2023 Kaesler Alte Reben Shiraz, Barossa Valley

In case you’re wondering, Alter Reben is the German for old vine, and this is a single vineyard Shiraz from Kaesler’s Marananga vineyard, which was planted way back in 1899. It’s a thoroughly beautiful wine. The colour is deep red with some purple hues. And the aroma is an exotic combination of spices, dark plum, and a little liqueur chocolate with a red-fruited lift. The palate is certainly not brutish and has the black fruits and slightly minerally graphite-like character threading throughout. It’s a powerful wine and the use of new and seasoned French oak for about eighteen months has been really neatly handled. Drinking so well now as a result of that balance, but it does have superb aging potential. Drink 2026–2041.

95 points Ray Jordan for Wine Pilot, April 2026

A good purple tint to the bright colour; soft plum/earth/vanilla aromas, the palate follows on faithfully with richness and flesh, appealing texture and balance. A touch of ironstone. Poached plums. This is supple and seamless, with lovely texural glide and long, long carry. A big Barossa red of real quality. Drink 2025–2038.

95 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, December 2025

Alte Reben is German for Old Vine, and a deliberate nod to Kaesler's Silesian heritage. The vineyard it refers to is a nine acre block on a rocky shale slope at Marananga planted in 1899 from cuttings taken from the original 1893 Old Bastard vines. Fruit in this elevated western sub-region of the Barossa ripens earlier and produces lower yielding and more concentrated fruit than many of the areas on the valley floor.

The 2023 vintage was cooler and later than recent years. A wet spring, delayed harvest and the slow ripening produced fruit with more precision and freshness than the warmer vintages on either side. For a wine of this structure and pedigree that is an advantage, not a limitation.

The result is a wine of focus and definition rather than volume. Deep crimson, the nose is concentrated and detailed, with aromas of dark plum, blackberry, licorice and star anise with graphite, cedar and a savoury mineral tones. The palate is full-bodied and composed with dense, fine-grained tannins, excellent length and a dry, structured finish.

This is a a wine that will reward patience, and can be laid down for extended cellaring. Enjoy with high quality beef, venison or mature hard cheese.