries.’ In his introduction, de Castella wrote, ‘The ultimate reconstitution on resistant stocks of existing South Australian vineyards is unquestionable but a matter of time’. Over 70 years later, luck has held out, but for how long will this last? In the meantime, far-sighted vignerons and scientists are preparing for this eventuality. Even so, the Barossa’s old vineyards make a nonsense of the old world/new world divide. There are more ancient surviving vineyards (on ancient soils) in the Barossa than any other region in the world. And South Australia in all likelihood possesses more surviving 75-plus-year-old vineyards than the rest of the world combined. This is something to celebrate, but also to worry about too.
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Visitors to the Barossa, particularly from interstate, should be aware that they could be carriers of invasive pests and diseases. While the spread is more likely to be caused by the movement of machinery, we should all consider the unthinkable. And we should also marvel at our good fortune to experience pre-phylloxera Barossa Shiraz. During the late 2000s, I participated, as did many other media types, in the Barossa Grounds Project. This long-ranging investigation into the terroir of the Barossa has unearthed differences of wines from each sub region. The most obvious are the variances of character between the Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley (divided into the Northern, Central and Southern Grounds). The cooler expressions and pretty herb nuances of Eden Valley Shiraz (and Cabernet Sauvignon) are foiled beautifully against the chocolaty warm and generous Barossa Valley Shiraz. Like a palette of colours, winemakers can source fruit to their
View from Chateau Tanunda with Bethany in distance (Collections SA)
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Henschke barrels, 1940s
Château Tanunda
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own specifications to determine the style they wish to make. Some have gone off-piste and started to use Burgundian practices like whole-bunch or partial whole-bunch fermentations, some are experimenting with oak types and maturation techniques, and yet others are happy with traditional techniques introduced and modified as the years have gone by. These include headed-down open fermentations, regular rack and returns, partial barrel fermentation, and technical monitoring to ensure stability. Ultimately, however, the final wine is always a reflection of the work done in the vineyard. Although the work surrounding the Barossa Grounds Project has been fascinating, the region has yet to really make sub-regional wine expressions into a meaningful currency for the wine trade and the consumer. This is partially because winemakers source their fruit throughout the Barossa Valley. Some vignerons believe that the whole is better than the parts. This can be true, and is proven by many exceptional Barossa multi-vineyard and cross-regional blends. But this traditional way of thinking is also a double-edged sword. Way back in the mid- 1990s, at a winemaker’s forum with the media, wine identity Alan Hoey explained that the Barossa was not about single-vineyard wines, and that very few vineyards in the region had the capability to produce a single-vineyard wine. When one observes the Barossa’s impressive line-up of single-vineyard wines today, it shows that outlooks change in response to market demand and competition or other pressures. I would like to see the region take a bolder step towards highlighting sub-regional expressions and single-vineyard wines. It would help the region immeasurably in building its fine wine agenda. An annual tasting in four or five locations showing wine media and wine trade the results of a single vintage, something like the Bordeaux Primeurs week, would not only be a tremendous boon to the Barossa’s fine wine reputation but also animate those differences in a meaningful and productive way. It could also highlight the many efforts by the wine community to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable wine growing. As this tasting review proves, the Barossa is in a good place and continues to be a key pillar of Australia’s fine wine scene. But its most exciting days lie ahead.
