Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2018

The news is out that the Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2018 has scored a magical 100 point score from Decanter. Is it really perfect – well it might be with a couple of decades under its belt. Tasted in April as part of a full vertical stretching back to 1985, it is an extraordinary wine up there with the country’s best that is built for the long haul – a masterpiece from Tom Barry.

Black as night and very serious from the get go with rich and dense fruit pastille, cassis, clove, violet and granitic aromas with toasty oak providing a solid canvas in the background. Tight, focussed and beautifully composed, it’s juicy, fleshy and ripe with savoury fruit firmly held in place by muscular tannins and sweet oak which will come back in time. Combined with outstanding length and persistency coupled with fine balance and torque, this as an icon waiting to happen.