This particular vineyard, in the Rowland Flat area of the Barossa, sits at 380m above sea-level. At this altitude, Barossa vineyards traditionally produce much lower yields creating highly concentrated fruit of exceptional quality. From the first whiff it's quite apparent, this is a really smart wine. A perfumed nose of the expected dark fruits with floral elements of rose petal and violets. On the palate, juicy plums, dark chocolate, pepper, spice and, of course, a long, smooth, oak-driven finish. This drop is as intense as it is complex and will continue to impress for many years to come. Very, very impressive.

For over 30 years this wine has been spoken about in the same breath as the greatest Shiraz produced anywhere in the country. That's not marketing. That's just the truth. The philosophy behind this wine is beautifully simple: find the very best fruit in the Barossa - the small, intensely concentrated parcels that outperform everything around them - and get out of the way. Over three decades of doing exactly that has produced a wine of legendary status. What was once powerful, muscular and demanding has evolved into something genuinely magnificent. The grunt is still very much there - this is Barossa Shiraz with serious backbone and presence - but time has worked its magic. The tannins have settled into something silky and sophisticated, the dark fruit has deepened and complexified, and the ironstone, graphite and earthy minerality that defines this wine has come into beautiful focus. This is a collector's wine. A cellar wine. A once-in-a-while, pour-it-for-someone-special wine.

It's hard to justify even writing this tasting note, as it'll all be sold out by them time anyone gets a chance to read it. In any case, the wine: blueberries and black cherries over vanilla, eucalypt, and sweet spice. Liquorice and fruit compote follow neatly, deftly behind the initial fruit burst. Among many things, this wine is further proof of the superiority of the stelvin closure as opposed to cork for ageing cool climate reds. This is wine made with the cellar in mind. It is just now hitting its stride, and what a stride it is. The fruit is remarkably fresh, but no aged characteristics like leather, wet earth and game have been sacrificed whatsoever. The density of the fruit is framed by maturity without being swamped by it, and the wine is able to hold its form through a lasting finish. This is truly a deal to jump at, and one you won't see again.