2020 Purple Hands Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Sourced from the Stansborough vineyard in the southern parish of Williamstown, aged in French oak (22% new) for 13 months. The Purple Hands wines have enjoyed recent success for their glossy, contemporary takes on Barossa shiraz and they've hit the mark again. Lovely fruit purity, detail, fine, ripe tannins, bright yet savoury exit and a spotlight on all that spicy, plummy good stuff that we expect from the region.

93 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

Purple/Red colour leads to an enticing nose of raspberry, licorice, cracked pepper with some dried herb showing. The French oak adding a vanilla and mocha note. Quite a dense palate with good concentration, licorice and bitter dark chocolate flavours tend to dominate the palate. Firm tannins (a hallmark of the 2020 vintage due to the dry conditions and small berries) do give texture and balance to the wine. This wine comes alive when enjoyed with food. This wine can be enjoyed now but will reward cellaring over the next 10 – 15 years.

Barossa Valley's Purple Hands started up in 2006 when two mates, Craig Stansborough and Mark Slade, made their first vintage. Just over a tonne of hand-picked Shiraz was crushed making 100 dozen wines.

Due to the lower temperatures at the 'cooler' end of the Valley the ripening periods are longer and the grapes more flavoursome.