2007 Australia

Proprietor Dave Powell is aiming here to illustrate what can be achieved using fruit from slightly cooler sites within the region, so The Struie is made from 100% Shiraz from the Barossa and Eden Valleys in South Australia, and aged for 18 months in French oak, 20% new. The colour is dense, opaque blue-black; the bouquet is a fascinating combination of sweet berry fruit, blackberry and cassis, with the herbal, smoked bacon, well-hung game elements more reminiscent of the Northern Rhone in France. On the palate the wine is dense but far from monolothic, with layers of flavour and a very fine-grained tannic structure. A few years in bottle will only help it develop a wider range of flavours but it can be enjoyed already because of its rich, smooth texture and rewarding presence in the mouth. Drink with robust red meat dishes.

A wine of true heritage – first made in 1957. St Henri is matured in fifty-year-old
giant oak vats and the wines texture and delicacy differentiates it from its stablemates.

Blended from sites across the southern end of South Australia, the St Henri Shiraz
has a classic nose of kirsch and menthol. Sweet, herby concentration on the nose is
followed by soft fine tannins and cassis fruit in the mouth. This is showing some
development already and is very much in a loose-knit, laid-back style.
Ben Upjohn, Berrys' Fine Wine Advisor

The flagship wine of the Jim Barry range, The Armagh is a wine of immense power, persistence and concentration. 2007 was one of the driest vintages on record so the grapes were small but exceptionally deeply flavoured with a high ratio of solids to liquid. The expected aromas of blackberry and spice are complemented by some blueberry and lifted cranberry notes, with a hint of mint in the background.

On the palate the tannins are much in evidence as one would expect from such a young wine but they are firm, ripe tannins, in no way astringent. The fruit on the palate is a combination of black and red, with dark cherries mingling with redcurrants, but with a beguiling undertone of mushroom and forest undergrowth adding a savoury note. The wine is matured in 100% new French and American oak and yet there is no hint of excessive oak flavour, testament to the sheer concentration of the wine. One to drink over the next 20 years if you have the patience.

Co-fermented with a splash of Viognier, the 2007 Run Rig gives a very deep garnet-purple color and a perfumed nose of warm cassis, crushed blackberries and blueberries over anise, cassia, cloves, tea leaves, rose hips plus earthy hints of black truffles and tilled loam. The full-bodied palate offers rich, ripe but not over-ripe fruit with a taut structure of firm grainy tannins and crisp acid, finishing very long with a gamey / savory character coming through with some cedar and baking spices.

Not a man known for his modesty, David Powell was notably less humble than usual during my recent visit. That overly confident smirk that he wears when he’s about to reveal a winning hand has no doubt incited more than a few barroom riots. It was only human nature that I was subconsciously willing his current releases to be even a little underwhelming. And I almost wish I could tell you they were. If his demeanor can at times be enough to set bloods boiling, before I get to the tasting notes I’ll inject a few words about what does impress me about Powell.

He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what happens in his vineyards, perhaps more so than in the winery. He has close relationships with his growers and calls the shots when it comes to vineyard management, recently telling me he had to end the contract with a grower of a fabulous vineyard of ancient vines this year because the grower simply refused to follow his instructions. The structures of his red wines particularly stand out to me.

Through developing an individual approach to tannin management and extracting a quality and texture of tannins that comes purely from grape skins that are carefully reared and harvested within a tight window of ripening, he creates some truly iconic reds…though even at the more modestly priced wines can age very gracefully. Finally Powell does not release wines that aren’t up to his high standards and as smug as he can be about

Grange is arguably Australia’s most famous wine and is officially listed as a Heritage icon of South Australia. Grange boasts an unbroken line of vintages from 1951 and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia.

Unmistakably Grange on the nose ripe, pungent, confronting, wrapped in darker elements (soy/cola/peat/ coal-dust, black liquorice with sesame, sea-weed, quince paste), followed by coffee & bitter chocolate overtones.

The palate is balanced and accessible; fresh and tight, defined by flavours of dates, freshly baked pecan-pie, custard tart. The oak is omnipresent, yet neither prominent nor ostentatious—completely assimilated. The tannins are neither obstructive nor aggressive, yet effortlessly conveying flavours.  Maturated 21 months in barrel and three years in bottle.

The 2007 vintage was challenging with low winter temperatures and accompanied by low winter rainfall. Dry conditions persisted throughout the growing season and resulted in low yields. Fruit ripened relatively quickly and was selectively
harvested earlier, parcel by parcel, pursuing full flavours, structure and balance.