4.27 out of 5 Stars John Duval Shiraz "Entity": A 96-Point Exception to the Rule

While the American market continues to thumb its nose at Barossa's high-end Shiraz, the Brits — egged on by high scores in Decanter Magazine — have taken up the slack, buying up allocations that had long been earmarked for N.Y.C., Miami, L.A., and San Francisco.

Last October, for the first and only time in 2014, we published a story about a Barossa Valley Shiraz, crafted by John Duval. First, we explained why we are so critical of most Aussie Shiraz (overly concentrated, too little natural acidity). Then we discussed why the 2012 "Entity" was a perfectly chiseled exception to that rule.

By mid-afternoon, every bottle was gone, as our Shiraz-starved membership feasted on one of the finest bottles ever crafted by Australia's most critically acclaimed winemaker.

A few months after our story hit member inboxes, Decanter came out with all guns blazing, posting one of the highest scores in years for a Shiraz sporting "Entity's" price tag. Decanter not only upped Stephen Tanzer's 93-point rating to a lofty 96 points, but the English MW tasting panel went on to place John Duval's 2012 high on its list of Top 50 Wines of 2014. Here's why.

For 17 years, John Duval crafted Australia's most revered 100-point Shiraz. $400/bottle Penfolds "Grange," drawn from Duval's hand-picked vineyard sources, combined lavish black-fruit richness with age-worthy Northern Rhône cut. When Duval finally took his leave from Penfolds to hang out his own shingle, Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, Decanter, and Wine Spectator followed close behind, showering Duval's "Little Grange" with 93- to 94-point raves.

According to the winemaker, Tanzer, and now Decanter Magazine, the 2012 "Entity" is Duval's richest, juiciest, and most finely honed to date.

Darkest ruby to the rim, infused with mouthwatering aromas of mountain blueberry and blackcurrant, tinged with sweet spice and white pepper. Massively concentrated on the attack yet still beautifully focused and finely delineated, the core is packed with a dense mix of crushed-black-fruit preserves, licorice, and purple plum, all sturdily framed by dusty tannin backbone. Drink now for the sheer opulence of this world-class Shiraz, or do as Tanzer suggests and lay this gentle beast down until sometime in the early 2020s!

WineAccess.com
June 13, 2015

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