2021 Arila Gardens Gardens of Moppa Shiraz

95 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

Richly fruited and instantly appealing with black/blueberry, violet, cedary oak and dark chocolate characters, it’s sumptuous and flavoursome in the mouth delivering plump mouthfeel and fine-grained tannins. Delectably appealing, it’s firmly structured and lingering.

94 POINTS

Steve Leszczynski - QWine

Just imagine squished red berries and mulberries rolled in a dark chocolate crumb and that’s pretty much what’s going on here. With a cerise hue, it slides through the mouth with ease. Melted chocolate feels add to that smooth delivery. Some blueberries and ripe raspberries rise up with time in the glass but there is no escaping the silky and sexy feels. Delicate spices caress the mouth, almost seamless in flow. Clove and cardamon hide in the background but I keep coming back to that charismatic delivery. A fantastic expression of Barossa Valley Shiraz.

94 POINTS

Patrick Eckel

A pretty purple in the glass with beautifully floral and expressive red berry fruits that are led by plum and raspberry with a touch of bitter dark chocolate somewhere in the background. The palate is vibrant and moreish with great carry of plum and black cherry that sees flowing tannins taking on some liquorice and violets. There is a textural finish that brings things to a close with faint pepper amongst driving and pure black fruits.

94 POINTS

Ken Gargett - WinePilot.com

Similar winemaking here for this utterly beguiling Barossa Shiraz, with a tiny “splattering” of whole bunches at the base of the small open top fermenter with the remainder being whole berries. There had previously been a period of 24 hours cold soaking at 12°C. Fermentation took 11 days, again gentle pumpovers and occasional hand plunging before gentle pressing by bag press. Maturation was for 14 months in French oak, 40% of which was one-year-old. Dark colour, an almost lurid purple. Exuberant yet balanced nose, with spices, mocha, cocoa powder and coffee beans. Plush and luscious, just what one loves in good Barossa Shiraz. Good focus and fine acidity carrying the wine. Nicely balanced, silky tannins and a lingering finish, this will age well for at least 8 years. Love it.

94 POINTS

Dave Brookes - Halliday's Wine Companion

Shiraz sourced from Moppa in the northern Barossa, a small percentage of whole bunches, matured for 14 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads. Purple crimson in the glass and bursting at the seams with juicy plum, mulberry, boysenberry, baking spices, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, earth and orange blossom. A velvety, pure fruit flow with fine, gypsum-like tannins and a rich chocolatey sheen to the black fruits on the finish. Dave Brookes Published 12 June 2023