Yalumba ‘Patchwork’ Barossa Shiraz 2008
As Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, Yalumba has a history, stability and purpose that no other wine producing operation can match. With 160 years of Barossa heritage, the Yalumba wines are incredibly good and truly honest. The 2008 is only the fourth release of this label, designed to bear more than a passing resemblance to ‘The Octavious’ super-premium Shiraz, and offer immediacy and startling affordability. Despite the heat-wave vintage, winemaker Kevin Glastonbury has fashioned a lovely, elegant, modern-style Shiraz, with fine, ripe black fruits, spices and pepper, that has excellent aromatic lift and finesse. The tannins are stylishly supple and help carry the palate flavours through the long finish. Though elegant in structure, the wine is still archetype Barossa, the fruit from a ‘patchwork’ quilt of diverse sites adding up to a most complete wine. Wild yeast fermented to 13.5% alc, and aged 6 months in 15% new American and French oak. Drink over the next 4-6 years, and match it with a flavoursome steak. At $21.25, this can be enjoyed often.

Langmeil ‘Valley Floor’ Barossa Valley Shiraz 2007
2007 was a difficult harvest to manage. Drought and frost affected, rapid ripening of the small crop resulted in very early picking. This Langmeil wine, being a blend of fruit from selected vineyards across all the sub-regions of the Barossa’ Valley Floor’ and incorporating a high proportion of grapes from old vines, some 70-120 years old, is one that performs above its station of $32.10 and possesses true individuality. At 15.0% alc, it has intensity and depth along with breadth of aroma and flavour. Funky and different in character, the bouquet has soft, savoury, spice and dried herb notes, and this is reflected in the expression of the palate. There is a rich sweetness of fruit, adding to the smoothness. Oak shine, from the total use ofAmerican barrels, 20% new, comes through, and the wine has excellent grip and structure underneath, sufficient for aging 7-9 years. The Langmeil winery, owned by Richard and Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter since 1996, crushes around 1,000 tonnes annually. It sits on the site originally settled in 1842 by German blacksmith Christian Auricht, who planted vines there, some of which still survive today.

Thorn-Clarke ‘William Randell’ Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006
The Thorn family have been grape growers in the Barossa for six generations, since the 1870s, and as such, have accumulated 265 hectares of prime vineyard sites. The best fruit is selected for their Thorn-Clarke label, which has emerged within the last decade as a most significant one representing the best of the Barossa. The ‘Sandpiper’ and ‘Shotfire’ ranges offer amazing quality and value, but the flagship ‘William Randell’ Shiraz is a no-compromise, traditionally-style ‘Best of the Barossa’ wine. The 2006 comes from one of the great Barossa vintages, and the combination of an outstanding harvest and highest quality aspiration has given a most special wine indeed, the best release under this label to date, according to winemaker Derek Fitzgerald. With 15.0% alc, it is a massive wine in richness, ripeness, concentration and power. The fruit is explosive with blackberry, cassis, coffee and liquorice characters, and 22 months barrel maturation, 50% American and 50% French, all new, has provided lifted vanilla and spice notes. A touch of volatility is reminiscent of ‘Grange’! This is an ‘out-there’ wine, and will match the most flavoursome red meat dishes. The wine deserves plenty of thought and discussion, as a meditation wine. It will live for two decades easily. It is a bargain at $59.40.