Jim Barry "The Armagh Shiraz"

Description

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 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 month. 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.

99/100 Points James Suckling
"The explosion of black and blue berry aromas with a dazzling interplay of fruit and oak takes your breath away. Very concentrated and compact, but not a jot too heavy at 13.8% alcohol. The incredibly fine tannins provide an extremely sensual texture, yet everything is precisely balanced at the super-long finish. The best ever Armagh! Drink or hold."

97/100 Points Falstaff
"Deep ruby red colour with a wide ruby red rim. The nose is bursting with fresh fruit and smells intensely of pureed blackberries and blueberries. The palate is still very youthful and still paints a picture of the primary fruit. The tannins are still in their furry and astringent state, but they are wonderfully ripe and fine. This still has a lovely floral quality to it. The acidity is bright, bright and luminous. A wonderful balance characterizes this youthful, generous, dense and fruity wonder."

Tasting Notes:
Deep crimson. Classical blackberry, praline, ginger, sage aromas with mocha oak notes. Luxurious blackberry pastille, blackcurrant, black cherry fruits, superb fine chocolatey / velvet tannins and beautifully balanced mocha / vanilla / smoky oak notes. Finishes velvety / gravelly firm with raspberry, graphite / bush garrigue notes. A hugely impressive long-lasting Clare Valley Shiraz with lovely fruit definition, density and vigour. It is an accomplished, courageous celebration of the vineyard’s 50th anniversary.