Source: July 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate; Issue Date: 22nd Jul 2020, (RP-98)

The 2020 RWT Shiraz Bin 798 is a powerhouse of bloody fruit and firm tannin. It veritably explodes from the blocks, showing plum skin, raspberry leaf, blackberry, mulberry, lashings of salted licorice and rendered lamb fat. I am coming to love (in a big and serious way) the Barossa Shiraz’ bottlings from 2020?the year was significantly down in yields, warm and dry, and responsible for wines of muscle, density and gravitas. So, too, for this wine. Excellent.
Drink Date: 2022 – 2042

Source: jamessuckling.com. Issue Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2022 ?(JS-98)

This is a wonderful Bin 789 with striking poise, polish and intensity on offer. Show-stopping aromas of ripe blackberry, dark plum and espresso are primal and freshly captured. The palate is rich and lusciously expressed, with a very plush and intense core of ripe blackberry and dark-plum fruit. Roasted coffee here, too. Such poise and polish. Drink over the next decade or more.

Source: Winemaker

RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz presents an admirable alternative to the multi-regional sourcing and American oak maturation that are hallmarks of Grange, expressing instead, single region Barossa Valley shiraz matured only in French oak. The initials RWT stand for Red Winemaking Trial, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Naturally, now no longer a ?Trial?, RWT Shiraz was launched in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage. Its style is opulent and fleshy, contrasting with Grange, which is more muscular and assertive. RWT is made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and lush texture. The result is a wine that helps to redefine Barossa shiraz at the highest quality level.

GRAPE VARIETY: Shiraz
VINEYARD REGION: Barossa Valley
WINE ANALYSIS: Alc/Vol: 14.5%, Acidity: 6.9 g/L, pH: 3.58
MATURATION: 15 months in French oak hogsheads (70% new and 30% 1-y.o.)

VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Winter and spring rainfall were above the long-term average providing the vines with optimal soil moisture profiles. Most of the spring rain fell during September, with long-standing rainfall records broken. Windy conditions in October helped dry out the vineyards and ensured there were no significant frost events.
November was cool with only a couple of minor frosts.
The recorded temperatures over the growing season were generally cool, with only March above the long-term average, the second hottest recorded in 30 years. The prevailing cool conditions extended the growing season with flowering and veraison, both later than usual. Across the Barossa Valley, the shiraz berry and bunch weights were above average with optimal flavour and bright, vibrant colour.

COLOUR: Deep crimson/ferrous red
NOSE: Vibrant. Red earth / Barossa dirt regional cues not hindered by a 15-month sojourn in French oak.
Initially, a lift of trademark tar/bitumen and subtle V.A. … above scents of assorted carpaccio meats, steak tartare, green olive, capers, rosemary.
Upon sitting/swirling, patisserie scents of almond croissant, cinnamon bun … and perhaps creme brulee glaze (oak-derived?). To repeat, very Barossa!
PALATE: A firm and binding structure, medium-bodied. Focussed/defined, yet still generous.
Mouth-watering acidity clutching opulent fruits renders an impressive pathway cleaved across front/middle/back palate … a pathway all ably assisted by chalky tannins and absorbed integrated oak. Currently youthful and energetic, yet this vintage already impatiently awaits its secondary and tertiary maturation phases.