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BAROSSA BLOODLINES At London’s Great Exhibition in 1851, South Australian wheat was lauded as the best in the world. The Barossa’s expansive fields of wheat are captured in a lithograph by the artist George French Angas, the son of George Fife Angas who was the largest landholder in the region and the founder of the South Australian Company, by far the most influential private enterprise in the colony. ‘Lynedoch Valley, looking towards the Barossa Range’ was published in the 1846 South Australia Illustrated to encourage investment and immigration. Accompanying the lithograph was an explanation of the image: ‘Between twenty and thirty miles from Adelaide, in a N.N.E. direction is situated Lynedoch Valley, a rich agricultural tract of land extending towards the Barossa Range. A considerable portion of land under cultivation is the property of the South Australian Company, producing some of the finest wheat in the world...’ This fine agricultural country, now known as the Barossa Valley, was the traditional land of the Peramangk and Kaurna peoples, but like many parts of Australia pastoral activities saw the landscape change and its traditional owners disappear. Cereal cropping diminished throughout the following decades as soil fertility declined and English-style agriculture damaged the fragile eco-system. The arrival of Silesian refugees and the development of the hufendorf system of mixed farming offered a better way to manage the land. The Barossa wine industry eventually prospered, thanks to the grand visions of Benno Seppelt, Sir Samuel Davenport and Yalumba, with massive exports to the UK beginning in the 1870s. The plantings of the 19th and early 20th century is a tangible legacy of this period. The Barossa boasts the most extensive plantings of 100-year and older vines in the world. This heritage is threatened by climate change and poor biosecurity. Barossa winemakers and growers, however, are far from complacent about this challenge. The Barossa Old Vine Charter, which was first proposed by Yalumba in 2007, highlights the heritage and importance of vine age. It encapsulates the fragility, wealth and cause of the Barossa. When it was released in 2009, it foreshadowed the community’s commitment to sustainability and the long-term future of winemaking.
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BAROSSA OLD VINE CHARTER (2009) OLD VINES (35 YEARS OR MORE)
“These vines have grown beyond adolescence and are fully mature, with a root structure and trunk thickness that encourage diversity of flavour and character. They consistently produce high-quality fruit and wines of distinction and longevity.” SURVIVOR VINES (70 YEARS OR MORE) “These old vines have reached a significant milestone and serve as a living example of the commitment of grape growers and winemakers who value the quality and structure that the vines impart on their wines.” CENTENARIAN VINES (100 YEARS OR MORE) “These pre-phylloxera vines, planted generations ago, have impressively stood the test of time and matured with thick, gnarly trunks. They produce low yields of intensely flavoured grapes, which can translate into wines with strong character and concentration.” ANCESTOR VINES (125 YEARS OR MORE) “These vines contain genetic material that has helped populate the region with irreplaceable old stocks that underpin viticultural tradition. They are mainly dry-grown, low-yielding vines that produce grapes of great flavour and intensity. They are believed to be among the oldest-producing vines in the world.” Source: Wine Australia & Barossa Australia The Barossa Valley has unparalleled access to old vine material. We have compiled the following list of 19th- and earlier 20th-century plantings for publication in the forthcoming three-volume The Australian Ark which follows the story of Australian wine from 1788 to the present. We expect some vineyards may be missing and expect additions will be made to this list over time.
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THE BAROSSA’S SURVIVING OLD VINE PLANTINGS, c1843–1900 Source: The Australian Ark Note: Vineyard plantings prior to 1850 are described as ‘circa’ (c). Although anecdotal evidence argues that these given dates are reasonably accurate, this type of referencing is probably more appropriate, given the informed guesswork behind many other 19th century vineyards. Plantings marked ‘circa’ from 1850 onwards are generally agreed as the best reference by vineyard owners. These circa vineyards are very old and likely to have been planted within 10 years or less of their indicative dates. There are many vineyard blocks that were planted without records, and many dates are estimates based on handed-down family stories. Also, vineyards have changed hands, and this list compiles their current or recent identities. This list is not exhaustive or definitive, but it highlights the great wealth of surviving ancient vineyards in Australia. The historic timelines are included to show that the pattern in plantings was in response to market conditions and opportunities of the time. 1832 James Busby Collection of vinestock arrives in Sydney 1836 Foundation of the Province of South Australia 1837 Queen Victoria ascends to the throne 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, the foundation of modern New Zealand c1843 Langmeil Freedom Vines (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia (believed) c1847 Schild Estate Moorooroo Vineyard, Jacob’s Creek (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia (believed) c1847 Turkey Flat (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia (believed) c1848 Cirillo Old Vine Light Pass (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia (believed) c1850 Cirillo Old Vine Light Pass (Semillon/ Madeira , Shiraz & Mataro), Barossa Valley, South Australia
