Agricola - Bespoke Barossa

Asbroek ‘Ancient’ circa 1864 vines. Asbroek 50+ year ‘Old Vines’

14.1% alcohol. 1,644 bottles produced.

This is a mesh of old and very old vines in Asbroek’s plot from around 1864 and then some of their mere 50 year old vines. The K’ Sands wines have often been out of the box in the best sense, wrought with serious tannin, exotic in character, accordingly compelling. I wrote a few releases ago “it seems to mesh the personalities of pinot noir, nebbiolo and nerello mascalese with heartier shiraz…” and that couldn’t be more apt again, though this is the most (excellent) and firmly tannic expression of K’ Sands yet.

Groaning under its grip and guttural grind, a very serious shiraz of depth, richness, warm forest berry fruit character, garam masala spice, new leather, dried rose petal notes – all of this captured in a dart-shaped sluice that finishes gradually palate staining, inky and earthy-spicy. The texture is all firm slate and finely crushed rock; immensely satisfying and refreshing despite the inherent heft and intensity of the impossibly midnight black fruit contained within. A flicker of game meat, smouldering eucalyptus leaves and twigs as seasoning. Astonishingly evocative and satisfying as a meaty red, but so compelling, again, for its originality and fruit driven excellence. 97 Pts, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Naimanya & Home 100+ year old vines. 13.6% alcohol. 3,132 bottles produced.

There’s a quite distinct understatement to this wine, finesse, quietness, a distinctly fresher, tighter style that will likely irk some traditionalists but likewise draw in those seeking medium weight, tannin-hewn reds of perfume, minerality and coolness. Dark cherry, even some blue and red berry fruitiness, rose hip tea in chalky, puckering mode, lavender floral splashes, nutty woody notes in there, a rasp of black pepper, some brambly herbal all found in the mesh of things. Seamless in its integration of all the varied elements of fruit, savoury elements, earthiness with the rough, suede tug of lengthy tannin ropes lend shape and chew. An earthy, hazelnut-savoury finish superb. Proper stuff, sinewy and compact, serious in its expression of the variety and so distinct. 95 pts, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Seeliger 100+ year old vines. 13.0% alcohol. 2,616 bottles produced.

Seeliger is the last name of the Steinert (vineyard) family’s ancestors who planted the site over 100 years ago. It gets a nod on this new wine label/release. It’s a cool and elevated site too.

This is elegant. Harmonious in its mesh of blue/black berry fruit compote, mint and alpine amaro notes, dashes of dried sage, puffs of cardamom, white pepper dusting, mezcal and/or jalapeno things and suggestions of paperbark tree and cinnamon myrtle. A cool, alpine Aussie bush character here, yes. Such a huge, complex perfume, before we even get to flavours, which feel carbon copy to the bouquet. It sits high in the palate but doesn’t forget an inward concentration. It snakes through the palate with silty, fine trails of highest quality tannin finishing in a refreshing grip. Crikey, this is such good shiraz. It takes the variety to another planet. 97 pts, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Hoffmann Dallwitz Old 1888-1912. Hoffmann Dallwitz 1996

14.6% alcohol • 2,304 bottles produced.

From the well-loved and well-shared Hoffman Dallwitz vines, a portion from older (1888 to 1912) and some from much younger (1996). This slips into the dictionary alongside Traditional Barossa Shiraz, but in that, of old school, good school styles that eschew new oak as a thumping baseline and leave out the zingy, sherbetty, lemony tongue thump of added acid that came to be for many.

Pure as, rich as here. So meaty and beefy, not like meat and beef, but in the colloquial sense, all the stewed plum with cinnamon sticks, molten dark chocolate, white mushroom, caraway seed pleasing peppery-woody-bitterness as an accent. Very heady in perfume, a fog of the stuff as a compelling invite in. It delivers on a promise and leaves a groove in the palate, a thick, warm, grippy, slow moving freight train of fuck yeah Barossa shiraz. 94pts, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front