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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.5 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 36 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by kimcot on 1/13/2024 & rated 92 points: Absolutely fabulous!
Still lots of fruit flavours on the palate and no amber edging in the gkass.
Tile red colour, very bright.
Still a few years left with this one.
Magic pairing with grilled Moroccan spiced spatchcock. (205 views) | | | Tasted by Benoit Hardy on 11/13/2023 & rated 94 points: Bewitching nose of leather, cocoa, cinnamon and sandalwood.
Full mouthfeel, with a magnificent touch, it is velvety, with sweet aromas of liquorice on the attack. Then the juice increases in power and complexity, with intense flavors of menthol, leather and black fruits. It is intense but always with a beautiful freshness, which allows the wine to be at the same time sapid, complex and of a rare density. The silky texture is a treat. Great minty finish on warm spices with great length.
An excellent Shiraz, picked at full maturity and which proves that these wines can age harmoniously. Its texture, above all, is a pure delight. (358 views) | | | Tasted by Cumberland on 10/15/2023 & rated 95 points: Deep red/purple colour in the decanter without any visible signs of age, and an earthiness to the bouquet. Beautifully silky smooth in the mouth, with a medium/full weight and great length. The wine is well balanced and drinking beautifully, still at its peak.
Opened with a Durand and decanted using a Venturi for two hours before drinking. (305 views) | | | Tasted by Shrewsram on 12/2/2022 & rated 93 points: Leathery, spicy, menthol aromas, black cherry and liquorice.
Full and pretty silky palate, lots of complex quality liquorice notes, excellent acidity and lift. Pockets of concentration of ripe dark berries, layers of soft liquorice and leather. Resolved tannins.
nicely balanced and good energy. (575 views) | | | Tasted by peter.mancell@mfg.com.au on 1/25/2022 & rated 96 points: Superb medium body texture with a glorious mouth feel.
Sublime purity of fruit, dark and some red, plenty of spice on the finish.
Bought at Scenic Cellars Taupo NZ, waited 15 years to drink and now feel very well rewarded. (1198 views) | | | Tasted by Kekib on 5/29/2021: Stunning! Drank with the Hogbens (1182 views) | | | Tasted by Paco55 on 2/20/2021 & rated 94 points: Leather, sandalwood, cinnamon, chocolate and warm spice - so distinctive that once you’ve stuck your nose in this you can’t mistake it for anything else! Rich, dark and round in the mouth with not much acidity and yet it is gorgeous and moorish in the manner that some classic aged Australian Shiraz can get when it’s flavour profile has been dialled to 110% and it’s been given 20 years to come together. It’s not subtle but if you like your wine full bodied and full throttle then this will bowl you over and you won’t be able to stop sniffing it. Infinitely better than when it was young, well cellared bottles will bring plenty of enjoyment for up to the next 5 years - from the first glass to the last. It’s a unique experience to try this wine and I highly recommend you jump on it if you happen to come across some in your travels. 94 Points (1411 views) | | | Tasted by mp6283 on 12/24/2019: Reading the recent tasting notes here I shouldn't have been surprised by how good this was but it really showed wonderfully. Purple coloring; licorice and eucalyptus nose; just a hint of leather on the palate to show its almost 20 years old; opulent mouthfeel. This would have been the star of the holidays if not for the 2006 RWT that followed it. This probably has another 5-10 years in front of it for those looking to hold. (1680 views) | | | Tasted by jmoon on 12/24/2018 & rated 95 points: Really textured and lush and sophisticated flavours... so much better than a young Armagh. (1978 views) | | | Tasted by Psammoma Body on 11/2/2018 & rated 98 points: Opened a well cellared bottle and found it absolutely stunning! Loads of fruit with liquorice and eucalyptus notes. Still drinking very well and this bottle could have gone another 5 years easily. (1535 views) | | | Tasted by Alex G. on 4/28/2018: Best showing to date, this is like a top Bordeaux, but with a bit more round ripe fruit. The nose has rich plum and menthol, full in the mouth with dense fruit. Delicious. (1727 views) | | | Tasted by parinacota on 1/21/2018 & rated 92 points: Beautifully aged Aussi Shiraz, silky tannins, still big body and very fragrant (spices, dried dark fruit, raisins). Drink now. (1662 views) | | | Tasted by passion4wine on 1/10/2018 & rated 91 points: Mature Aussie syrah/shiraz with tons of bacon, spice, and dried fruit and lovely sweet and pruney berries. Good balance, smooth tannins, and great mouthfeel. This won't get better! (1316 views) | | | Tasted by G_H on 9/1/2017 & rated 93 points: Great mature auzzie Shiraz, rich, warm, sweet. Kind of Chrsitmasy if that makes any sense. Perfect now, don't wait too long (1387 views) | | | Tasted by Wall_Bangers on 7/24/2017 & rated 94 points: Almost black colour slight brick rim with good quality cork.