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Pruning 19th Century Grenache vines, Cirillo
1850 Torbreck Hillside Vineyard 1850 plantings (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1851 The Great Exhibition is held in London; the colony of Victoria is founded; the Gold Rush begins 1852 First iron-hulled steam ships plough the seas between Australia and England; Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, previously First President of France’s Second Republic, becomes Emperor Napoleon III of France’s Second Empire 1853 France takes possession of New Caledonia in the Pacific 1853-56Crimean War 1853 Hewitson Old Garden (Mourvèdre/ Mataro), Barossa Valley, South Australia
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c1850s Hewitson, Old Fence Line Block (Frontignac/ Muscat à Petits Grains), Barossa Valley South Australia 1854 Clifton Estate Home Block (Shiraz Yalumba), Barossa Valley, South Australia (believed) 1854 The Battle of Eureka Stockade takes place 3 December 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Paris Universal Exhibition, France; Sir William Macarthur becomes a NSW Commissioner and is knighted 1858 Torbreck Hillside Vineyard 1858 Plantings (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1858 Stonegarden Vineyard (Riesling, Frontignac, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mataro & Malbec), Eden Valley, South Australia 1860s Barossa Ridge (Shiraz Maverick), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1860s Henschke Hill of Grace Vineyard Grandfathers Block (Shiraz), Eden Valley, South Australia 1861 AC Kelly’s The Vine in Australia: Its Culture and Management is published; French scientist Jules Guyot’s Culture de la vigne et vinification is translated and published in Melbourne and becomes an important a manual for 19th century Australian vignerons 1862 Phylloxera arrives in France, foreshadowing opportunity for Australian vignerons; the International Exhibition is held in London 1865 Asbroek Old Block Vineyard (Shiraz St Hallett), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1870 Chateau Tanunda, Lot 100 Vine Vale Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1870 Hilder Vineyard (Mataro Z Wines), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1870 Ahren’s Creek (Shiraz Maverick), Barossa Valley, South Australia
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1872 Bordeaux’s Médoc can only pick half the quantity of grapes as were picked the previous year; Overland Telegraph Line between Port Augusta and Darwin, a distance of 3,200 kilometres, is installed, and completed, enabling faster communication of wine orders from export markets 1877 Phylloxera is observed and confirmed at Fyansford, Victoria; strict quarantine measures are enforced across colonial Australia and within Victoria to curtail its spread 1875 Kalleske Johann Georg Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1875 Z Wines Hein Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1880 Woodlands PF Zimmerman Vineyard (Caiazza Family/ Purple Hands Planta Circa Grenache & Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1880 Frater Vineyard, Rowland Flat (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1880 Kolovs Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1880 Poonawatta 1880 Vineyard (Shiraz), Eden Valley, South Australia
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1880 Pfeiffer Light Pass Vineyard (Shiraz & Semillon – Peter Lehmann Wines), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1880s Chapman Vineyard A Block (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1880s Seppeltsfield Road (Shiraz and Mataro Rolf Binder), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1880s Standish Estate 1880s Vines (vine age – Grenache & Mataro) Barossa Valley, South Australia 1881 Schiller Family Johanns Find Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1881 In a letter to Melbourne’s Argus newspaper in February 1881, Hubert de Castella suggests that Australia should become a part of France’s solution to its supply difficulties; the Act for the Prevention and Eradication of Diseases in Vines is gazetted by the Western Australian Legislature; phylloxera never arrives 1883 Roseworthy Agricultural College is founded near Gawler, South Australia
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Medlands Vineyard (Shiraz – Wolf Blass), Barossa Valley, South Australia Bonview Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia Schrapel 1885 Vineyard Ebenezer (Shiraz – Torbreck), Barossa Valley, South Australia
