The Critics’ Crown 95+ Wine – Curated 6 Pack

Experience the pinnacle of winemaking excellence with The Critics’ Crown 95+ Wine – Curated 6 Pack. This exclusive selection brings together six extraordinary wines, each meticulously chosen for its exceptional quality and impressive 95+ point ratings from renowned wine critics. Representing iconic regions and showcasing masterful craftsmanship, these wines are perfect for collectors, connoisseurs, or anyone seeking a taste of perfection. Whether for celebratory moments or indulgent evenings, this collection guarantees a remarkable journey through the world of fine wine.

1 x Brown Hill Golden Horseshoe Reserve Chardonnay 2019 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia

95/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion
92/100 Ray Jordan, WA Wine Guide
Bronze - Huon Hooke, The Real Review

94/100 James Halliday Wine Companion (2018 vintage)
93/100 Steven Creber, Halliday Wine Companion (2017 vintage)
90/100 Nick Buttler, The Real Review (2017 vintage)
93/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2016 vintage)
92/100 Ray Jordan (2016 vintage)
90/100 The Wine Front (2016 vintage)

Silver - Margaret River Wine Show 2020

‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine Guide 2010
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine , Guide 2009

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "Hand picked, whole-bunch pressed, fermented in a combination of seasoned and new French oak. Toasty, chewy and packed with layers of flavour and texture. The saline acid ties it all to a post, the concentrated fruit forms a deep pool of flavour on the tongue. There's a lot to ponder, a lot to like, and thankfully, a whole bottle to drink. Get to it."

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Very light-straw colour. The aroma is reserved and a bit shy, with a faint floral overtone, while the palate is light but reasonably intense, straightforward and tickled up with a trace of sweetness. A pleasant wine."

James Halliday Wine Companion "Hand-picked, chilled, whole-bunch pressed, fermented in new and 1yo French barriques. This has good mouthfeel and varietal expression, the oak surprisingly well behaved. It is still youthful, with room to grow and prosper." (2018 vintage)

Steven Creber, Halliday Wine Companion "Opens with plenty of winemaking 'funk' on the bouquet (struck match, cashew, toast), but there's a core of quality grapefruit, melon and peach varietal character as well. Generous in flavour, combining all those elements found in the bouquet, it has an attractive viscosity of mouthfeel with fresh acidity keeping things taut and controlled on the palate. Well made." (2017 vintage)

Nick Buttler, The Real Review "Grapefruits and charry oak - vanilla custard rounds out the bouquet. A lovely, creamy palate - lees work is evident, partial MLF (malolactic fermentation) wouldn't surprise - artifice done well. A generous wine that retains poise, complex enough, the grapefruit acid line leaves a hint of bitterness that demands the next sip." (2017 vintage)

Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion "A wine that glimpses the current zeitgeist of mineral-clad, tauter expressions of chardonnay, while also paying heed to the proclivity of Margaret River for generosity and texture. Honeydew melon and quince leap out of the blocks, while a juicy kernel of cashew, brulee and nougat set the pace for stone fruit notes and a generous lick of medium toasted French oak, toning the palate." (2016 vintage)

The Western Australian Wine Guide 2018 "Brown Hill Estate is small family-run southern Margaret River producer has gone from strength to strength with a range of exceptional quality and value-for-money wines. The vines are all dry grown and on quite harsh gravelly soils, resulting in small yields. All grapes are hand-picked. The reds are put into a high percentage of new American and French oak. Great value and super wines."

Brown Hill Estate is a family run, multi-award winning Margaret River winery focussed on single vineyards. It utilizes traditional methods of handpicking and hand sorting to get the best quality from its grapes, and French coopered barrels in production.

Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.

Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.

Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean, to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.

1 x McHenry Hohnen Marsanne Rousanne 2021 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia

95/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion
93/100 The Wine Front
93/100 Ray Jordan
92/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review
91/100 James Suckling
91/100 Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review
94/100 Erin Larkini, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
92/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2020 vintage)

5 Stars - McHenry Hohen Vintners (2018 vintage)
5-star winery - James Halliday (2018 vintage)

"Halliday Wine Companion - Australian Winery of the Year 2022 & 2023"

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "The Marsanne was pressed straight to old puncheons, the roussanne spent several hours on skins before being pressed to a single concrete vessel. Matured separately on fine lees for 6 months. This wine has been doing the rounds at wine shows in 2021, and has been picking up golds and favourable comments left, right, and centre. I can tell you why: it harnesses the weight, volume and voluptuousness of the 2 varieties, but re-presents them in a restrained and focused way. The phenolics are ever-present, shapely and balancing. All in all, a class act."

