2021 John Duval Eligo Shiraz, Barossa Valley

From the stellar '21 vintage, the Eligo represents the best of the year and is a split of a range of amazing vineyard sites from the Barossa (62%) and Eden (38%) valleys. It's concentrated and essence-like with deep, resonant blackberry, black cherry and Doris plum fruits with hints of clove, cinnamon, purple flowers, licorice, dark chocolate, cedar, olive tapenade, pan juices and earth. Thick shouldered but balanced and harmonious with melt-in-the-mouth, chocolatey tannins and exceptional length of flavour.

97 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

John Duval Eligo Shiraz is the pinnacle of John Duval’s winemaking in the Barossa Valley—a wine of gravitas, precision and restrained power. After nearly three decades as chief winemaker at Penfolds, where he famously helped shape Grange into a global icon, Duval launched his own label in 2003 with a focus on site, balance and elegance. Eligo is his flagship, sourced from a handful of low-yielding old-vine Shiraz blocks across the Barossa and Eden Valleys, selected only in the finest vintages.

The fruit for Eligo comes from vineyards in Ebenezer, Moppa, Krondorf and Eden Valley, each contributing a distinct layer of complexity. These are dry-grown, often bush-vine sites with deep roots in sandy loam, clay and schist soils. Duval ferments the fruit in small open-top fermenters, with gentle hand plunging, followed by 18 months’ maturation in French oak hogsheads, roughly half of which are new. Unlike some bigger Barossa styles, Eligo favours purity and polish over raw power.

In the glass, it’s a study in brooding sophistication. Aromas of blackberry liqueur, dark plum, graphite and baking spice are laced with hints of black olive tapenade, bay leaf, espresso and cedar. The palate is dense yet composed, with a core of dark fruit wrapped in fine-grained tannins and supported by fresh acidity. A seam of savoury spice and earth gives the wine depth, while the long finish hums with energy and refinement.

It’s a commanding match for slow-roasted lamb shoulder, beef short ribs, kangaroo fillet or porcini mushroom risotto. While drinkable now with a decant, Eligo’s true potential lies in the cellar—10 to 20 years will reward patience with velvety texture, secondary complexity and exceptional balance.

Critics consistently recognise Eligo as one of Australia’s finest modern Shiraz, offering the richness expected of Barossa with the structure and finesse more often seen in northern Rhône. It’s a wine of quiet confidence that honours both the region and the hands behind it.