1995 Seven Acre Shiraz

At age 14, the 1995 Shiraz Seven Acres could easily pass for a 4- to 5-year-old. A fabulous wine, it boasts a deep purple color as well as a nose of blueberries, incense, acacia flowers, graphite, and black fruits. Full-bodied, dense, and still youthful, it exhibits sweet tannin, fresh acids that provide focus as well as vibrancy, and a long, concentrated finish. It needs 3-4 years to reach full maturity. Cynics may ask if it will ever develop complexity, but it has not faded at all, and still seems as fresh as it was when it was first released. 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.