Chris Ringland
Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz
Barossa Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
A rare treat to tear into one of these. Not shy at 18% alc./vol. but loaded with flavour and slinky, silky tannins. Will likely live forever - 2009
A rare treat to tear into one of these. Not shy at 18% alc./vol. but loaded with flavour and slinky, silky tannins. Will likely live forever - 2009
2 people found it helpfulAug 13th, 2017
The Hoffman was nearly the wine of the tasting. Warm fruits; of blue & blackberries slowly lift out of the glass with supple soft spices. It was a hard call to say, was it warm fruit pie or was it more like pudding? I'd say both. The spices in this wine lifted off your palate like warm sun on ground water creating rising steam. You cannot only sense it, you can see them as you sip it. Blackberries, blueberries, black plum, rhubarb, baked cranberries & strawberries follow, black licorice, used leather, dry stems, underbrush, crushed rocks, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, Christmas cake and used coffee grounds. Perfect harmony in body, texture. length, balance, acidity and finish. 5 years in oak.
The Hoffman was nearly the wine of the tasting. Warm fruits; of blue & blackberries slowly lift out of the glass with supple soft spices. It was a hard call to say, was it warm fruit pie or was it more like pudding? I'd say both. The spices in this wine lifted off your palate like warm sun on ground water creating rising steam. You cannot only sense it, you can see them as you sip it. Blackberries, blueberries, black plum, rhubarb, baked cranberries & strawberries follow, black licorice, used leather, dry stems, underbrush, crushed rocks, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, Christmas cake and used coffee grounds. Perfect harmony in body, texture. length, balance, acidity and finish. 5 years in oak.
Apr 5th, 2017
Chris Ringland — Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz 2013 — Barossa Valley, South Australia. Australia 🇦🇺
Overview:
A flagship collaboration between Chris Ringland and the Hoffmann family, sourced from exceptionally old Shiraz vines—some exceeding 100 years—and matured for over five years in top-tier new French oak. Built entirely on Shiraz, this wine delivers unapologetic Barossa power layered with precision, concentration, and long-term aging ambition.
Aromas & Flavors:
Blackberry, mulberry, roasted meat, exotic spice, tar, soy, dark chocolate, and deep oak spice.
Mouthfeel:
Plush and commanding with dense extract, velvety tannins, and a silky yet muscular texture. The palate is rich, expansive, and deeply structured, finishing long and resonant with serious cellaring potential.
Food Pairings:
Char-grilled ribeye, slow-braised short ribs, smoked brisket, game meats, black pepper–driven dishes, aged hard cheeses.
Personal Pick:
This sits firmly in “benchmark Shiraz” territory for me, so decadent, bold, and emotionally powerful. A wine I slow down for, revisit over hours, and mentally file under unforgettable experiences.
Verdict:
A world-class Barossa Shiraz delivering massive concentration, polish, and longevity. Built for collectors and lovers of maximalist, age-worthy reds.
🍷 Did You Know?:
Some of the Hoffmann family’s Barossa vineyards rank among the oldest continuously producing Shiraz plantings in the world, contributing extraordinary concentration and complexity to elite Australian bottlings.
Chris Ringland — Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz 2013 — Barossa Valley, South Australia. Australia 🇦🇺
Overview:
A flagship collaboration between Chris Ringland and the Hoffmann family, sourced from exceptionally old Shiraz vines—some exceeding 100 years—and matured for over five years in top-tier new French oak. Built entirely on Shiraz, this wine delivers unapologetic Barossa power layered with precision, concentration, and long-term aging ambition.
Aromas & Flavors:
Blackberry, mulberry, roasted meat, exotic spice, tar, soy, dark chocolate, and deep oak spice.
Mouthfeel:
Plush and commanding with dense extract, velvety tannins, and a silky yet muscular texture. The palate is rich, expansive, and deeply structured, finishing long and resonant with serious cellaring potential.
Food Pairings:
Char-grilled ribeye, slow-braised short ribs, smoked brisket, game meats, black pepper–driven dishes, aged hard cheeses.
Personal Pick:
This sits firmly in “benchmark Shiraz” territory for me, so decadent, bold, and emotionally powerful. A wine I slow down for, revisit over hours, and mentally file under unforgettable experiences.
Verdict:
A world-class Barossa Shiraz delivering massive concentration, polish, and longevity. Built for collectors and lovers of maximalist, age-worthy reds.
🍷 Did You Know?:
Some of the Hoffmann family’s Barossa vineyards rank among the oldest continuously producing Shiraz plantings in the world, contributing extraordinary concentration and complexity to elite Australian bottlings.
To date the best Aussie Shiraz I’ve enjoyed.
To date the best Aussie Shiraz I’ve enjoyed.
Nov 11th, 2018
Tasty but hard to get past the 27.5% ABV. Tasting pour at Hospice du Rhône Saturday Grand Tasting.
Tasty but hard to get past the 27.5% ABV. Tasting pour at Hospice du Rhône Saturday Grand Tasting.
May 1st, 2018This is an awesome bottle of wine. I've been fortunate enough to try a couple of bottles, one blind where it blew a lot of the competition out of the water, and another against a Monte Bello and Clos d'Estournel which it also blew away. A tiny bit too sweet for me.
This is an awesome bottle of wine. I've been fortunate enough to try a couple of bottles, one blind where it blew a lot of the competition out of the water, and another against a Monte Bello and Clos d'Estournel which it also blew away. A tiny bit too sweet for me.
Dec 31st, 2014
Sasha had this 8 years ago
Sasha had this 8 years ago
Apr 27th, 2018