The Wine Front "An organic MR from MR. Love it. Custard cream, pineapple, lemon curd and ginger. A rich feeling but decidedly fresh and uplifting expression of Marsanne Roussanne loaded with spice over all that generous and fruity character. Mellow, flowing, lively and generous with balance in spades. Delightful drinking ensues. Lots of character."

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Bright lemon yellow in a glass that has a fragrant lift of white peach and honeysuckle aromas. A ripe and generous core of citrus and stone fruits drive the palate with a fine line of salty mineral acidity and hints of smoked spices underneath. Good length and crisp at the finish."

James Suckling "Sliced apples, fresh pears, grapefruits and jasmine on the nose. Some hazelnuts, too. Creamy and layered with a ripe, fleshy yet fresh core of fruit"

Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review "Subtle aromas of earth, honey and lemon make way for a rich core that tails into a fine line of acidity. This feels like a baby, its energetic nucleus needs time to unfurl and build layers. This is an impressive wine with body, flavour and nuance."

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "The best examples of this Rhône blend can have a biscuity dryness that offsets the typically rich and opulent fruit characters of both varieties. And so here. Balanced and long, both components are stitched together with a thread of saline acidity." (2020 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Medium straw-yellow hue. Honeysuckle, ripe pears and karkalla aromas. Medium to full on the palate, it has a fleshy core of orchard fruits with a saline minerality wrapping it up. Good acidity keeps it from fattening out too much and a nice peach skin fuzz gives length and dries the finish well ." (2020 vintage)

62/38% marsanne/roussanne

Founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen, and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focus on crafting site expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.

"McHenry Hohnen is tucked away off Bussell Highway to the south of Margaret River. The wines have bound from strength, a comment never truer than under the stewardship of winemaker Jacopo (Japo). Under his leadership, the wines have been catapulted into a new realm of quality. The chardonnays particularly exemplify that hard-to-achieve balance of pleasurable on release, and capable of graceful ageing. The move towards organics and sustainable farming has had a positive impact on the quality of the wines, and it is a delight to witness so much diversity in the vineyards - from experimental clones and new plantings, to sheep, chickens, olives and vegetables. McHenry Hohnen is an estate on the move - divert your eyes at your peril - EL."

Margaret River is one of the best known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces high quality Semillon-Sauvignon blends and Shiraz.

Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.

1 x Tar & Roses Lewis Riesling 2022 - Central Victoria, Australia

96/100 Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion 
95/100 Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
Bronze - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (2021 vintage)

5 Star - James Halliday

Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion "The late Don Lewis was a star riesling winemaker. This wine named in his honour lives up to the Lewis style in both fruit concentration and class and is a fine follow-up to the excellent 2021 vintage. At once delicate and floral but with a solid core of pure, intense lime and citrus. A pitch-perfect riesling embracing a touch of savoury lemongrass, a pinch of spice and a brisk sherbety tingle set to some racy acidity."

Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion "Named after a very fine man and award-winning winemaker, Don Lewis, this wine honours the former Mitchelton and Tar & Roses winemaker who loved the riesling grape. So much budding complexity waiting to break through, with lifted floral aromatics, lemon, lime, citrus peel and a touch of exotic lemongrass. Concentrated on the palate, saturated in citrus intensity and length with a ribbon of apply spice with bright acidity that keeps on going. Wow!" (2021 vintage)

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pale straw and really bright and vibrant in the glass. Lifted aromas of lemon pith, bath salts, jasmine, lychee and wet stone. Quite rich, soft and full flavoured, mandarin, tangelo, in the riper citrus spectrum, apple and pear in there as well. Round, full flavoured and easy drinking..." (2021 vintage)

Winemaker "Pale straw. The wine has attractive white blossom and orange skin characters on the nose. The palate flows well with generous fruit sweetness, citrus pith flavours combined with gentle acid complexity, textural phenolics with a clean finish."

