Barossa Shiraz: Panel tasting results

Justin Knock MW, Tina Gellie and Roger Jones tasted 68 wines with 11 Outstanding and 34 Highly recommended.

Barossa Shiraz: Panel tasting scores

68 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 11

Highly recommended 34

Recommended 22

Commended 0

Fair 1

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their still, minimum 85% Shiraz reds sourced 100% from Barossa, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley or High Eden, in pairs comprising a current release and a mature vintage, 2015 or older, of the same wine/cuvée.

The Barossa is a special place for Shiraz. At its best, few regions come close (with any grape variety) in matching the fruit quality, layers of complex flavours, depth and richness of tannin – and in such a wide range of stylistic interpretations. Regardless of price or ambition, the majority of Barossa Shirazes age and mature beautifully, holding their fruit depth for many years as they evolve into the equivalent of a much- loved, supple leather recliner.

So it was somewhat surprising that finding producers, or their UK importers, with both a young and more mature vintage of the same Shiraz cuvée proved so challenging. Our request, canvassed widely over several months, was not for commercially available quantities of one or both wines, but simply a pair of bottles (restricted to one pair per producer): the first being the current release, the other a vintage from 2015 or older. While the 34 pairs entered certainly gave a great overview, we expected far more submissions.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Barossa Shiraz panel tasting

It’s an axiom of our trade that the concept of ‘fine wine’ is underpinned by the ability to improve with age. Barossa Shiraz is ‘fine’ by this definition alone, but finding mature examples in the UK is beyond difficult. The UK’s top restaurants love the classic regions of Europe partly because mature stocks are so readily accessible. Should Barossa Shiraz and other Australian fine wine wish to seriously appear on the same lists, then older vintages need to be more widely available.

British consumers and the wine trade still love the boldness of Barossa Shiraz, and there is a loyal fan base on these shores that appreciates the hedonistic pleasure it can bring. We saw a range of styles perform well in this tasting, from those that we may today call ‘traditional’ – that is, riper fruit and more overt use of (deeply integrated) oak – to wines which show that the Barossa is more assuredly moving in the direction of simpler winemaking, alluding to more reductive handling at times, and which allows the wonderful purity of fruit to shine brightly.

‘I’ve always known Australian Shiraz as the best-value wine in the world,’ said Roger Jones. ‘With age it’s absolutely stunning, and so it proved in our tasting. Two decades of ageing should be no problem for top Barossa Shiraz. Even if you buy the cheaper wines from the big names and age them for five years, the benefit you’ll get is incredible.’

See all 68 wines from the Barossa Shiraz panel tasting

The older vintages we tasted covered a range of different conditions: the challenging heat of years like 2008, 2013 and to some extent 2016, to the more balanced but richer vintages such as 2004, 2010 and 2015. ‘The fact that only two of the top 11 wines in the tasting were from younger vintages demonstrates how seductive well-aged Barossa Shiraz can be,’ said Decanter’s Tina Gellie. ‘The regions’ wines are beloved by many for their opulent drinking in youth, but fans should resist drinking these latest releases and lay a few bottles down. With the right storage conditions, they can be cellared with confidence.’

Sadly not all the wines showed well, and the major problems of the weaker wines were often aligned to over-extraction, drying tannins and tired fruit. I would also add that the older bottles blossomed early in our glasses, so don’t linger over the decanter – enjoy them swiftly after opening.

Barossa Shiraz panel tasting scores

The judges

Justin Knock MW is director of wine for luxury wine merchant Oeno Group, overseeing its buying, marketing, trade and retail activities, and he is one of two DWWA joint Regional Chairs for Australia.

Tina Gellie is Decanter’s Content Manager and Regional Editor for Australia as well as several other New World countries. She grew up in Australia, ultimately working at The Advertiser newspaper in Adelaide from 1996 to 2001, where she first developed her love for South Australian wines.

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. He is now a wine writer, judge and consultant with a particular interest in the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities. He is a DWWA judge, with a focus on New World regions.

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