2021 Jim Barry Wines Spring Farm Block 74 Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley

The Spring Farm wines from Jim Barry are universally impressive. Medium weight with satiny texture, blue fruited and draped with leafy herbal elements and a touch of that 'Australian bush walk' character that sums up earth, bark and eucalyptus so well. The flavours cruise along fine, lacy, gently chewy and graphite-laden tannins, the wine minerally overall and finishing long and fine in the distance. A stunning wine that speaks fluently of elegance and finesse.

96 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Jim Barry Wines’ Spring Farm Block 74 Cabernet Sauvignon is a single-vineyard wine that reflects both the Clare Valley’s distinctive style and the Barry family’s deep connection to the region. The Spring Farm vineyard sits just south of Clare township, and Block 74 is dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon, planted on classic red loam over clay soils. These soils, combined with the Clare Valley’s continental climate of warm days and cool nights, produce Cabernet with ripe fruit concentration, fine tannins, and fresh acidity. The elevated position and open exposure ensure excellent air flow, reducing disease pressure and allowing the grapes to hang longer for optimal flavour development.

Fruit from Block 74 is hand-selected at peak ripeness and fermented in small open-top vessels to maximise colour and flavour extraction while preserving varietal elegance. Maturation takes place in a mix of new and seasoned French oak hogsheads, adding savoury spice, cedar, and structure without dominating the fruit.

In the glass, the wine is a deep crimson with purple edges. The nose offers classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, and mulberry, intertwined with bay leaf, dried herbs, and subtle violet. The palate is medium to full-bodied, delivering a core of ripe dark fruit supported by fine-grained tannins and a bright acid backbone. Hints of tobacco, cocoa, and graphite emerge with time in the glass, leading to a long, savoury finish that speaks of both site and variety.

This Cabernet is an excellent partner for roast lamb with rosemary, beef fillet with a red wine jus, venison pie, or grilled portobello mushrooms with thyme. While it offers immediate appeal, Block 74 has the structure to cellar for 10–15 years, evolving towards more complex, earthy, and cigar-box characters.