1997 Greenock Block Shiraz

Blackberry and blueberry liqueur, graphite, acacia flowers, and pepper are all present in the 1997 Shiraz Creek Block. This wine is even younger than its sibling, the 1997 Shiraz Seven Acres. Interestingly, the latter wine is from 7- to 10-year-old vines, and the Creek Block is from 60+-year-old Shiraz vines. Another sensational effort, the 1997 Creek Block is still too young to appreciate, but it has an incredible future ahead of it. This has always been one of my favorite Barossa wineries - great proprietors, tiny yields, old vines, and a hands-off style of winemaking. Of all the flights we tasted, these stood out as the most riveting wines of the entire tasting. The Shiraz cuvees were off the charts - every one still young and not close to full maturity. These are all high octane wines (14.5-16% alcohol), but any evidence of wood (little new oak is used here except for the limited production Roennfeldt Road cuvee) is completely buried under the aromatic complexity and richness.