Cola, blackberry, chocolate and mint nose. Big mouthfeel with soft tannin, plenty of fruit and long finish. Some raisin, Christmas cake flavours. Long. Delicious. (1263 views) | | | Tasted by Dave Herzig on 10/25/2014 & rated 94 points: Oaky plums on the noise and palate with a smooth rounded finish (2758 views) | | | Tasted by tplskylrk on 8/3/2014: Still nice, drinking just fine. Bit of raisin day II (3035 views) | | | Tasted by Hazevedo on 6/21/2014 & rated 94 points: - Brick color. It's somewhat balanced with a full body. Linear texture with a long finish. (2675 views) | | | Tasted by Hazevedo on 6/21/2014 & rated 94 points: - Brick color. It's balanced with a full body. Flabby texture with a long finish. (2795 views) | | | Tasted by Alex H on 1/20/2014 & rated 88 points: Black licourice and dark chocolate scented black satsuma plums. Has juicy sweet fruits but really balanced for what it is. (3490 views) | | | Tasted by Paul S on 1/18/2014 & rated 94 points: Martin's Birthday Dinner aka Shiraz Night (Sixty 40, Rochester Mall, Singapore): This was such a great wine - it reminded me of exactly why I used to drink so much Aussie Shiraz in bygone years. Opened some 5 hours before pouring, it reaced out of the glass with a wonderful nose of dark chocolate and warm spice, blackberries and plums, with a dusting of mocha notes on the sides. Really lovely. The palate was surprisingly generous and giving for a 2001, very forward. Served blind, we all guessed that it was a Shiraz from the mid-90s. Whatever the case though, it seemed to be quite at peak, with a little dusting of powdery tannins that were just starting to soften knit together with delicious flavours of sweet black cherries and plums and some savoury black olives sprinkled with warmly fragrant notes of cocoa and spice. There were lovely proportions on the wine; it was actually quite powerful and muscular, with quite a bit of depth to it, but it still always very focused and impeccably balance - a very whole, very complete package. Great finish too, with a lovely trail of dried herbs, menthol and eucalyptus, with just that whiff of crushed ants that is so symptomatic of old Aussie Shiraz. Beautiful stuff - I absolutely loved this. (3381 views) | | | Tasted by psusfca on 8/3/2013 & rated 93 points: Tannins had softened nicely but still needed some air before this wine really came into its own. Fruit is nicely integrated with more oak than i typically notice in a Shiraz. Well incorporated through. Tobacco notes with dark fruit flavors. I'd say this is as good as it is going to get - might have even been a touch better a year of two ago. Still, reminds me of a nice Hermitage. (1875 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 7/5/2013 & rated 87 points: Opaque purple red violet color; blackberry, berry nose; black cherry, mulberry palate with no discernible acidity; medium-plus finish (15% alcohol) (493 views) | | | Tasted by RR47 on 6/29/2013 & rated 95 points: Brought this to a dinner and a 2003 Amon Ra from our cellar for dinner with friends. Both decanted at the table. This showed a great nose of blackberry, black cherry, desert dustiness, tobacco, and spice, Great structure. Excellent with a grilled beef filet. We had the same vintage Armagh last year, with a similar profile. An excellant mature Shiraz. Never overpowering. The Armagh was my WOTN by a slight margin. (1826 views) | | | Tasted by RR47 on 10/11/2012 & rated 96 points: Brought to a restaurant from our cellar for dinner with friends that love Oz wines, where it was decanted at the table. An excellant mature Shiraz. Still dark red. Balanced nose of blackberry, licorice, spice. Just the right amount of mature fruit to balance the acid and compliment the grilled steaks. Finish went on and on, yet never overpowering. Our friends gave it a higher score. (2436 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Jim Barry Producer Website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)Jim Barry Shiraz The ArmaghJIM BARRY
The Armagh Shiraz
Clare Valley, South Australia
THE STORY
Named after the Clare Valley settlement founded by Irish settlers in 1848, The Armagh Shiraz comprises opulent and muscular shiraz fruit that explodes with aroma and flavour.
While stylistically different, the original winemaking philosophy of The Armagh Shiraz was in part inspired by neighbouring vineyard Wendouree. The Jim Barry wine sits somewhere between the vigorous, elegantly structured muscular style of Wendouree and the chocolatey richness of Penfolds Grange.
This beautifully concentrated shiraz is sourced from a low-yielding vineyard that was planted in the Clare Valley in 1968, on a north-west-facing sandy gravel slope. Elevated at 400 metres, the position ensures maximum sun exposure, resulting in fully ripe fruit.
THE WINEMAKING
The vines are hand harvested with several passes to ensure an optimum flavour profile is reached. Crushing and fermentation in small stainless steel tanks with heading down boards is followed by ageing in French (70%) and American oak hogsheads for 15 months.
THE WINE
The plush fruit and supple richness are hallmarks of The Armagh style. With oak hidden behind curtains of deep, intense fruit and extraordinarily fine, structured tannins, The Armagh Shiraz is highly prized for consistency and ageing potential.
TOP VINTAGES
2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2002, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989. Not made in 2011, 2003 and 1986.
Bottled under screwcap since the 2010 vintage.
THE ARMAGH VINEYARD
The 28 hectare grazing property, two kilometres northwest of the Clare township, was acquired by Jim and Nancy Barry in 1964. The land, bisected by the Armagh Creek, lies on a combination of alluvial flats, rare in the Clare Valley, and gentle northwest facing slopes. Its history is also connected to the settlement of Irish settlers, including James Burton Gleeson, who was the prominent landholder in the region. The Armagh Vineyard was named after the nearby Armagh hamlet, which was established in 1849. The elevated (397 metres) Armagh Vineyard, with low fertility soils, drainage and northwest aspect, is a distinguished South Australian vineyard site. The soils are derived primarily from 800-million-year-old sandstone formations. Typically, the soils are light brown sandy/ gravel topsoils over a pebbly alluvial layer and mottled day sub-soils. The original vineyard rows are contour-planted to mitigate erosion. The Armagh Vineyard was initially planted with cabernet sauvignon and malbec, followed by 3.3 hectares of shiraz vines in 1968, with The Armagh only sourced from these 1968 plantings. The material was all based on heirloom pre-phylloxera vine stock material. The Armagh Shiraz crops at under two tons/ acre (under 40 hectolitres/ hectare). The small berries, skin-to-juice ratio and intensely flavourful bunches result in wines of luxuriant density and firmness.Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Mount Lofty Ranges Mount Lofty Ranges (wikipedia)Clare Valley Clare Valley (South Australian Tourism Comission) |
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