2008 Barossa Valley Shiraz
"Extraordinarily impenetrable purple-black colour, intense plum, prune and blackberry aromas and flavours, but no alcohol kick whatsoever; the tannins are soft, the oak merely a vehicle; 200 cases made" 93 points – James Halliday – 2010 Wine Companion
The wine that has especially caught my eye is his 2008 Arete Shiraz ($20). It’s grown on the Hill Block – a vineyard owned and run by the noted Kalleske family – in the Greenock sub-region of the Barossa Valley in iron-rich soils. It’s a site that tends to ripen grapes slowly. The wine is 14.4 percent alcohol and in truth its flavours are ever-so-slightly jammy. Mostly though it’s boysenberried and floral with a gentle sprinkle of spice.
It’s not excessively oaked – it sits in a ripe,fruity, solid groove, offering dark-fruit flavours of obvious deliciousness. The price is spot on, as is the wine. Campbell Mattison – Gourmet Traveller Wine June 09 - Read full Article
“Young red-purple in colour. The nose is deliciously young and ripe with red and blackberry and spice nicely balanced to good oak. The medium-bodied palate, comparatively light by Barossa Monster standards, carries a core of power that carries through with medium tannin before a long finish”. 92 points – Murray Almond – Winestar March 09
“Dangerous sort of wine – low old oak style with cherry pip, boysenberry, iron and flowers with a touch of spice – pretty but strong at the same time. It’s medium to full bodied, bright and juicily fruited with light but grippy tannin and a good clean finish. Nothing over-played or overdone – just good Barossa shiraz offering a significantly high yum factor. If you like a Torbreck Woodcutters style, then this will really hit the spot (and I think it’s a bit more stylish too, just quietly)”. 91 points – Gary Walsh – Winefront March 09
"Bargain-priced Greenock Shiraz can be hard to come by, but this dark, rich, plush, juicy, fruit powered style nails it. Stewed plum and black cherry is tempered by soft, fine tannins and well controlled oak. With its smart packaging, this is an impressive bistro style quaffer" 91 points – Tyson Stelzer – Wine 100 August 09
