Jim Barry's The Armagh is is one of Australia's greatest red wines; a Clare Valley shiraz of both style and substance.
So when family patriarch Peter Barry says: “This is the Armagh we’ve been waiting 30 years to make” you know you can expect something special from the new-release Armagh from the 2016 vintage.
Barry explains: "Back in 1985, when my brother Mark and I set about creating a great Australian shiraz, this was the wine we envisaged. It has taken 30 years of persistence and input from three generations, to craft what I believe is the best Armagh we have ever made.
"It is with satisfaction that I look back on the journey that has brought us to this point, a journey that began in 1968 when my father, Jim Barry, planted eight acres of shiraz vines near a village called Armagh.
"As a child, I remember hand watering the vines during the drought of 1969, from a 44-gallon drum on the back of a Holden FX ute.
"Dad always encouraged us to carve out our own path and swim against the tide, saying 'if everyone is going one way, don’t follow'.'
"In 1985 we did just that. When many in the Clare Valley were bulldozing and burning wonderful old shiraz vines, we took a risk and created The Armagh.
"It is my greatest pleasure to share this special vintage with my own sons, Tom and Sam, and continue the journey with them. Tom, as winemaker, has shown tremendous respect for the past in making this wine, while also capturing his own style.
"The 2016 Armagh Shiraz is something that we will treasure and enjoy for years to come. It is a wonderful reflection of all we have achieved over six decades."
The name Armagh was bestowed by the original Irish settlers who arrived in 1849 and named the lush, rolling hills of the Clare after their homeland. The 2016 will set you back $350.
My verdict: A very serious red wine; with intensity and complexity. Think dark berries, ripe plums, black olives, well-integrated oak. A wine of power and structure that deserves to spend at least a decade in a dark cellar.
As a dedicated shiraz drinker... Its great to see the variety get the reco it deserves and SA winemakers...its just that even I struggle at the pricing..upside is a great SA shiraz is now a spec occasion event wine.
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