1996 The Armagh Shiraz
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Tasting notes
Deep garnet-brick in color, the 1996 Shiraz The Armagh is a bit funky with a gamey and animal character over notes of black earth, Indian spices, Marmite, menthol and cola. Medium to full-bodied, it is solidly built with a taut structure and an earthier, more savory style.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Saturated ruby-purple. Knockout nose of cassis, blackberry, grilled meat, soy sauce, minerals and eucalyptus. Powerful, dense and smooth in the mouth, but bright acidity keeps the sweet, thick fruit from being heavy. Game and bacon fat flavors. Solidly structured wine with impressive extract. Finishes with very long, slow-building berry and game flavors.
The fully mature, full-flavored 1996 Shiraz The Armagh offers up layers of plush mulberry and cherry jam aromas, with a generous serve of farmyard and a dusting of black pepper. Tannins are now fully integrated, delivering a seductive velvety texture while retaining admirable overall brightness and freshness. The 1996 is in a good place now and for a little while longer.
About the producer
Jim Barry is one of Australia’s legendary wine estates. Based in the Clare Valley, Barry was the region’s first qualified winemaker and pioneer of the valley, which has since become a benchmark region for Riesling, as well as being home to some of the world's finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.