Jim Barry The Florita SLRA-3 Riesling, Clare Valley

A multi-vintage bottling of the Florita, with vintages ranging from 2021 to 2025. The result is a little more subdued and supple than you would expect from a regular Florita bottling, with white orchard fruits, fresh citrus, citrus oil, a hint of gun smoke reduction and a fresh herbal, fruit-driven appeal. The palate is finely constructed with slight phenolic grip, bright acidity and a long, somewhat bashful finish. Drinking well now but with plenty of character to evolve with time in the cellar. Drink or hold.

96 points Ryan Montgomery for James Suckling

Florita Solera SLRA-3 was drawn from a solera established in 2021, beginning with 1,500L of Florita Riesling matured in seasoned 500L hogsheads before being transferred to a 2,800L fuder [ed. a.k.a. foudre] in 2022.

Since 2023, 900L has been bottled annually as SLR A-1, SLR A-2 and SLRA-3, with the solera replenished each year with the current vintage of Florita Riesling. Prior to bottling, SLRA-3 was freshened with a 5% addition of 2025 Florita Riesling to enhance freshness, vibrancy and balance while preserving the complexity developed through extended solera maturation.

While uncommon today, the practice of multi-vintage table wines was historically fairly widespread among some of the most notable European names, and served to showcase not only the vineyard, but above all the quality credentials and house style of the producer and the uniqueness of a vineyard. The traditional benchmark producer might be Ribera del Duero’s Vega Sicilia and its flagship Reserva Especial, while Pieropan in Soave has caught the attention of many with their more recent release of Calvarino 5.

About this producer

Jim Barry was the first qualified winemaker in the Clare Valley, and the business he founded in 1959 has remained in family hands across three generations since. In 1964 he purchased 70 acres of prime farmland from neighbour Duncan McRae Wood to plant his first Shiraz vineyard. An inspired choice of both variety and location that set the course for everything that followed.

The current custodians of the family business are Peter & Sue Barry, while the third generation of Barry’s, Tom, Sam and Olivia, work as winemaker, commercial manager and brand ambassador respectively.