Showing 1–12 of 13 results
“This 2019 Old Quarter GSM is fine and striking—the concentration of fruit is unmarred by oak, but has textural complexity and plushness in the mouth. The tannins in this wine are pliable, whippy and omnipresent, while bringing extreme pleasure and freshness to the wine. It has form and shape. Vitality. Purity. Finesse. Drink: 2022-2032. 95+ points”
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate (07/22)
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“The 2019 Polygon 1 Shiraz is spicy, taut and mineral-driven. This has shape and slender form, with pepper spice and all the things, black tea, graphite, etc. There are also notes of lamb fat and cloves as well as dark chocolate, mulberries and licorice. It is savory and exotic and exciting. Although, it does take some getting used to because it is quite different from other Barossa Shirazes—it is pure and febrile rather than big and tannic. This was fermented in concrete and finished off in a custom 420-liter barrel. The fruit for this wine is from a tiny 0.4-hectare polygon and is part of the Old Quarter of the vineyard. The vineyard was split into four distinct parcels, and in three of those parcels, vines grow on heavily fractured micaceous schist. One small area of 0.097 hectares in the middle lacks this schist content and is excluded from the ferment. 46 cases made and 50 magnums. Drink: 2022-2032. 93 points”
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate (09/22)
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“The Polygon 5 is grown on a schist-dominant site, and the thread of tannin between the 2018 and 2019 shows a lineage of assertive, focused tannins. At no point, however, do they intrude on or impede the flow of the fruit. This 2019 Polygon 5 Grenache is supple, buoyant and spicy. It steps outside of the expected Grenache territory for the Barossa and treads a dangerously elegant and fine line. Thrilling. It has savory red fruits: salted redcurrants, pomegranate, raspberry. Wild. Layered. Earthy. Big, yes. Drink: 2022-2036. 96+ points”
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate (07/22)
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“This 2020 Spice Garden Shiraz, like the other premium Alkina Shirazes will certainly split the crowd. Some will be titillated by its purity and febrile nature. Others will pine for the density and volume that Barossa Shiraz can deliver. It’s important to know what you’re walking into before you do it. I’m in the former camp. This features succulent, chewy fruit grown on limestone (90% of the blend) and schist (10% of the blend); the neighboring clay-based Polygon was excluded as it was thought to overpower the detail in Polygons 10 and 11. This is exceptional. It is supple, pliable and exciting, with layers of exotic spice, layers of fat, clove, star anise, red licorice and mulberry. Balanced. It’s good for the Barossa, this wine. It shows the great thing about the Barossa that made it famous: concentration. But it does so in an elegant, medium-bodied way. The splay of firm Pinot-esque tannin through the finish is the highlight. 44 cases made. Drink: 2022-2037. 95 points”
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate (09/22)
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“I’ve looked at this wine many times over the years, almost exclusively as an older/cellared wine. The impact it has made is strong, and so it is through this lens that I now view this 2020 Amon Ra Shiraz. This year’s Amon-Ra is concentrated, dense and absolutely, utterly saturated with flavor. The fruit that spirals within the bounds of the firm tannins is fleshy and pure, and with the knowledge that the wine sails through the decade with noiseless grace, it is all the more impressive in its infancy now. A brilliant wine—all ductile and proud. Yes. Drink: 2022-2042. 97 points“
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate (09/22)
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“The 2019 Anaperenna Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon is an 84-16 blend, all sourced from the northern end of the Barossa Valley. Bottled in October 2020 and scheduled to be released in October 2021, it features lovely lift and delicate herbal nuances on the nose, plus hints of red and black currants and blackberries. Full-bodied and supple, it’s also crisp, long and velvety on the finish, picking up delicious nuances of vanilla, dark chocolate and bright, fresh fruit. Drink: 2023-2035. 95 points
My thanks to Ben Glaetzer for staying up late to chat via Zoom about his 2019 wines. All of the grapes for Glaetzer come from the Ebenezer district of the Barossa—just six growers in total (largely Hoffmann and Roehr). So, not only do the Glaetzer wines offer a taste of Ben’s winemaking, they also provide a sense of place that goes beyond just “Barossa Valley.” Although Glaetzer describes the 2019 vintage in generally positive terms, he didn’t make his luxury wine, Eye of Ra, this year. The 2016 version, previously reviewed, will be released in October, and there is a 2018 waiting in the wings (and very probably a 2021 as well).”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (256)
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“Deep ruby. Highly perfumed dark berry and floral scents are complemented by suggestions of allspice and licorice and a smoky mineral flourish lends urgency. Concentrated yet lively as well, offering sweet blueberry and cherry liqueur flavors that are sharpened by a peppery note. Plays depth off of energy with a smooth hand and finishes sweet and long, with supple tannins making a late appearance. Drinking window: 2023-2032. 93 points
After parting ways with Torbreck, the winery that he founded in 1994, David Powell took a brief pause and returned in grand style with his son, Callum, for this project. Readers familiar with the wines that Powell made over the years at Torbreck will no doubt appreciate these extroverted, intensely perfumed and flavored wines, which show the full-throated Barossa style at its best. These wines exhibit almost shockingly fine detail for their mass and power. The thick-staved barrels made by Dominique Laurent are omnipresent here, and they are ideally suited for the extended aging regimen that Powell favors. While the barrel presence in these 2017s is undeniable, so is fruit intensity, which makes me confident that, with patience, the wines are more than capable of absorbing the oak.”
