North Barossa Vintners: Producer profile

Sarah Ahmed takes a look at the wines produced by this exciting collaboration, founded in 2006 in the Barossa Valley...

In 2006, New Zealander Chris Ringland founded North Barossa Vintners with fifth-generation grape grower Adrian Hoffmann and Nathan Burley, operations manager. The wines were labelled under Ringland’s eponymous brand, as his wines already enjoyed a hallowed reputation – with prices to match.

The source

He had known about the Hoffmann family’s 120ha vineyard holdings in Ebenezer since 1992, when he was making wine at Rockford. Situated on red-brown earth over limestone at the northern end of the Barossa Valley, the low yielding 30-130-year-old Shiraz vines produce fruit that plays into both Ringland and Hoffmann’s preferred style: ‘very concentrated but balanced, layered and textured’, according to Hoffmann.

Scroll down to see Sarah’s tasting notes & scores

Taking full advantage of the Barossa Valley’s warm, dry climate and high sunshine hours, Hoffmann (who makes all viticultural decisions) picks late for maximum flavour accumulation and palate weight. On paper, the resulting high alcohol levels of 15-18% look unwieldy but, whilst arguably passé, my top scoring wine from this tasting was the 18% 2009 Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz, underscoring North Barossa Vintners’ trump card – balance.

Their stated aim is to make a Shiraz like no-one else in the world can, and they certainly seem to have achieved that goal here: as big-boned as they are densely concentrated, the ripe but powerful acid and tannin structure of these potent wines brings energy, definition and persistence. Save for the 2008 Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz, there was little evidence of raisining or viscosity.

Flagships

Built to age for decades, the premium-level Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz and Dimchurch Shiraz are both barrel selections drawn from several different plots, delivered to the winery in five separate parcels throughout the harvest. They spend six and four years respectively in new French oak barrels, and ultimately the 20 barrels will be reduced to the best four before being blended and then bottle-aged for up to three years.With depth over amplitude – a vertiginous quality – the profile of these wines is surprisingly dry and firm with tremendous length, especially the monumental flagship, Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz. While the Dimchurch Shiraz is similarly substantial, extended barrel maturation imparts a mellowness to its relatively fruit-forward character – the 2010 and 2012 have a Rioja-like touch of complexing oxidation.

The rest of the range

Released earlier in its lifespan, North Barossa Vintners Shiraz 2014 is sourced from Hoffman’s vineyards, as well as from neighbouring growers. It spends less time in wood than the premium range and correspondingly shows brighter, plusher fruit.

Maiden releases Limit Lodge Grenache 2014 and Limit Lodge Mataro 2012 are intriguing alternative varietals sourced from Hoffmann’s Dimchurch vineyard, and are already showing plenty of promise.

Still, compact and densely layered with a bottomless pit of fruit, North Barossa Vintners’ range rewards patience, and these wines may well warrant higher scores as they unfurl to reveal more of themselves.

If you’re tempted to broach them early, Ringland recommends decanting six to eight hours in advance to allow the wines to open up, while Hoffmann’s tip is ‘go horizontal….sup it over three days.’ I’m inclined to agree – despite brawny first impressions, these are detailed wines for contemplation.

Sarah’s North Barossa Vintners tasting notes & scores:

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