1885 1885
1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London further aids exports; Anglo-Spanish Treaty is enacted; tariffs are reduced for wines below 30 degrees of proof spirit; exports to England from South Australia increase from previous year’s 60,000 gallons to 145,000 gallons; plantings accelerate; John Bull’s Vineyard, Australian Sketches, by Hubert de Castella, is published; vineyard plantings around Rutherglen accelerate
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1887 Queen Victoria’s Silver Jubilee
1887 1888
Haese Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia
Penfolds Kalimna Vineyard Block 42 (Cabernet Sauvignon), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1888 Hoffman Dimchurch Vineyard Dallwitz Block (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1889 Yalumba Tri-centenary Vineyard VG05 (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1890s Gersch Old Vineyard Block (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia c1890s Lindner Pure Eden Vineyard (Shiraz), Eden Valley, Barossa, South Australia c1890s Lindner Wattlebrae Vineyard (Shiraz), Eden Valley, Barossa, South Australia c1890 Woodlands PF Zimmerman Vineyard (Cabernet Sauvignon Caiazza Family/ Planta Circa), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Colin Burge Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Grant Burge Chaff Hill Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Grope Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Lange Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Hampel Moppa Block Vineyard (Shiraz & Mataro), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Riedl Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 Pine Park Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1890 The colony of Victoria produces 7.1 million litres of wine compared to 2 million litres in South Australia and 3.1 million litres in New South Wales; the Victorian Government passes the Vine Diseases Act 1890s Widespread economic depression in Australia but export market for Australian Burgundy booms; Peter Bond Burgoyne
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and Aylwin Pownall establish a growing market for Australian red wine in the UK; Burgoyne is convinced that the public prefers ‘the fuller bodied, generous Burgundies produced under the Australian sun over the thinner and colder wines of the Continent’. Kaesler Old Bastard Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia Philippou ‘Old’ Vineyard (Shiraz, Grenache & Semillon), Barossa Valley, South Australia Steinert Vineyard (Shiraz – Powell & Sons), Eden Valley South Australia Elderton Command Vineyard (Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon), Barossa Valley, South Australia Mibus Charlie’s Block, Kalimna (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia Seppeltsfield GR5 Vineyard (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia Harch Brockenchak 1896 plantings (Riesling), Eden Valley, South Australia Eperosa Magnolia Vine Vale Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia Anderson Vineyard (Grenache & Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia Lou Miranda Angel’s Vineyard Rowland Flat (Shiraz & Mataro), Barossa Valley, South Australia Kaesler Bogan Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia
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1899 Nettlebeck Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1899 South Australia’s Phylloxera Act further strengthens protection of vineyards from phylloxera, which has never before arrived in the state; phylloxera arrives in Rutherglen, Victoria, which represents a third of Australia’s wine production (by 1907, the original vineyard plantings at Rutherglen would be all but destroyed, although a new planting programme started in
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1900 with vinestock on American rootstocks) 1899-1891 Exposition Universelle Internationale de 1889 à Paris 1891 is held; the administration states that ‘France has always been the centre of the wine growing world and its wines are, for the most, inimitable’, a statement foreshadowing the debate and protection of place names in wine. c1900 Vine Vale Sami’s Vineyard Siegersdorf Road (Grenache/ Tinta Caida), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1900 Arila – Sand Garden Vineyard (Grenache), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1900 Harris Vineyard (Shiraz – Torbreck), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1900 The Daylight Chambers Vineyard (Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro, Tinta Amarela & ‘Wild Bacher de Hongrie’ – Torbreck), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1900 Philippou ‘Young’ Vineyard (Shiraz, Grenache & Semillon), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1900 Yalumba Shorts Vineyard (Shiraz), Barossa Valley, South Australia 1901 Federation of Australia’s six British colonies results in the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901; Queen Victoria dies, marking the end of the Victorian era as King Edward VII ascends to the throne; Edmund Barton becomes Australia’s first Prime Minister.