Josh Raynolds, Vinous (12/21)
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“One of the best values and flat-out sexiest wines in the lineup is the 2016 Grenache-Shiraz-Mataro. Driven by the 1901-planted Grenache from Seppeltsfield that makes up 60% of the blend, it’s richer, darker and deeper than the Riverside bottling. Sage and licorice notes add nuance to the black cherries on the nose and palate of this full-bodied, richly concentrated and layered offering. Drink: 2018-2030. 94 points
Dave Powell was the founding winemaker at Torbreck (1994), where he single-handedly built the brand into a major player before being ousted in a business dispute. The 2016s are the third vintage for him and his son Callum under the Powell & Son label. Many of the vineyard sources are similar to those he worked with previously, but there’s no doubt Callum has had an impact on the style of the wines, as they’re definitively not Torbreck. The changes are subtle, but there’s a finer eye on the oak and gentle extraction, all in pursuit of intricacy and detail in the finished wines. “It’s been crucial for me to have Callum come in and give another perspective,” said Powell. The stars of the lineup are the Steinert and Kraehe Shirazes, very different expressions from very different sites, but it is impossible to go wrong with any of the latest releases.”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (238)
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“A blend of 60% Roussanne (fermented and aged in steel) and 40% Marsanne (fermented and aged in barrique), the 2017 Roussanne-Marsanne features scents of toasted almond, pineapple and melon. It’s medium to full-bodied, plush and rich without being heavy or oily. There’s a honeyed note on the finish, but that’s balanced by a lively dose of lime. I’d drink this in the next few years. Drink: 2018-2021. 92 points
Dave Powell was the founding winemaker at Torbreck (1994), where he single-handedly built the brand into a major player before being ousted in a business dispute. The 2016s are the third vintage for him and his son Callum under the Powell & Son label. Many of the vineyard sources are similar to those he worked with previously, but there’s no doubt Callum has had an impact on the style of the wines, as they’re definitively not Torbreck. The changes are subtle, but there’s a finer eye on the oak and gentle extraction, all in pursuit of intricacy and detail in the finished wines. “It’s been crucial for me to have Callum come in and give another perspective,” said Powell. The stars of the lineup are the Steinert and Kraehe Shirazes, very different expressions from very different sites, but it is impossible to go wrong with any of the latest releases.”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (238)
In Stock
“In case you thought the Powells were only making tiny quantities of unaffordable wines, the 2016 Barossa Valley Shiraz retails for a reasonable $30 per bottle. From mostly 20- to 30-year-old vines in Marananga, it’s aged in foudre. It’s medium to full-bodied, with tar and black olive notes on opening that blossom into cherry and blueberry fruit after decanting. The tannins are fine, lingering on the silky finish. Drink: 2018-2025. 91 points
Dave Powell was the founding winemaker at Torbreck (1994), where he single-handedly built the brand into a major player before being ousted in a business dispute. The 2016s are the third vintage for him and his son Callum under the Powell & Son label. Many of the vineyard sources are similar to those he worked with previously, but there’s no doubt Callum has had an impact on the style of the wines, as they’re definitively not Torbreck. The changes are subtle, but there’s a finer eye on the oak and gentle extraction, all in pursuit of intricacy and detail in the finished wines. “It’s been crucial for me to have Callum come in and give another perspective,” said Powell. The stars of the lineup are the Steinert and Kraehe Shirazes, very different expressions from very different sites, but it is impossible to go wrong with any of the latest releases.”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (238)
In Stock
“The 150 cases of the 2016 Brennecke Grenache will no doubt sell out quickly. Aged in 100% new Tronçais barriques, the nose hints at woodsmoke, crushed stone and pencil shavings, while the full-bodied palate reveals crystalline-pure, bright cranberry and pie-cherry flavors. It’s surprisingly crisp, with herb and savory notes on the long, zesty finish. Although the supple tannins make this wine approachable now, I’d give it a couple of years in the cellar to better harmonize and soften. Drink: 2020-2030. 95 points
Dave Powell was the founding winemaker at Torbreck (1994), where he single-handedly built the brand into a major player before being ousted in a business dispute. The 2016s are the third vintage for him and his son Callum under the Powell & Son label. Many of the vineyard sources are similar to those he worked with previously, but there’s no doubt Callum has had an impact on the style of the wines, as they’re definitively not Torbreck. The changes are subtle, but there’s a finer eye on the oak and gentle extraction, all in pursuit of intricacy and detail in the finished wines. “It’s been crucial for me to have Callum come in and give another perspective,” said Powell. The stars of the lineup are the Steinert and Kraehe Shirazes, very different expressions from very different sites, but it is impossible to go wrong with any of the latest releases.”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (238)
In Stock
“There are two barrels (50 cases) of the 2016 Kleinig Mataro. Like many Barossa Mataros, it’s more red-fruited than black, with wild swirls of Provençal-like garrigue and licorice notes. Full-bodied and supple but firmly structured, with fine-grained tannins lining the finish, it should age well for a couple of decades. Drink: 2025-2040. 95 points
Dave Powell was the founding winemaker at Torbreck (1994), where he single-handedly built the brand into a major player before being ousted in a business dispute. The 2016s are the third vintage for him and his son Callum under the Powell & Son label. Many of the vineyard sources are similar to those he worked with previously, but there’s no doubt Callum has had an impact on the style of the wines, as they’re definitively not Torbreck. The changes are subtle, but there’s a finer eye on the oak and gentle extraction, all in pursuit of intricacy and detail in the finished wines. “It’s been crucial for me to have Callum come in and give another perspective,” said Powell. The stars of the lineup are the Steinert and Kraehe Shirazes, very different expressions from very different sites, but it is impossible to go wrong with any of the latest releases.”
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (238)
In Stock
