Faceless Men Shiraz 2015

“

The Barossa Valley is a cracking place to grow grapes and make wine, and we’re fortunate to have a plentiful network of grape growing mates…one of the benefits we guess of spending time downing Pale Ales at the local pub. So from time to time, operating behind the scenes, calling in old favours with a knowing nod or a gentle tap on the shoulder, we’re able to get our hands on small parcels of awesome fruit from outstanding Barossa Valley vineyards to produce top notch wine to be sold under our ‘Faceless Men’ label.

With the exception of the ‘challenging’ 2011 vintage, we’ve been served up a good run of vintages in the Barossa in recent years ranging from the ‘very good’ to the ‘bloody outstanding’. And as we start to taste our way through our 2015 vintage reds, we’re increasingly of the opinion that this vintage is up there with the best of them….with the added bonus that yields for the most part were a touch better than the prior two years which were particularly lean. A rare case of having our cake and eating it too!

Up in the north western corner of the Barossa lie the parishes of Ebenezer, Moppa, Koonunga Hill and Kalimna. Bordered by dusty dirt tracks running off the main roads lie some of the district’s best Shiraz vineyards. Dry conditions and sandy soils produce small crops of intensely flavoured fruit…just the stuff we’re looking for to make generously flavoured Barossa Shiraz.

The wine is jam packed with Barossa Shiraz flavours….plums, black fruits and warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and 5 spice. There’s a touch of mid palate sweetness as you’d expect from Barossa Shiraz, with some mocha and black olive. The soft tannins are integrated seamlessly through the mid palate. A plush, vibrant wine of immense generosity and incredible value.”

KYM TEUSNER & MICK PAGE

THE FACELESS MEN