2012 St. Hallett Blackwell Shiraz

Named after Stuart Blackwell, senior winemaker at St. Hallett since 1973, this is yet another superb release under the Blackwell label which is now firmly entrenched as a Benchmark Barossa Shiraz. The fruit is exclusively sourced from the North and Western slopes of the Barossa Valley where the vines are typically low yielding producing highly concentrated berries. Parcels of fruit for the Blackwell Shiraz are matured in a combination of new, one and two year old American oak for 20 months, with several rackings taking place during that time. Blending occurs a month before bottling and the wine is coarse filtered into bottle to avoid the stripping of flavour and colour.

A perfect juxtaposition of refinement and richness.

Showing superb colour saturation the wine opens with an impenetrable inky black core with a very deep dark purple black tinged hue. Very perfumed the nose exhibits an intense sniff of ripe blackberries intermixed with liquorice and dark plum followed by some dark chocolate nuances with underlying spicy vanillin oak. Medium to full bodied the palate possesses abundant richness but without excess weight, brimming with plushly textured liquorice and blackberry flavours followed by subtle dark chocolate, toasty oak and a spicy, slightly dryish finish. Solidly built but polished tannins are well concealed. Excellent depth with long liquorice, ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, subtle toasty vanillin oak and spice aftertaste. Cellar 6-8 years. Alc 14.5%

Other Reviews....
Deep, vivid crimson-purple; has taken full advantage of everything the '12 vintage had to offer; gloriously full, but supple and velvety/juicy red and black fruits, the tannins and oak joining with the fruit on the full-bodied, perfectly balanced, palate. Drink by 2042.
97 points
James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion