2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz/Viognier

The deep purple-colored 2005 Shiraz (95%)-Viognier (5%) is sourced from a 100+-year-old vineyard yielding one ton of fruit per acre. It was aged for two years in new French oak hogsheads. The complex aromatics reveal floral notes, mineral, and blueberry with an added lift from the Viognier. Full-bodied, ripe, and succulent, on the palate spice, game, and chocolate notes emerge. This plush, pleasure-driven wine can be enjoyed now but will evolve for 6-8 years and drink well through 2025. Hobbs of Barossa Ranges, owned by Greg and Allison Hobbs, has vineyards contiguous with Chris Ringland’s Three Rivers Vineyard. They also employ Ringland as a consultant winemaker. This is known as stacking the deck. All of the Hobbs wines are made with minimal intervention including no fining or filtration. Importer: Dan Philips, The Grateful Palate, Oxnard, CA; tel. (805) 278-9095; www.hobbsvintners.com.au