Schild Estate Moorooroo Shiraz 2022

From the very fine 2022 vintage, this comes from a vineyard known as Moorooroo, the local meaning being ‘the meeting of two waters’. The vineyard is home to what the locals refer to as Ancestor Vines, which were defined in the Barossa Valley’s Old Vine Charter, as vines in excess of 125 years in age. In fact, the vineyard was originally planted in 1847 by a local woman, Ann Jacob, whose name would come to be well known by wine lovers around the world. Maturation was in a mix of new and older French oak barrels for a period between eighteen and twenty-four months. Under cork, there were just 3,400 bottles made. An opaque maroon hue with a purple/magenta rim, this is beautifully perfumed and yet an obviously powerful wine. The nose reveals aromas weaving through chocolate, mocha, coffee beans, blackberries, licorice, cassis and offering hints of finally integrated oak. Stunning stuff. Immaculately balanced, well focused and with good energy, the wine has serious length finishing with silky tannins. So much to like, especially if you are a fan of great Barossa reds. The team suggest cellaring until 2032. That seems to sell the wine dreadfully short, and it will surely handle at least twenty years in a good cellar.