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THE BAROSSA GROUNDS STUDY
The Barossa Grounds Study was established in 2008 to evaluate the variations of shiraz wine style across the Barossa Zone. This collaborative undertaking, including the participation of South Australia’s leading viticultural academics, wine critics and many of the Barossa’s most distinguished winemakers, involved the collection of climatic data, analysis of soil profiles across the Barossa and Eden Valleys, controlled winemaking studies and annual tasting reviews. “GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS IDENTIFY WINES AS ORIGINATING IN A REGION OR LOCALITY.” The Australian Geographical Indications confirms the official boundaries of the Barossa Zone and its sub-regions: the Barossa Valley, the Eden Valley and the High Eden. The Barossa Grounds Project proposes a further three localities in the Barossa Valley sub-region. Each of these grounds, located in varying landscapes, micro-climates and soil-types, bring different and compelling expressions of shiraz.
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REGION
BAROSSA ZONE
Barossa Valley (112–217m) Warm and dry during the growing season Soils range from deep sandy loams to clay loams and red brown earths Eden Valley (217–630m) Warm to cool conditions with higher average rainfall. Daytime temperatures are 2‑3°C cooler (night time temperatures 5‑7°C cooler) than the Barossa Valley. Mainly shallow rocky soils.
Shiraz Profile y deep crimson y intense blackberry, dark chocolate aromas y full bodied velvety firm tannins Shiraz Profile y medium to deep colour y blackberry-pastille, sage aromatics y fine loose-knit tannins
Shiraz Profile y deep crimson y intense dark cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate aromas y full-bodied and inky deep y chocolaty/ firm tannins
Northern and Western Ridges (260–310m)
Warm days. Cooling breezes off the Eden Valley ridge at night. East-facing slopes on the Western Ridge provide relief from the hot afternoon sun. Predominately red-yellow brown loams over red clay. Shattered ironstones are found in the shallow soils of the northern western ridge. A pocket of yellow and white sands is found in the Kalimna area.
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REGION
BAROSSA ZONE
High Eden (also a GI) (450–630m)
Shiraz Profile y medium deep colour y fragrant red fruits, pepper, sage y fine savoury tannins
Cool conditions with high average rainfall but low rainfall during growing season. Significant exposure to wind. Shallow, skeletal, rocky soils. Central Valley (180–217m) Warm with cool afternoons. Evening gully breezes moderate temperatures. Sandy brown loams. Southern Grounds (180–217m) Warm with relatively higher rainfall. Sandy loams to clay loams.
Shiraz Profile y deep crimson y red cherry, raspberry, blackberry, plum, cacao aromas y fine supple/ slinky tannins Shiraz Profile y medium deep crimson y red, blue and black fruits with chocolate notes y fine satin tannins
Region – An official boundary created by the Australian geographical indications to indicate a unique and homogenous wine growing region. Sub-region – an official boundary created by the Australian geographical indications and based on evidence of sub-regional differences, including climate, soils and overall wine style. ‘Grounds’ – an unofficial but locally recognised ‘locality’ observed through the character of micro-climate, soil composition, geology, individual vineyard site and the grower’s touch (how the grower tends the vines).
