Shay A

9.3

My good buddy @Bryan Kesting introduced me to Agricola a few months ago, so I went on the hunt for a few bottles!

As a long time fan of SamiOdi, it’s been a treat watching a new style of Aussie Shiraz become more widely known…picking the fruit earlier, lower ABV, different aging vessels, etc. Agricola wines are made by Callum Powell (son of Torbreck founders).

Mix of 110yr old vines (Ringland Three Rivers) and 30yr old vines (Burley & Naimanya). 100% whole cluster and carbonic maceration. 13.2ABV

Deep purple color and intense heady aromas (a la SamiOdi). My memory bank takes me to some of the Pax Sonoma Hillsides that I’ve had…very Saint Joseph-esque but with a touch more richness. This shows more density than the Pax, but the flavor profile is very similar. So complex aromatically with layers of sweet and slightly savory Syrah fruit (underripe blackberries, smoked meat, iron, dark florals), and crunchy stems. There’s a steak of green down the middle that nods to more Syrah than Shiraz (maybe that’s the cooler Eden Valley coming through). Tasty. — a month ago

Scott Taddeo

9.3

Lovely wine from a gorgeous vineyard in Flaxman Valley. This will set you back 100, but the vineyard is now in the hands of someone else and you can expect to pay five times that. Lovely, youthful ripe fruit thats met with great restraint that's supported but judicious oak use. — 9 years ago

Louis Schofield

Sommelier/Wine Merchant East End Cellars

8.9

Oak was playing a bit too much of a part — 9 years ago

Bryn and Tanya

9.0

We had this 2018 Spinifex Rostein Shiraz at Atria in Melbourne. It was a really elegant wine—sharp and focused, with dark fruits and dried herbs standing out. It didn’t have the usual pepper flavors we expected from Eden Valley Shiraz, which made it feel different in a good way. The balance and structure were spot on, and it finished smoothly. Definitely a wine that’s confident and refined. — 3 months ago

Fraser McKinley

9.5

This is an exceptional inaugural release from Callum Powell and his Agricola label. It’s pure and bright with ample flesh and some beautiful Flaxmanns Valley concentration. Merv Steinert’s old vines made up the core of Rockford’s SVS Flaxmann in the day and they have a happy home here - 2018 — 5 years ago

Travis W

9.3

Very, very good. A lovely combination of fruit intensity and delicacy. Will age well. Drunk after a 1 hour decant. Classic Eden Valley Shiraz. — 9 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

To me this is just to be called Riesling+
I went to grab a box from the cellar and i found this bottle had the cork popped out.
Well, it must have been opened for a couple of days at least cause the wine that spilled out was vanished, floor was dry. However a couple of glasses were left in the bottle and i obviously gave it a go.
The wine was pretty cloudy, marvellous intensity though; it had freshness, mineral, fruit, aromatic herbs and spices. A pity cause I was meant to bring this back to Europe next year to get some friends to taste it. Very very long. — 4 years ago

Melodie McGeoch

10

Flaxman Riesling 2017
Superb summer drinking — 6 years ago

with Steven and terry

Travis W

9.1

For my palate this blows the Cab Sauv out of the water. Much better structure and balance with med-full bodied weight and beautiful clean fruit. Could age 10 years plus. — 9 years ago