2016 Jim Barry Armagh Shiraz 750ml

Description

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The 2016 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz is an iconic single-vineyard Shiraz from the historic Armagh vineyard in Clare Valley, South Australia. Planted in 1968, the vineyard sits on a north-west-facing slope with sandy gravel and clay soils, producing naturally low yields and intensely flavoured fruit.

Made from 100% Shiraz, the fruit is carefully hand-harvested in multiple passes to achieve optimum ripeness and flavour concentration. Fermentation takes place in small, two-tonne open-top fermenters, with regular pump-overs and rack-and-return techniques used to maximise colour, flavour and tannin extraction. The wine then undergoes extended skin contact before maturation in a combination of French and American oak for added complexity, structure and integration.

The result is a powerful yet refined Clare Valley Shiraz, displaying intense aromas of ripe blackberry, dark plum, fig, liquorice, graphite and wet stone. The palate is richly concentrated and full-bodied, with layers of dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, mocha and spice supported by firm, finely structured tannins and a long, persistent finish. With its remarkable depth, balance and cellaring potential, the 2016 The Armagh represents one of Jim Barry’s benchmark expressions of premium Australian Shiraz.

Other Reviews….
The Barry team extracts the maximum from the vineyard with a deft (14.2% alcohol) touch. It’s savoury, earthy, its tannins are four square and ready, charred meat in another channel. It’s utterly original, whether or not the family thought they could match Grange. To know the wine you don’t have to love it, but you do have to respect it.
96 Points
James Halliday’s Wine Companion (January 2019)

Wow. This is a bold, brassy shiraz that carries a wealth of very intense aromas of ripe blackberries, dark plums, licorice and sweetly spiced earth. Still so very youthful and primary. The palate is so powerful, so mouth-filling and so, so juicy. This manages to deliver such intensity and composure. Supple, long and deep-set tannins and heroically expressive fruit. Really impressive now, but this will deliver much more over the next two decades. One of the finest releases to date.
99 Points
JamesSuckling.com (April 2021)

My pick of the recently bottled vintages, the 2016 The Armagh Shiraz shows a bit more obvious oak (simply because of its youth) but also a wonderful taut tension between ripeness and acidity. The fruit here is a bit redder in profile, leaning more toward raspberries than blackberries, while still being fully ripe. Full-bodied and supple, it finishes cedary, intense and long, adding in complex, lingering spice notes.
97 Points
Joe Czerwinski – Robert Parkers Wine Advocate (February 2020)