2005 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz

Wine Advocate
"96 pts ... Jim Barry’s flagship is the famous Armagh Shiraz. The 2005 Shiraz “Armagh” was sourced from a vineyard planted in 1964 on its own roots. It spent 18 months in French and American oak and was bottled without fining or filtration. It has an alluring bouquet of cedar, Asian spices, pepper, boysenberry, plum, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied yet elegant Shiraz with a velvety texture and impeccable balance. It offers up gobs of ripe fruit flavors, serious depth and concentration, and a very long finish. It will continue evolving with an additional 6-8 years of cellaring and drink well through 2035." -- 10/07

Wine Spectator
"95 pts ... Rich, ripe and beautifully focused on its boysenberry, pomegranate and rhubarb flavors, which persist through the long, expressive finish. The firm tannins get a bit of a grip on the finish. Needs cellaring to soften. Best from 2011 through 2020. 87 cases imported." --10/08

James Halliday
"95 pts ... A dark multi-layered shiraz, with layers of fruit, minerals and a slightly briary savoury edge; has marked nervosity, power and depth; opens slowly, but has a long story to tell. Drink through 2030." -- 03/08

Winemaker's Notes
"The 2005 Armagh is inky and impenetrable. It displays elegant, yet brooding aromas, which are highly complex —including boysenberry, plums, blueberries, rose, lavender and spice. The palate shows power, coupled with finesse. A Pandora’s box of fruit flavours, including loganberry, blackberry, plum and mulberry. The oak is integrated almost to the point of being undetectable and the tannin structure makes it approachable now, but will allow for long term ageing—easily 15-20 years. We suggest that the wine is allowed to ‘breathe’ a minimum of two hours before being consumed to fully appreciate the distinctive flavours and aromas."

Technical Notes
"100% estate grown. 18 months in 80% New French and 20% New American oak. Acid 7.2 g/L; p.H. 3.48. 15% alc."