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Knowledge of sub-regional differences will continue to develop over forthcoming decades, but the principles are sound. Although climate change promises to complicate debate about the nature of terroir, character and uniqueness of place are important features of the fine wine narrative. For instance, the varied personality of Barossa shiraz is linked to the vineyard site, vine age, clone, viticultural practices, soil types, harvesting time and individual winemaking craft and philosophy. Vintage conditions bring further variation. Cooler sites may perform best in warmer seasons whereas warmer sites perform best in cooler seasons. SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability promises to be the most exciting and challenging topic within Australia’s fine wine agenda for years to come. The movement towards a sustainable future has been a rolling stone for some years, but the years of pandemic, new artificial trade barriers, threat of climate change, regional insecurity and fears for biosecurity have all sharpened focus and activated the Australian wine community. The Barossa region is at the vanguard of change and mitigation. During the 2000s, widespread organic and biodynamic viticultural practices highlighted the region’s concerns about changing weather patterns and sustainability. While vignerons and growers of all kinds are working towards the goals of a green wine future, large producers, including Treasury Wine Estates and Pernod Ricard, are shaping the agenda, with almost every facet of viticulture, winemaking, packaging and distribution being reimagined from a sustainability perspective. Sustainability activism has ignited a collaborative wine community approach ranging from simple household routines to vineyard management, regenerative agriculture, winery design, technology, artificial Intelligence, energy use and “circular-making”. Renewables, reusables and restoration are all part of this mindset. This includes the acknowledgement and inclusion of First Nations peoples and their descendants. Ultimately, sustainability relates to natural capital, the 19th century ‘economic power of land’ concept and a 21st century agrarian
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
outlook. The health of the soil is the fundamental factor, because yields, quality and character of the vintage underpin regional identity. In 1865 Dr Jules Guyot wrote in his Culture of the Vine and Winemaking that ‘when a soil is naturally fertile and produces remunerative crops, it attracts, fixes and sustains, by itself, a numerous population.’ The development of fertilisers, chemicals and tractorisation during the 20th century resulted in the economical production of crops but often degraded the natural fertility of soils. Although intentions were good, the mindset was generally connected to a balance sheet. But, throughout the 2000s, a strong environmental awareness has developed. The threat of urbanisation, drought and biosecurity kickstarted a new outlook that is now influencing the way consumers perceive identity, terroir and origin. Present-day thinking builds on the efforts of previous generations and the handed-down knowledge and experience of living in the Barossa landscape. The concept of terroir has never been more relevant than today. Although extreme weather and other threats promise to create challenges in the future, the way vignerons care for their vineyards and make their wine is now becoming the most important factor when consumers choose their wines.
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Tasting Notes CABERNET AND BLENDS
Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2014
Medium-deep colour. Very expressive with roasted coffee, black cherry pastille, cassis, mocha aromas with tobacco/hint sage notes. Beautifully balanced wine with black cherry pastille cassis fruits, loose-knit chalky/ grainy tannins, superb mid-palate volume and viscosity and underlying espresso/mocha oak complexity. Finishes leafy firm with seductive dark berry fruits and a lovely tannin plume. A beautiful wine that has developed into something special and lasting. Evoking the very best of the Australian Cabernet Shiraz tradition, it’s destined to become a classic vintage of the decade. 82% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Barossa Shiraz. 20 months’ maturation in 41% new and 59% seasoned French oak barriques. Drink 2023–2038 14% alc Kaesler Wines Age of Light Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Deep crimson. Intense cassis, black cherry, elderberry aromas with ginger, vanilla, touch leafy notes. Beautifully balanced cabernet with pure blackcurrant pastille, black cherry fruits, plentiful fine-grained/al dente/ cedary tannins and well-balanced vanilla. mocha, notes. Finishes firm and tight, yet long, buoyant and pure. An exceptional Barossa Cabernet. Drink 2025–2042 13.5% alc Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2014 Medium-deep crimson. Beautiful cassis, dark plum, vanilla aromas with hints of tobacco leaf. Well-developed blackcurrant, dark plum fruits, a touch of liquorice, chalky firm but sinuous textures, lovely mid-palate volume and well-integrated vanilla, marzipan, roasted hazelnut notes. Finishes chalky firm and long with tobacco/espresso notes. Very well- balanced wine with lovely density, richness and volume. At a very good stage of development, but should continue to mature evenly for years to come. 21 months’ maturation in 32% new and seasoned Yalumba- coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Some seasoned American oak as well. Drink now–2032 14% alc
