The Vintage Journal: Barossa Guide 2025

Barossa reviews in the 2025 guide written by Ken Gargett & Andrew Caillard MW
www.vintagejournal.co

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. 

SINGLE VINEYARD SERIES

2022 Yacca Block Single Vineyard Shiraz
99 points
Deep crimson. Pure blackberry sage aromas with mocha notes. Generous and inky with ample blackberry pastille, chinotto flavours, fine slinky textures and beautifully balanced roasted chestnut, marzipan notes. Finishes long with a lovely graphite plume. Gorgeous wine. 14.6% alc Drink now–2042

2022 Holy Grail Single Vineyard Shiraz
98 points
Deep crimson. Classical blackberry dark chocolate aromas with chinotto, bush garrigue notes. Beautifully balanced and evocative wine with pure blackberry chinotto, dark chocolate, hint ginger flavours, fine loose knit velvety textures and beautifully integrated mocha/ vanilla notes. Finishes chocolaty firm and bittersweet with superb mineral length. 14.5% alc Drink now–2046

2022 Coach House Block Single Vineyard Shiraz
95 points
Deep crimson. Dark chocolate, panforte, dark plum aromas with brambly notes. Ample choco-berry fruits, dense chocolaty/ velvety tannins and well-integrated roasted walnut, roasted chestnut, mocha notes. Chocolaty firm at the finish. A plush almost decadent Barossa Shiraz with the tannin vigour and acidity giving energy and flow. Drink now–2040

FLAGSHIP SERIES

2020 Aerope Grenache
96 points
Deep crimson. Lifted black cherry, earthy, hint panforte, wax polish aromas. Generous and buoyant with lovely blackberry pastille, mocha, espresso, Black Forest chocolate flavours, some wax polish/ truffle-like notes and fine velvety tannins. Builds up cedary firm at the finish. Very expressive and delicious to drink. Drink now–2045

RARE RELEASES

2022 Spirit of Place 1918 Vines Shiraz
96 points
Deep crimson. Inky, blackberry pastille, chinotto aromas with underlying roasted almond notes. Generously concentrated and gravelly textured wine with lovely blackberry pastille, chinotto, marzipan flavours and fine, loose-knit chalky tannins. Finishes firm and minerally. Very well balanced wine with lovely density, vigour and length. Drink now–2038

THE GARDEN SERIES

2022 Bella’s Garden Shiraz
94 points
Deep crimson. Attractive choco-berry aromas with flinty chinotto notes. Well concentrated wine with dense dark chocolate, blackberry fruits, fine gravelly firm textures, lovely inky density and fresh long quartz-like acidity. Drink now–2035

2022 Charlie's Garden
93 points
Deep crimson. Fresh blackberry pastille, roasted walnut aromas with hints of sage and spice. Well balanced wine with ample blackberry, dark cherry fruits, fine slinky tannins and underlying roasted walnut notes. Finishes Claret/ ferruginous-firm with peppery sage nuances. Drink now–2035

2022 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz
95 points
Deep crimson. Expressive chinotto, dark cherry espresso aromas with hints of chocolate. Inky deep and vigorous with fresh dark cherry pastille, chinotto flavours, fine chalky firm tannins and well-integrated acidity. Finishes Claret-firm with persistent juicy dark berry fruits. Where less is more. Drink now–keep for a while