Full bottle 1,497 g. Beautiful long, shiny cork. Fruit for this wine was selected from five main vineyards across the Barossa. The oldest parcel of Shiraz is hand picked from Eden Valley vines planted in 1854. With an average vine age of 104 years, 55% of this Shiraz is sourced from Eden Valley and 45% from the Barossa Valley. A mild, dry growing season and a summer full of sunshine and dry weather. Matured for 19 months in 25% new French oak hogsheads and barriques, balance in 1-year and older French octaves (100 litre) and barriques. TA 6.22 g/l, pH 3.56. Inky crimson with opaque black core and soft smudgy rim. Openly and invitingly aromatic: black fruit, minty/balsamic and spicy but not overly sweet-smelling. There's a lovely impression of dry, dark rocks with the fruit interwoven. On the palate, the fruit is still to the fore, sweet, black and fragrant, like blackberry rather than cassis. Not too much sign of the oak on the palate except in a very slight dark, lightly charry spice, but is not the oak that you notice. Incredibly smooth, deft tannins – still some firmness to them but without edges – thanks to the oak. Lovely now but still with many years to go. Caressing, silky, long and seductive. It just slips down to a long finish. Not showy but beautiful. (JH)