Clare Valley Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2017

Armagh is the name the Irish settlers gave to the hamlet where they settled in 1849, in the heart of the green hills of the Clare Valley. Here, Jim Barry planted his Shiraz vines in 1968, and took on the name that evokes this distant past. Today, this is one of Australia’s most renowned vineyards, extending over 3.3 hectares of sandy soil on a clay subsoil. Its north-westerly exposure and a 400-metre altitude ensure optimum sunshine for the non-grafted Shiraz vines, which produce low yields of highly concentrated berries. Harvested by hand in a series of passes, the grapes are crushed before fermenting in small stainless-steel vats. Maturation continues for a further 18 months in French oak barrels, resulting in a concentrated wine with an intense nose bursting with notes of blackberry, plum, violet and vanilla. A touch of spice completes the aromatic spectrum, leading to a supple, full-bodied palate with elegant tannins. This is a complex wine with plenty of cellaring potential.