2023 Elderton 1915 Helbig Shiraz, Barossa Valley

A gorgeous shiraz sourced from the 1915 plantings of the Helbig family vineyard in Greenock. It sings true to its western Barossa roots with a ferruginous edge, and this release seems to have a little more detail and light than the previous model. It's at the lighter end of full-bodied and sits flush with fruit tones of doris plum, black cherry and blackberry fruits, etched with hints of baking spices, cedar, roasting meats, grilled fig, dark chocolate, plum conserve, fruitcake, purple florals and turned earth. Harmonious and elegant in its travel, with ironstone-edge, powdery tannins and a fine, lacy acidity that lends a freshness and velocity to that lovely pure fruit. Drink 2025 to 2045.

96 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, October 2025

The 2023 Helbig 1915 Shiraz remains a statuesque and powerful wine, but it is not as big or concentrated as last year's wine. I like both. Here, the wine is savory and spicy, with notes of sandalwood and clove, forest floor and aged leather, alongside the bright fruit notes of mulberry, blackberry and raspberry. In the mouth, the tannins are pliable and profuse, but I like the way they shape the fruit. The wine was fermented in French puncheons. This is a change from the early vintages, which were fermented in 1,500-liter closed-vat fermenters that trapped the alcohol and produced very big wines. This evolution means that the wine today, while substantial, is balanced and fresh. The Helbig family planted and farmed this 1915 planting for three generations, and now the Ashmeads own it (since 2010). Don Helbig still visits the vineyard occasionally, and the family maintains a good relationship with him. 700 bottles filled. Drink 2025 to 2043.

95 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, September 2025

Elderton Wines was established in 1982 by Neil and Lorraine Ashmead on a historic Nuriootpa estate with vineyard origins dating to 1894. The second generation has now taken the lead, with brothers Cameron and Allister and their wives Jules and Rebecca looking after all aspects of the winery. The family vineyards span the Barossa Valley floor and the cooler, higher elevations of the Eden Valley, giving the range a breadth of style that few Barossa producers can match.

The Helbig vineyard sits on the western ridge of Greenock on sandy loam soils. It was planted by the Helbig family in 1915 and farmed by three generations before the Ashmeads acquired it in 2010. The Greenock subregion's ferruginous character, cooling afternoon breezes and the naturally low yields of 110-year-old vines combine to produce wines of remarkable intensity and definition.

After destemming, the fruit underwent a cold soak, and gentle plunging was used for cap management during fermentation which took place in oak puncheons which had had their heads removed.

The 2023 is substantial and balanced in equal measure. The nose is deeply fragrant: doris plum, black cherry and blackberry, with baking spice, cedar, dark chocolate, purple florals and a thread of turned earth. The palate is full and harmonious, with ironstone-edged, powdery tannins and a fine acidity that lifts and extends the fruit to a remarkably long finish.

Only 700 bottles were filled from the 2023 vintage. Allow for plenty of air before serving. Drink from 2025 through to 2045.