The original Tar & Roses team of famed Don Lewis and Narelle King began their winemaking journey in Priorat, Spain, immersing themselves within the classic Mediterranean wine regions and varietals. This sparked an interest in how these varietals could be grown and made back home in their native regions of Central Victoria, Australia. Don, now passed was one of Australia's legendary winemakers earning the highest honour of winemaking in Australia, the prestigious Jimmy Watson award.

James Halliday "Tar & Roses produces wines inspired by the classic Mediterranean varietals and was named after the signature characteristics of Nebbiolo. The name also ties back to the winemaking team behind the venture, the legendary Don Lewis and his winemaking partner Narelle King. Narelle is carrying on the Tar & Roses tradition after Don's passing in 2017"

100% Riesling
Alcohol: 12.5%

Tar & Roses style of wines reflects the multi-region of Spain, Italy and Australia, as well as traditional winemaking alongside the new. All Tar & Roses wines are made using fruit grown in Heathcote, Strathbogie Ranges, Alpine Valley, King Valley and Priorat, Spain.

Central Victoria, Australia, is a region that's gained recognition for its flourishing wine industry. It's known for producing high-quality wines, particularly Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also Chardonnay, Viognier, and other varietals. The area's diverse microclimates, varying soil types, and elevation contribute to the production of distinctive wines.

Riesling is a light-skinned, aromatic grape of German origin which is – if the majority of top wine critics are to be believed – the world's finest white wine grape variety. The Riesling vine holds a very different place in the wine world to such great grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chardonnay. While these immensely popular varieties have conquered every corner of the winegrowing world, Riesling is conspicuously absent from the core wine regions of France, Spain and Italy. Riesling's home is the regions that trace the middle Rhine and the lower Mosel, two of Europe's great wine rivers.

1 x Te Mata Estate Vineyard Syrah 2020 - Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

95/100 Wine enthusiast
96/100 Decanter (2019 vintage)
95/100 Wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)
90/100 Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2016 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2015 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2015 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2015 vintage)

Wine enthusiast "This historic Hawke's Bay estate once again delivers a delicious and exceptionally well-priced bottling. A blend of three subregions, including the famed Gimblett Gravels, this ruby red Syrah sings with vibrant plum and berry fruit, cracked black pepper, graphite, dried florals and chocolate mint. Aromas flow seamlessly onto the palate, which threads finely structured tannins through the juicy fruit, herbs and spice, emerging out the other side to form a complete wine that is both serious and playful, food-friendly and highly drinkable."

Decanter "Dark crimson with notes of raspberry, red plum, lavender, cinnamon and five spice. Concentrated and rich with firm tannins and a long, sweet berry fruit-flavoured finish. The berry sweet flavour balances the spice levels, while the cinnamon note lifts the spice flavour, making for a fabulous pairing." (2019 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Te Mata's estate Syrah is once again a lucid, approachable beauty. This vintage is more layered than the previous one, unraveling flavors and textures. First, bright cherry and plum arise, then graphite, savory herbs and flowers chime in. The palate is linear and taut, with leathery tannins, crisp acidity and tart fruit. There's a savory edge to the finish. It's a serious yet highly drinkable Syrah, especially when paired with roast lamb." (2019 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "There is a simplicity to this wine, made by one of New Zealand's most historic wineries. But simple can be beautiful, particularly when it comes to red wines on the fuller end of the spectrum. At first sniff, pristine red fruit is woven with licorice, olives, herbs and slightly chocolaty oak. But as it opens in the glass, the oak fades and warm stone minerality takes its place. Firmly medium bodied, the tangy fruit is interlaced with savory herbs and balanced by lifted acidity and chalky tannins. This is cool climate Syrah that is unpretentious yet wholly sure of itself. " (2018 vintage)

Bob Campbell, The Real Review "Fruit-focused wine with black pepper, violet, plum, berry and spice. Bone-dry, but not austere, with slightly grippy tannins." (2016 vintage)

