“Two Hands Single Vineyard Release highlights the incredible diversity of vineyard sites in the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide environs. They offer a fascinating array of shiraz expressions based on location, vine age and vineyard management. Similar winemaking draws out the character of vineyard site, sometime profoundly. The 2020 Coach House is a very fine example of vineyard provenance and voice of place. The ironstone/ ferruginous muscle reverberates through the wine, yet never overpowers the fruit. It requires decanting to allow the faint reductive notes to blow off, but the wine is a beautiful example of Barossa Shiraz. The Waterfall Block Shiraz is interesting because of its provenance. The area was well known for its nurseries and market gardens during the 19th Century. Samuel Davenport, who played an important role in the development of South Australia’s wine industry owned over a thousand acres of freehold land. Small vineyards were established by the early 1850s. The wine is an outlier in the single vineyard series but it is a really interesting foil to more mainstream styles. The 2019 Ares Shiraz and 2019 Anteros Mataro amplify the Two Hands approach to regional provenance.” AC
Ares Barossa Valley Shiraz 2019 – 96 points (Wine Club Release in June)
“Deep colour. Intense black cherry, dark plum, wax polish aromas with mocha, herb garden, hint liquorice aromas. Smooth and velvety textured with ample choco-berry, chinotto flavours, superb ripe tannins and mocha, roasted chestnut oak notes. Builds up gravelly firm with a long chocolaty plume. Very expressive heartland Barossa Shiraz with lovely balance, power and density. 14.8% alc 96 points” AC
Anteros Barossa Valley Mataro 2019 – 94 points (Wine Club Release in June)
“Deep colour. Complex dark chocolate, dark berry aromas with herb garden, star anise notes. Well concentrated and richly flavoured dark berry, red cherry, praline flavours, plentiful chocolaty/ chalky tannins and underlying savoury bisquitycarob notes. Finishes chewy firm and minerally with persistent dark fruits. Drink now – 2028 14.0 % alc 94 points” AC
Coach House Block, Greenock, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2020 – 97 points
“Deep crimson. Moody dark plum, blackberry aromas with earthy, rusty, graphite, iron stone notes. Very expressive, buoyant and sturdy with abundant dark berry, praline flavours, fine ferruginous tannins, superb mid-palate viscosity, some bittersweet elements and roasted walnut complexity. Finishes claret-firm with inky, mineral notes. Shows modulated power and a distinctive voice of place. Superb. Drink now – 2045 14.5% alc 97 points” AC
Holy Grail, Seppeltsfield, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2020 – 94 points
“Deep crimson. Intense blackberry, hint stonefruit, aromas with graphite, roasted almond notes. Slinky textured wine with beautiful pure blackberry, plum, apricot flavours, fine looseknit graphite/ gravelly tannins, superb suppleness and integrated mocha, cacao notes. A persistent inky/ minerally finish. Lovely elegance and fine boned structure. Should develop more density and complexity with age. Keep for a while. Drink now – 2032 14.4% alc 94 points” AC
Secret Block, Moppa Hills, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2020 – 96 points
“Deep crimson. Fresh dark cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate aromas with roasted chestnut, hint wax polish notes. Generously concentrated with inky dark cherry, blackberry fruits, persistent fine loose knit chocolaty tannins and underlying roasted chestnut vanilla notes. Finishes bittersweet and minerally. Still elemental but should develop more richness and density with age. Very good potential. Drink now – 2040 14.4% alc 96 points” AC
Dave’s Block, Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020 – 95 points
“Deep crimson. Intense blackberry pastille, dark chocolate, chinotto liquorice aromas with mocha, vanilla notes. Beautifully concentrated wine with pure blackberry, praline fruits, plentiful fine graphite, hint grippy/ ferruginous tannins, inky rich density and underlying savoury notes. Finishes firm with bittersweet choco-berry notes. Classic mid-palate richness and vigour. Drink now – 2034 14% alc 95 points.” AC
Waterfall Block, Burnside, Adelaide Shiraz 2020 – 93 points
“Medium deep crimson, Fragrant, black cherry, blueberry, herb garden, sage aromas with some graphite notes. Supple palate with dark cherry, blueberry fruits, attractive mid-palate concentration and fine dense chalky/ cocoa powder-liketextures. Finishes graphite firm with chinotto/ herb notes. Elegantly structured wine with a core of blue and black fruits. Drink now – 2030 14% alc 93 points” AC
Yacca Block, Eden Valley, Barossa Shiraz 2020 – 96 points
“Deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate, black cherry, hint negroni aromas with herb garden notes. A very animated style with ample black cherry, dark plum, dark chocolate fruits, fine vigorous bitter-sweet/ al dente tannins, lovely mid-plate generosity, integrated mocha notes and chocolaty/ mineral length. Lovely fruit clarity and tension. Drink now – 2035 14.4% alc 96 points” AC
