Sorby Adams The Vicar of Toft Barossa Shiraz 2021

Adams has sourced this impressive Shiraz from the northern Barossa in Ebenezer and Moppa. Once again, he hasn’t shied away from the use of oak, with 36 months in French oak hogsheads, half of which was new. He uses tight-grained oak, minimising any overt or excessive impact and creating terrific balance in the wine. It is typically rich and powerful, yet there’s a polish and refinement here that reflects both the oak treatment and this exceptional vintage. Fine-grained, plummy fruit, a little blackberry and cocoa, with a lift of cedar—all merge seamlessly in a lifted aromatic. The palate harnesses the power and elegance of the fruit, with the oak and fine-grained tannins perfectly cradling it through to an exceptionally long finish. This is a classy wine.