Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz 2015
The second release from the close planted Estate vineyard planted in '05, 70% whole bunches, 30% whole berries, open-fermented, matured in French puncheons for 14 months, with a further 14 months in bottle before release. This is an exercise in power, bay leaf staring down any attempt to add red fruits, the tannins of the same ilk, ditto oak. Despite the power, the balance and synergy of the components is undeniable.
August 2017
Respected wine critic and vigneron James Halliday has a career that spans over 40 years, but he is most widely known for his witty and informative writing about wine.
As one of the founders of Brokenwood in the Lower Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, and thereafter founder of Coldstream Hills in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, James is an unmatched authority on every aspect of the wine industry, from the planting and pruning of vines through to the creation and marketing of the finished product. His winemaking has led him to sojourns in Bordeaux and Burgundy, and he is constantly in demand as a wine judge in Australia and overseas.
James has contributed to more than 56 books on wine since he began writing in 1979. His books have been translated into Japanese, French, German, Danish and Icelandic, and have been published in the UK, the US and Australia. He is also the author of James Halliday's Wine Atlas of Australia and The Australian Wine Encyclopedia.