The Armagh Jim Barry 2018
Penfold Grange’s Rival
We have seen some fantastic scores over the past few weeks but we can’t stop our excitement for another wine acheiving perfect 100 points.
James Barry has played a major role in promoting Clare Valley as a benchmark producer of world class Riesling but he didn’t stop there. His now legendary The Armargh Syrah is astonishing and a clear contender to Penfold Grange.
Jim Barry established his winery in 1959 and saw great potential in the Armagh vineyard. Ten years later, he planted his first Shiraz on pre-phylloxera rootstocks. A combination of low fertile soils and north-west exposition means the grapes produce small and intensely flavoured berries that will beautifully transform into a rich and generous wine.
In 1985, The Armargh was born and released four years later. Over time, the style has evolved with American oak switched to French resulting in a more powerful, complex, silky and terroir-driven Shiraz.
The Armagh has consistently received high scores from critics and was the first Australian wine to be sold via La Place de Bordeaux amongst other international wine elites, giving the chance to any collectors to diversify their fine wine portfolios.
The 2018 was the first vintage to receive the perfect 100 points from Decanter Magazine. With about 5,000 bottles produced each year, allocations are sparse, and we highly recommend you secure your stock now.
The Armagh 2018
A meaty, savoury, spiced nose, something so welcoming about it, warm and friendly with a touch of perfume, dark chocolate, cinnamon and pink peppercorn to the blackcurrant, damsons and plums. Rich, ample and generous, yet delivered with such supple and velvety-soft tannins. This has an elegance to it, a cool sophistication in terms of the profile - neat and tidy, quite linear right now, brimming with energy, not yet fully expansive or loose, but quietly controlled and calm. It's confident though with invigorating acidity and I love the focus, detail and the purity of fruit. Sweet red fruits - strawberries, raspberries and red cherries with a slight balsamic, pomegranate edge that is so delicious. Juicy, crunchy, succulent and ripe but with an effortless edge to it. Supremely drinkable and likeable - what a gorgeous wine! A quality vintage and excellent winemaking skill on show. Ageing 18 months in French oak. - 100 points Decanter
