North by Adrian Hoffmann Dallwitz Block Shiraz 2018
- 95
- $200
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Adrian Hoffmann has a very personal affinity with his family’s Ebenezer district vineyards in the Barossa Valley’s far northern sector – perhaps this is even more pronounced with his beloved Dallwitz block, which includes vines well over 100 years old. And so North is his very personal expression of the wine that comes from there, and only there. It smells and tastes bloody ripe. And actually, even straight-out “bloody”. There’s a whiff of winery in vintage as well, of skins and stalks and bursting Shiraz grapes, blood plums and apple crumble, and yet there’s an inconceivable freshness and tang of acidity that perks up the wine in its mid to late palate, chewy though with open-ended tannins, a faint note of mint also having a lift. This all comes after 5 years in new French oak and another in bottle, patiently gathering its inner strengths before release. In the end there’s no surprise that it is big and bold, and more importantly complete and convincing. Those who understand and appreciate this style of Shiraz will get it big-time. Make sure you sit down to drink it!
Tony is best known for his 10 years as News Corp’s National Wine Writer, with weekly columns in major metropolitan mastheads throughout Australia including The Adelaide Advertiser, The Sydney Daily Telegraph and the Melbourne Herald Sun. He continues to write feature articles and columns for all the major Australian wine media publications. Tony has also worked as a restaurant reviewer, section editor, book editor, digital content provider, journalism teacher and was named Wine Communicators of Australia 2018 Legend of the Vine (SA). Find out more about Tony at tonylove.com.au
