Hewitson Ungrafted Vines Barossa Shiraz 2024 [RJ 96] Cellar door 90aud

This comes off some very old dry-grown vines that unusually have never been grafted. The aromas are intense, with a plummery, slightly black fruit character merging. Palate is intricately integrated with the fine chalky tannins, plush, smooth fruit, and nicely applied oak. This is an exquisite wine where the palate offers so much. Bright with energy and drive. Gosh, I could drink a bit of this. Drink to: 2026-2036; Price: $90.00; Rating: 96 Points; Ray Jordan

From aged dry-grown vines, ungrafted of course, fermentation is with whole berries in open vats, before maturation in old French oak barriques, on lees, for fifteen months. Purple/mauve in colour, on the nose we have notes of bay leaves, cassis, chocolate, plums, vanilla, spices and mulberries. A wonderfully supple texture, there also hints of bacon fat emerging on the palate. The wine has serious length with bright acidity, impressive balance, good focus and satiny tannins on the finish. To be enjoyed over the next twelve to fifteen years. Drink to: 2026-2041; Price: $90.00; Rating: 96 Points; Ken Gargett

The fruit here is both sweet and earthen; the oak is coffeed, toasty and beautifully integrated; the finish is run with black licorice. Peppercorn and violet notes fly here and there; everything about this wine is top notch. Feel, flavour and finish are all elite, as is structure, and there’s a bit of difference in play, courtesy of graphite and smoked floral characters. Tasted: April 2026; Alcohol: 13.5%; Drink: 2027-2035+; Rated: 95 Points; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front