James Suckling "Some white pepper and attractive bacon fat here with a wealth of blackberry fruits - toasty oak spice brings extra appeal to the nose. The palate has slippery, smooth and silky tannins, plenty of depth, fleshy red cherry and blackberry fruit and a resounding sense of fluidity and polish." (2015 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep purple/red colour and a pronounced peppery aroma, fresh and clean. The wine is medium-bodied and crisp in the mouth; fresh and lively with balanced acid and tannins and just a light, nicely judged grip on the end - which also tastes peppery. Very good and very much a cool-climate shiraz style." (2015 vintage)

Decanter "Medium-bodied Syrah, with the flowing silky red fruits indicative of its Bridge Pa and Woodthorpe origins. Aromas of violet, peony, raspberry, cranberry, sandalwood and star anise." (2015 vintage)

100% Syrah
Alcohol: 13%

World of Fine Wine 'Getting to know a legend' "A visit to one of the world’s greatest fine-wine estates should be an integral part of any tour of New Zealand. On the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island is the independently owned, family-run, Te Mata Estate. Owners and staff still work on vineyards that began growing Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir back in the 1890s, making it the country’s oldest wine estate. Since 1905, this winery has been winning gold medals globally, which led to these sites becoming the country’s first to be protected by law due to their viticultural history. Te Mata Estate wines are currently available in 45 countries and have been presented at some of the world’s top tables— including to President Barrack Obama, President Xi Jinping, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee."

Raymond Chan "Te Mata Estate was the standard by which every other wine producer could be judged against, as the full range of styles has always been impeccable. In the earlier days, Hawke’s Bay was the scene of New Zealand’s quality wine, so it was very apt to have Te Mata Estate as the point of reference. Even when other regions developed, and Marlborough grew larger, and other varietals such as Pinot Noir became important, one could understand the state of the New Zealand wine industry by how Te Mata Estate behaved or reacted to influences, whether internal, or international."

Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers. It is New Zealand's oldest winery, oldest wine estate and has the oldest winery cellars in the country - in continuous operation since 1895. Coleraine is Te Mata's most acclaimed wine and is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine.

Hawke's Bay is located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island in and around the cities of Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. This historic region has New Zealand's second-largest wine industry (after Marlborough) and is highly regarded for its red Bordeaux Blend wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay are all planted widely across the region. Over the years, the region has won international acclaim for its very high-quality Bordeaux-style reds and full-bodied Chardonnays. Syrah, produced in a classic European style with strong black-pepper flavors, is another grape variety thought to have great potential here.

Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.

1 x Corymbia Tempranillo Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon (Organic) 2016 - Swan Valley, Western Australia

95/100 Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
92/100 Wine Advocate

Organic

Mike Bernie (The Wine Front) "It is pitch-perfect, medium weight, highly perfumed, and shaped with beautifully ripe tannins. It’s delicious, but there is also a sense of detail and interest. The wine offers layers of red and blue fruits in perfume and palate, underpinned by savouriness."

Joe Czerwinski (Wine Advocate) "...it's a fruit-forward, mouthwatering bowl of mixed berries, including hints of blueberry, mulberry and raspberry. Yet while this medium to the full-bodied effort is open and soft, it's not unstructured, showing a core of resilient, ripe tannins and a long, juicy finish."

The Winemaker "A beautifully expressive aroma of Satsuma plums, black olives, rosewater and with a hint of aniseed. The wine tastes fresh and lively of pomegranate, cocoa, maraschino cherries and is complimented by Tempranillo’s characteristic coal dust tannin structure."

Gourmet Traveller Wine "The wines under the Corymbia label have been outstanding."

58% Tempranillo, 30% Malbec and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon

Gourmet Traveller Wine "Corymbia is one of the most exciting wine projects to emerge from Western Australia in a decade. The combination of a distinguished winemaking family, the reinvention of a much-maligned wine region, the unlocking of the potential of a mature vineyard and a general sense of creativity, have all contributed to a strong currency.

Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals.Certified organic wines have been certified by Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACOS). 

Corymbia is the newish project of Rob and Genevieve Mann. The Mann family, of course, are generational wine producers in WA, with a history of iconic wines and vineyards. Rob, formerly working with Hardys, Cape Mentelle and Newton Vineyard in Napa Valley, has returned home and made a mark.

The family vineyard in Swan Valley is dry grown and organically farmed. While winemaking draws on the Manns’ suite of expertise and diversity of influences, it has been pared back for Corymbia, letting the fruit and character of the wines take the spotlight.

