2018 Laughing Jack Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley

The Kalleskes’ Greenock Shiraz was planted in 1999 on land that had been in the family for nearly 150 years but had only been used for grazing sheep and crops. Shawn Kalleske was convinced that Greenock's ironstone soils would be perfect for growing Shiraz, and from day one the family have been excited by the results. Specifically, the 2018 was sourced from a single vineyard known as the East Block, an own-rooted site planted to a mix of clones including the original 1890 Greenock property Shiraz clone. The fruit was open-top fermented and basket-pressed before spending 20 months in mainly new and seasoned French oak hogsheads.

The colour is a deep, bright, crimson red with aromas of dark plum and blackberry fruit to go with Greenock's sub-regional earthy/ferrous notes. This has terrific depth of fruit on the palate and, while it's balanced enough to enjoy now with food, this has all the hallmarks of a wine that will still be going strong 10 years or more from now.

It’s a brooding and very purple wine offering rich black fruit, coal, aniseed, dried herb, and spicy toasted oak. Full-bodied, plenty of chalky tannin, a core of deep fruit, but tastes essentially savoury, saline and earthy. Acidity is perhaps a little too firm, though that’s perhaps just me. Finish is toasty, spicy and long. There’s a latent perfume here too, which should be revealed as it softens and settles with further bottle age.

92+ points Gary Walsh winefront.com.au