Z WINE Julius Shiraz 2022 Review: Oak Over Fruit in the Barossa Z WINE’s Julius Shiraz 2022 arrives as a bold Barossa release, basket-pressed and sitting at 14.5% ABV. The deep maroon and gold label suggests weight and confidence, setting expectations for plush generosity. On tasting, however, the wine reveals something more restrained, with barrel…
Barossa Shiraz has a reputation for power, but the reality is more nuanced. This guide explores how fruit, oak, tannin, and structure shape the region’s wines and why restraint matters as much as intensity.
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The Château Yaldara Grand Cuvée Shiraz 2022 arrives with a reputation that carries weight. Positioned as a flagship Barossa expression from Château Yaldara and often associated with a high-end retail tier, it signals seriousness and intent from the outset.
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Named for the old strawberry patch beside the vineyard, Strawberry Hill is matured for eighteen months in French oak barrels of varying age and origin. Combined with heritage fruit and careful winemaking, it aims to balance approachability with depth.
We opened this bottle expecting Penfolds’ take on a GSM to show polish, weight, and spice. What we found was a wine with a bit of everything: oak, fruit, acidity, tannin, and a flash of heat.
Teusner’s Joshua is a cult-favourite GSM that skips oak entirely to spotlight the character of its fruit. In a region known for power, this wine stands out by leaning into freshness and texture, offering something brighter and more nuanced.
From the former Penfolds Chief Winemaker comes a blend built on structure, not showmanship. Plexus 2022 plays well with food, sparks conversation, and finds common ground between boldness and restraint.
A bottle of quiet authority. The name alone—Euphonium—signals something layered, sonorous, orchestral. You don’t open a Henschke on a whim; it’s a wine with lineage and structure.
We opened the 2023 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz over a long, rainy winter’s lunch—a day made for red wine. The mood called for something bold and comforting, and with its Barossa pedigree and 15% heft, we expected warmth, fruit, and power.
Penfolds Bin 8 is often positioned as the more approachable sibling in the Penfolds family—less prestigious than the numbered icons, but still built with structure and seriousness. This 2021 release delivers on that intent: a bold, oak-forward wine that doesn’t chase sweetness or softness.