That Swan Valley has been put on a pedestal is wonderful, and a celebration of older vineyards, unique soil profile and a general sense of generational endeavor is exciting for the region. There’s an undercurrent of winemakers amplifying the region’s potential, but arguably Corymbia is the current totem."

Huon Hooke "The Mann family are winemaking royalty in Western Australia."

Corymbia is a new winery launched by one of the founding families of Western Australian wine. The Manns have grown grapes and made wine in the Swan Valley, Western Australia's oldest wine-growing region for over a century. Corymbia wines are critically acclaimed, organically-farmed, single-vineyard wines. Founder, Rob Mann is considered one of Australia's best contemporary winemakers. He was the senior winemaker at Hardy’s Tintara, and Cape Mentelle, where during his ten-year tenure the winery was twice awarded 'Australia's Producer of the Year' and Rob 'Australian Winemaker of the Year'. Prior to founding Corymbia he was Senior Winemaker at LVMH’s Newton Vineyard in the Napa Valley.

Swan Valley is a sub-region of the Swan District wine region just north of Perth, in Western Australia. The Swan District is Western Australia’s oldest wine region, having been planted by English settlers soon after their arrival in 1829. For almost 150 years it was the only significant wine-producing region in Western Australia and today it's also home to the state's largest winery. Some of Western Australia's finest wines are produced in the Swan Valley.

1 x Hewitson Ned & Henry’s Shiraz 2022 - Barossa Valley, South Australia

94/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
94/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
93/100 Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
93/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot

94/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot (2021 vintage)
93/100 Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
92/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
91/100 Wine Front (2021 vintage)
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2021 vintage)
94/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot (2020 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
92/100 Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Robinson (2020 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot (2019 vintage)
94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)

Bronze - Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Front (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2018 vintage)

5 Star Winery - James Halliday
James Suckling Top 100 Top Value Wine 2020
James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
10 Vineyards Behind The World's Most Famous Wines - Wine Enthusiasts
Gold - Paris Wine Cup 2023
Gold - Paris Wine Cup 2022
Gold - Paris Wine Cup 2021
Gold - Paris Wine Cup 2020

Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot "This has intentionally been made to ensure it drinks well when young, as well as into the future. That it is brilliant value is simply a bonus. A combination of whole berries and those crushed, with several weeks on skins before sixteen months maturation in older French oak barriques. Inky black, the nose exhibits notes of dark chocolate, mocha, roast meats, black cherries and leather. A savoury style with fine balance, there is good intensity here which runs the full journey plus silky tannins and impressive length. The palate sees notes of warm earth and spicy sausages emerge with saturated flavours throughout. Like this a lot and can certainly be enjoyed now."

Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot "Hewitson aimed for a more traditional full bodied Barossa red with this excellent Shiraz. He’s done it to point, but there is polish and poise here that elevates it into a more individual style. Loads of dark plum fruit characters on the nose with a little coffee and spice, finished with a slightly dry flaky rust-like character. Like it."

Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion "The classic Barossa fruit profile and lines are here but with a bit more space and mid-weighted verve. Which was exactly the challenge set by a friend of Dean Hewitson and he's nailed the brief. Black and blue fruits, abundant spice, just the right amount of crunch to the fruit, chewy tannin grip and an energetic vibe. It all makes for great drinking."

Regan Drew, Wine Pilot "From the Steingarten Road Vineyard with an average age of 30 years. Winemaking sees 16 months maturation in French oak barriques. Pulpy and bright Barossa nose with plenty of ripe plum, sweet oak spice, ‘fruits of the forest’ conserve and a little potpourri. Cheeky middleweight, offering all the fruit you want without being encumbered by anything extra. Oak and pepper spice with a spread of powdery tannins make this enjoyable drinking."

Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot "A generous and hugely flavoursome Barossa Shiraz delivered with a modern finesse and refinement that marks so many of these Barossa wines these days. There’s almost a carbonic maceration character evident on the nose and through into the palate. Bright and lively with a slight vineyard character of ironstone providing balance and offsetting the plush fruit. Love the palate with that slight ferruginous finish." (2021 vintage)

Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion "A wonderfully fragrant and juicy shiraz from Dean Hewitson. Packed with super-ripe plum and dark cherry fruits with hints of exotic spice, violets, jasmine, licorice, dark chocolate and earth. There's a nice sense of fruit purity and detail on the palate, tannins all powdery and sexy, the cadence crisp and clear and a sense of harmony on a finish that shows some nice sustain for the price." (2021 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Medium to intense ruby red colour. Mulberry and violet aromatics. Ample weight with plush purple fruits, dried herbs and a floral note that brings further appeal. tannins remain in the background, but they have enough intensity to ensure the finish is still dry. Very appealing wine" (2021 vintage)

Regan Drew, Wine Pilot "Created from a challenge to winemaker Dean Hewitson to produce a wine that’s fit for a vintage luncheon now and in 10 years’ time. Calming, “Ahhhh Barossa” elements of Christmas cake spice (especially the peel), blue/bloody meat, blood plum and chocolate. Hints of black tea depth with licorice allsorts and soft vanilla kisses. Full bodied without corpulence. Initial bloom of dark red fruits expand wide with soft, chewy tannins before things tighten and draw close. Lean in it says…. a stony whisper, a hush not often seen in wines of this rank with a juicy dark raspberry biting coda. Leave the bottle, please." (2020 vintage)

James Suckling "Violet florals with blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. The fruit-focused palate has a smooth sheen of tannin that builds nicely into the spicy finish. Ripe, succulent tannins hold fresh. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2020 vintage)

Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion "Shiraz grown on oxidised ferrous terra rossa over clay soils; 100% whole berries in the ferment, matured in old, seasoned French oak barriques for 16 months. A fruit profile that is deep and resonant, featuring rich red- and black-berry fruits and black cherry, underscored with hints of licorice, earth, dark chocolate and oak spice. Compact powdery tannin, great fruit intensity and texture galore." (2020 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Ink black core to a deep purple rim. Black cherry, sarsaparilla and anise aromas. Full-bodied and boisterous across the tongue. Purple fruit and dark spices bounce along to a reasonable length finish. A year in bottle will settle it, I suspect" (2020 vintage)

Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate "Aromatically, this 2020 Ned and Henry's Shiraz is buoyant and effusive with blueberries, raspberries, salted licorice and char. In the mouth, there is leaf, bramble and sap; the wine is surprisingly lean and firm, relying more on structure than the nose would suggest. I can't find any comment on whole bunch or not, but the wine has a stalky/sappy character, which would make more sense if it had! The tannins are a little firm for my tastes, but if you like lean, spiny Shiraz, this is for you." (2020 vintage)

Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot "You gotta love Barossa shiraz when you wrap your gums around this terrific wine. Hints of ironstone and chalk emerge on the nose to complement the dark fruit characters of this true Barossa shiraz. The palate is dense and super concentrated with dark plum and blackberry favours swirling with a dark liqueur chocolate richness filling the background. Brilliant and bright, while still with that power and length. Super wine." (2019 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Black core, deep purple rim and a glass coating viscosity. A nose of paprika, blackberries and bramble. Full black fruit on entry, layer of liquorice and wood-spices show along the flow as well. A solid grip of tannins kicks in to manage the fruit-weight. A reasonable length but the finish is a little out of focus" (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "Attractive purple berries with bergamot, coal-smoke and tarry notes. Violets, earth and some herbal and chocolate nuances, too. The palate has plenty of tannin and a long, juicy red and blackcurrant core. Big, juicy finish that makes some real impact. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "The bouquet has green pea and bean aromas, spices and smoky burnt vegetable notes. The wine is sinewy and uneven across the palate. There's a suggestion of 'dead fruit', but it has redeeming features." (2018 vintage)

Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."

Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley, but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.

Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards, but also from long standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.

Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion."

James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."

The Barossa Valley is an extremely important wine-producing region within the Barossa zone of South Australia, particularly associated with powerful red wines from the red wine grape variety Shiraz. A prestigious and internationally renowned region, it is not only home to some of the oldest vineyards and wineries in Australia but produces some of its most recognizable and sought-after brands. A striking feature of the Barossa Valley's wine landscape is the presence of very old vines, proudly showcased on many wine labels and during vineyard tours.

Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.

Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.