With the latest round of Wine Companion reviews now released, the Two Hands team are proud to announce the consistent and sensational tasting notes for twelve latest release wines, including 7 wines of 96 points or more!
2014 Aphrodite Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Bright crimson-purple; the exemplary varietal expression is immediate in its impact, with flowing cassis supported by fine quality French oak and fine tannins. Each time you return to the wine it seems even better than it was before. A wonderful outcome for the vintage.
97 Points
James Halliday
2014 Ares Barossa Valley Shiraz
How can you create a deep crimson-purple-coloured, luscious, deep-seated array of black fruits and full-on tannins rippling through the palate from start to finish with fruit at 14%? It’s an outstanding achievement from any vintage, especially ’14.
96 Points
James Halliday
2015 Dave’s Block Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale Shiraz
Deep crimson-purple; Blewitt Springs is the sacred place in McLaren Vale, imparting elegant and effortless dark berry fruits on a supple medium-bodied palate, alcohol not worth mentioning. Great fruit and great winemaking.
97 Points
James Halliday
2015 Wazza’s Block Seppeltsfield Barossa Valley Shiraz
Speaks with clarity about the Seppeltsfield terroir, an immensely attractive, savoury/spicy character that permeates the black fruits, rolling on and on like peels of thunder. An outstanding wine with a great future.
97 Points
James Halliday
2015 Yacca Block Mengler Hill Eden Valley Shiraz
Another very different wine: it’s savoury, intense and mouthwatering, the tannins with feet all of their own. It steps lightly, with red and black fruits and has that Eden Valley ability to transcend the here and now to look into the future without conscious thought.
97 Points
James Halliday
2015 Windmill Block Stonewell Barossa Valley Shiraz
Great colour; the wine has a striking juicy quality that runs like a stream between the black fruits, ripe tannins, integrated and balanced oak. The flavours continue in the mouth and aftertaste long after the wine has been swallowed or spat out. The wine, like all of its Two Hands siblings, is full-bodied, but manages to avoid the impression of weight.
96 Points
James Halliday
2015 Secret Block Moppa Hills Barossa Valley Shiraz
The oak trembles on the brink of going OTT, but the depth and richness of the purple and black fruits gives every assurance that it (the oak) will be cut down to size within a few more years. The tannins are already balanced and integrated, a staff of life for the future.
96 Points
James Halliday
2015 Harriet’s Garden Adelaide Hills Shiraz
Fresh and vibrant with a skip in its heartbeat; astute winemaking has let the cool region speak truly, with red berries, spices and a touch of oak setting the agenda on the bouquet, the medium-bodied palate an exact replay of the bouquet. Delicious now or later.
95 Points
James Halliday
2015 Lily’s Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz
Deep crimson-purple hue; a full-bodied shiraz, the alcohol seeming higher than the 14.2% of Dave’s Block. This is stuffed full of black fruits, dark chocolate, licorice, bolshie tannins and oak. $60 wines don’t often come with a bbq recommendation, but this does – failing that, 10 years in the cellar.
94 Points
James Halliday
2014 Twelftree Schuller Blewitt Springs Grenache
86yo vines, hand-picked, 85% whole berries, 15% whole bunches, cold soak, open-fermented, punched down, 14 days on skins, matured for 10 months in French puncheons and a 300l stainless steel barrel. The colour is as light as expected, the medium-bodied palate with a strongly savoury footnote to its red berry fruits. Elegant wine.
94 Points
James Halliday
2014 Twelftree Strout McLaren Flat Grenache
Hand-picked, 85% whole berries, 15% whole bunches, cold soak, open-fermented, punched down, 10 days on skins, matured for 10 months in one French puncheon and a 300l stainless steel barrel, 50 dozen made. A powerful palate in take me or leave me style.
93 Points
James Halliday
2014 Twelftree Vinegrove Greenock Grenache
Hand-picked, 85% whole berries, 15% whole bunches, cold soak, open-fermented, punched down, 10 days on skins, matured for 10 months in one French puncheon and a 300l stainless steel barrel, 50 dozen made. The combination of Greenock and 13.5% alcohol gives rise to a strange outcome of what appears to be riper fruit.
93 Points
James Halliday
