2012 Tim Smith Barossa Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Tim Smith is an extraordinarily talented Barossa winemaker from South Austtalia. He draws inspiration from the Southern Rhone appellation and is a huge fan of wines of Bandol. He seeks out old vine Mataro, Grenache and shiraz from his Barossa growers and crafts “Rhone Style” reds with fragrance, elegance and power.

97 Points and included in Best of the Best in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2015 .. “A 100-year-old vineyard in the Eden Valley provided most of the grapes, two others in the Barossa Zone the remainder; mostly matured in thick-staved French puncheons. This has all the complexity its pedigree suggests; black fruits, pepper, licorice and dark chocolate provide the heart, fine-grained tannins and quality oak the remainder.”

92 points Mike Bennie, The Wine Front “..Has a richness to perfume from red and black berry fruit, touch of briar and then the meaty, gamey charcuterie savouriness rolls through – a pleasing, intriguing bouquet. Cedar shows a gentle hand in scent and is almost missed to taste though some woody tannins lend boundaries and a fleeting chalkiness to control the sluice of dark, gently sweet berry fruit character. There’s a generosity here, but also freshness of acidity with an easy, slick flow through the finish. Interesting wine.”