Hobbs 1905 Shiraz 2021

From vines which were planted, and this will come as no surprise, in 1905. A natural fermentation in open 500 litre vats with gentle hand plunging. Maturation was for two years in new French oak hogsheads with only 250 dozen produced. This is seriously good. An opaque crimson hue. A monumentally impressive Barossa Shiraz. Terrific vintage, ancient vines, finely crafted – this has everything in place for a couple of decades of pleasure. It is immediately apparent that, even in these early days, there is already complexity emerging, and great intensity. Notes of blackberries, aniseed, leather, tobacco leaves, chocolate, coffee beans and cloves. There is a good ten to twenty years here and despite the powerful palate, the wine is finely balanced. There are soft, fine tannins, but loads of them. Rich and long in style, and more than a bit special.