2016 Laughing Jack Carl Albert Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Originally an apricot orchard planted in the early 1900s (and pulled out in the 1980s) the east-facing and rocky four-acre Block 4 on Moppa Hill was replanted by Shawn and the team in 2003. At 400 metres, this is one of the highest and coolest sites in the Barossa, so much so that the fruit here can struggle to ripen fully (as occurred in 2012) and it’s usually the last vineyard picked each year. Only three hogsheads were chosen for the 2016 Carl Albert, all French and mainly used.

Right from its deep and bright ruby red colour to the aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate—with the wood sitting discreetly in the background—you can tell this is something special. The palate is equally delicious, and the wine has plenty of concentration and power without tasting remotely heavy. Firm yet fine-grained and persistent tannins, together with the wine’s bright acidity (a notable feature of all these new Laughing Jack releases) round out a wine that can be approached now but will still be looking the business in 10-20 years.

A palate-staining, brooding wine of immense potential.  This carpacious shiraz was basket-pressed to abundant oak transferring a riff of coffee grind, a whiff of vanilla and ample bitter chocolate to smoked meat barrel-ferment aromas.  Dark bitter cherry, raspberry and damson plum lifted by a reductive clench of violet and an earthen note of ground spice from a varietal signpost of pepper, to clove, cardamom and Chinese five-spice.  Far from over the top, this has the thrust of glycerol and the parry of freshness across the back-end.

96 points Neil Goodwin winecompanion.com.au