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
Soul Growers El Mejor Cabernet Sauvignon Mourvèdre Shiraz 2022
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. Drink now–2035 14% alc Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2019 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+
Langmeil 1843 Freedom Shiraz Old Vine. Photo: Dragan
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Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021
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 Cimicky Estate Autograph Cabernet Shiraz 2022 Deep crimson. Lovely blackberry pastille, cassis aromas with some praline, hint fennel notes. Inky deep and voluminous with ample dark berry fruits, superb chocolaty textures, a hint of herb/leafy notes and some vanilla, marzipan oak. A touch of aniseed at the finish. A beautifully balanced wine with the richness of shiraz offset by the vigour and animation of cabernet sauvignon. Cork. Drink now–2038 14.5% alc Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 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. Now–2032 14% alc Château Tanunda 50 Year Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Medium-deep crimson. Classical blackcurrant vanilla aromas with a hint of bush garrigue. Well concentrated blackcurrant, dark plum, hint roasted chestnut, marzipan flavour and long fine-grained tannins. Finishes claret firm with some leafy notes. Drink now–2032 14.5% alc G 95+
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2012
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant and complex wine with black cherry, blackberry, graphite, cedar aromas with brambly notes. Richly concentrated black cherry, blackberry fruits, persistent gravelly/sinewy touch ferruginous tannins, lovely inky density and well-balanced cedar, roasted chestnut oak notes. Finishes sinewy firm, followed on by buoyant dark berry fruits. Generously flavoured and well evolved wine with impressive vigour and mineral length. 19 months’ maturation in 23% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Drink now–2035 13.5% alc John Duval Wines Integro Cabernet Shiraz 2016 Deep crimson. Blackcurrant, hint mocha graphite, sage aromas with hints of tobacco leaf. Inky deep wine with ample blackcurrant, black cherry fruits, fine-grained touch al dente/cedary tannins and underlying mocha, hint crème brûlée notes. Finishes claret firm and bittersweet. A classic cabernet wine with lovely density, volume and grip. Drink now– Deep crimson. Intense blackberry, roasted walnut, wax polish aromas. Buoyant and tangy with ample blackberry, dark chocolate flavours, dense chalky/chocolaty textures, some roasted walnut, vanilla notes and well-balanced crispy acidity. Drinking well with a nice balance of primary and secondary notes. Drink now–2030 14% alc Elderton Wines Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Medium-deep crimson. Blackcurrant hint dark chocolate aromas with mocha notes. Fresh pure cassis, blackberry fruits, some cola/touch leafy notes. Lovely mocha/vanilla nuances and plentiful fine-grained tannins. Builds up firm at the finish. Drink now–2030 14.9% alc Paulmara Estates Apotigi Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep crimson. Intense redcurrant pastille, cassis, red liquorice aromas with hints of forest floor. Plushly concentrated wine with plentiful blackcurrant jam, fig, dark chocolate, liquorice flavours, fine-grained tannins and well-integrated acidity. Some tobacco leaf at the finish. Drink now–2032 14.5% alc 2034 14% alc Sorby Adams Arago Cabernet Shiraz 2019
