2021 Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz, Clare Valley

2 Trophies & 7 Medals 

2023 Clare Wine Show Trophy for Best Vintage Section Shiraz Gold Medal

2022 Clare Wine Show Trophy, Gold Medal

2023 National Wine Show of Australia Gold Medal

2023 Sydney Royal Wine Show Gold Medal

2023 Perth Royal Wine Awards Gold Medal

2023 Royal Adelaide Wine Show Gold Medal

2023 Royal Hobart Wine Show Gold Medal

This is from a vineyard at 480m in Clare so it is getting some cooler influences. It’s such a bright and beautiful shiraz, lifted with red fruits and a decent hit of spices and black pepper. It’s medium weight with such a high energy palate bouncing from the glass. The tight core of subtle oak and chalky tannins completes an excellent wine.

95 points Ray Jordan's Top 100 Reds 2023 Jul 2023

Jim Barry Wines has been a defining name in Clare Valley winemaking since 1959, founded by Jim Barry, the first qualified winemaker from Roseworthy Agricultural College. The Lodge Hill Vineyard, planted in the late 1970s, sits at one of the highest elevations in the Clare Valley at around 480 metres above sea level. Originally intended for Riesling, the site’s mix of shallow, rocky soils over clay and its ability to produce intense flavour concentration also proved perfect for Shiraz. The altitude delivers cooler nights, which slow ripening, preserve acidity, and enhance aromatic complexity, giving the wine both richness and elegance.

The Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz pours deep crimson with purple hues and opens with aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, and blueberry, lifted by hints of violet, black pepper, and subtle mocha. The palate is plush and full-bodied, brimming with ripe black fruit, dark chocolate, and savoury spice, supported by fine tannins and a vibrant acid line. Maturation in French and American oak adds layers of vanilla, clove, and cedar, giving structure and length to the finish. This is a Shiraz that combines the generosity of Clare Valley fruit with the freshness of a high-altitude site.

It pairs beautifully with slow-cooked beef cheeks, roast lamb with rosemary, venison pie, or chargrilled portobello mushrooms with garlic butter. While approachable in its youth for its plush fruit, it has the balance and structure to cellar for 10 to 12 years, developing more savoury and earthy complexity over time.