Gibson Wines Australian Old Vine Collection Barossa Shiraz 2017

Made from vines planted in the late 1800s to the 1950s, Gibson’s Australian Old Vine Collection has always been a dependable home for traditional Barossan reds – flavoursome wines that never veer into the Schwarzenegger territory while still delivering stacks of flavour. Opaque in colour with just a touch of development, it opens with robust aromas – blackberry, chocolate, soy sauce and roasted meat which are already fully on show. In the mouth the party continues with lashings of dense, dark fruits, liquorice and black jelly bean flavours plus plenty of oak which follows through to a very long and strong finish. It is perhaps a little more supple in the tannin department than usual thanks to the year so it’s probably an earlier drinking vintage but still shows plenty of staying power to enjoy over the medium term.