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Purple Hands Wines Planta Circa Ancestor Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Crimson. Fragrant camomile, blackcurrant, touch leafy aromas with some mocha notes. Concentrated cassis, dark chocolate flavours, fine long grainy textures, lovely mid-palate richness and underlying mocha/ espresso oak. Claret firm at the finish with ample dark berry fruits and graphite notes. Drink now–2032 14% alc Sorby Adams Galle Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Deep crimson. Cassis, blackberry bush garrigue aromas with some roasted walnut notes. Dense blackberry, blackcurrant fruits, plentiful gravelly tannins and underlying savoury notes. Chocolaty, peppery and crisp at the finish with liquorice notes. Well rounded and balanced wine. Drink now–2034 14% alc Welland Old Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep crimson, Pure cassis, touch mocha aromas with brambly/violet. Supple and sweet-fruited with blackcurrant. mocha, parma violet flavours, fine sinewy textures, very good mid-palate volume and mineral length. Drink now–2030 14% alc Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2009 Medium-deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant dark chocolate, roasted chestnut, vanilla tobacco leaf aromas. Superbly well-developed wine with inky deep cassis, praline, mocha flavours, lovely mid-palate volume, dense grainy tannins and underlying marzipan, roasted walnut, tobacco notes. A lovely firm muscular finish with attractive chocolaty/ dark berry fruits. 20 months’ maturation in 35% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Drink now–2035 13.5% alc Barons of Barossa Triplex Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Deep crimson. Powerful nose of cedar, blackcurrant, cigar box. Big, full-bodied and muscular, showing depth of blackcurrant, blackberry underpinned by plentiful grainy tannins. Ample and generous, leading to a long finish. Drink now–2032 14.5% alc
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
Château Tanunda The Château Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Medium crimson. Blackcurrant, chinotto, herb aromas with hints of cedar. Fresh cassis, cola flavours, fine loose-knit grainy tannins, attractive mid-palate richness and underlying savoury notes. Finishes firm and long. Drink now–2028 14.5% alc Corryton Burge The Brigadier Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, plum, and graphite aromas with leafy/chinotto notes. Generously flavoured wine with plentiful blackcurrant dark plum, cola flavours, fine bittersweet tannins and underlying savoury notes. Finishes cedar firm and crunchy/peppery. Drink now–2030 15% alc Kaesler Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Medium-deep crimson. Pure cassis, dark chocolate, leafy, hint rose garden aromas with hints of mint. Well-balanced wine with blackcurrant, mint, praline flavours, fine slinky/leafy textures and fresh long acidity. Finishes grippy firm with leafy notes. Drink now–2028 14% alc Langmeil Jackman’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant, musky dark cherry vanilla, hint espresso aromas. Generous and inky deep with blackcurrant, dark cherry fruits, slinky/chocolaty textures and well matched vanilla, mocha notes. Finishes firm and crispy with seductive pastille-like fruits. Should develop very well. Drink now–2036 14.8% alc Chaffey Bros. Wine Co Superbarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021 Deep crimson. Restrained fragrant bouquet of red- and blackcurrant, blackcurrant leaf, and white pepper. Bright, fruit forward and juicy. Lovely buoyancy and energy, good freshness and vibrant blackberry fruit. Tannins are polished and well-integrated. Excellent balance. Drink now–2028 13.9% alc
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Heathvale Estate Cabernet 2021
Deep crimson. Intense cassis, dark cherry violet aromas with some dark chocolate. Hint menthol notes. Well-concentrated wine with plentiful cassis-minty flavours, underlying dark chocolate notes and fresh, chalky/touch grippy tannins. Builds up firm at the finish with the fruit flowing through to the end. A touch of juicy sweetness gives buoyancy and volume. Drink now–keep for a while 14% alc Eden Hall Block 3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep crimson. Lifted blackcurrant, leafy touch sage/violet aromas with liquorice notes. Inky deep wine with attractive cassis leafy, parma violet flavours, fine grainy, touch sinewy tannins, very good mid-palate volume and fresh long acidity, Builds up muscular firm at the finish. Drink now–2030 14.5% alc Hewitson The Dorrien Bank Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Deep crimson. Attractive blackcurrant, chinotto leafy aromas with sea- breezy notes. Smooth and glossy with ample cassis, touch minty flavours, fine al dente/leafy textures and underlying savoury notes. Bittersweet at the finish. Drink now–2030 13.5% alc Monteperle Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Deep ruby colour. Classical cassis, redcurrant bell pepper aromas with savoury notes. Fresh and grippy textured wine with ample cassis, leafy flavours, dense grainy tannins and some roasted walnut notes at the finish. Firm leafy finish. Drink now–2030 14.4% alc Orlando Wines Bungalow Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Deep crimson. Vibrant black cherry, cigar-like aromas with graphite notes. Inky deep and pure fruited with fresh black cherry, blueberry flavours, sinuous and plentiful al dente tannins and underlying savoury notes. Very good energy and persistency, but best as an early drinking style. Drink now–keep for a while.
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