April 2022
LANGMEIL
The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2019
- 96 points -
Believed to be planted in 1843, the Langmeil Freedom vineyard, just on the outskirts of Tanunda on the banks of the Para River, is one of the region's great sites. I sometimes think these ancestor vines must have some sort of memory; filing away all that data of growing seasons past and perhaps possessing an innate ability to self-regulate during stressful years. Regardless, it's a wonderful wine. Calm and very comfortable in its own skin, with rich plum and berry fruits, a lovely textural flow, superfine river-silt tannins and a savoury wash of spicy fruit and finish that carries admirably.
About James Halliday (Australian Wine Companion)
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.