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Country ranking ?
206
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Producer ranking ?
4
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Decanting time
3h
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When to drink
now to 2035
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Food Pairing
Slow-braised beef
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Food Pairing
Slow-braised beef
The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
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The first Old Block was created in 1980 by Barossa icon Robert O’Callaghan from a single vineyard planted in 1912. It soon outgrew the original block to become a representation of Old Vine Shiraz from the entire Barossa region, including the elevated Eden Valley.
With an average vine age of 88 years across its 30 vintage history, Old Block has always paid homage to the intensity, complexity and majesty of Old Vine fruit, well before it beca...
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Written Notes
This is the St H's big gun, but sometimes a curious wine. Always good, sometimes it is overshadowed by the 'flagships' from other Barossa producers and sometimes even by wines like St H's own Blackwell – one suspects that a little part of this has been getting the oak right and that perhaps alcohol levels have been a smidge higher than best suits the wine. Other times, it is terrific (and recent vintages suggest it is firmly bang on track). So always exciting to see a new release to see where it fits in, though in all honesty, these days, it is close to a given that the Old Block will be a seriously good wine.
Worth noting that since the 2002 vintage, all of the wines have seen 100% French oak.
All vineyards are at least 60 years old, some going back as far as the 1850's (what was the world doing back then?). A not insignificant contribution is made from a vineyard at Moculta, planted in 1906. Production is usually 700 to 1,800 cases, depending on vintage conditions. In 2008, it sat somewhere around the 1,300 to 1,400 cases.
This release has depth, concentration, power. There is oak, but it is not excessive, and will no doubt continue to integrate over time. Alcohol is under 14%, which surely sets it apart from some of those past vintages.
This is nicely balanced. There are flavours of black fruits, chocolate, mushrooms and some spice. Very soft tannins. Good length. Impressive. There is a touch of nutmeg, no doubt from the oak.
This vintage has excellent potential to improve.
One suspects that, as good as this wine is, the 2009 vintage night just be a vintage that better suits Old Block.
94
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Information
Origin
Tanunda, Barossa Valley
Vintage Quality
Excellent
Value For Money
Good
Investment potential
No Potential
Fake factory
None
Other wines from this producer
Black Clay Shiraz
'Blackwell' Shiraz
‘Blockhead’ Shiraz Nouveau
Eden Valley Riesling
Faith Shiraz
Gamekeepers Cabernet Sauvignon
Garden if Eden Shiraz
Greenock Shiraz
Hampel Pipeline Shiraz
‘Higher Earth’ Syrah Eden Valley
Mataro
Materne Shiraz
Mattschoss Shiraz
Obst Shiraz
Sacred Grounds Shiraz
Scholz Shiraz
