Elderton Command Shiraz 2014
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Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Very dark purple with bright magenta hues. Blackberry fruit, aniseed and spices. Aromas of blackberry fruit, aniseed and spices carry through to the palate which is rich, warm and generous. Drink now or cellar confidently for 15 - 20 years.
Estate grown on the Nuriootpa vineyard, the fruit is sourced from a single block planted circa 1894, classed as a centenarian block by the Barossa Old Vine Charter. The fruit was harvested by hand, with five small parcels harvested over five weeks to attain complex nuances. Fermented in open top concrete fermenters with chilled ferments, hand pump-overs and cap submerging with oak header boards for eight days; the process finished with barrel ferment and malolactic fermentation in new French & American puncheons. Aromas of blackberry fruit, aniseed and spices carry through to the palate which is rich, warm and generous.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 1894, the 2014 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz aged in a combination of French and American oak (80% new). Aromas of smoky campfire and vanilla lead the way, followed by expressive raspberry fruit. It's full-bodied and lush across the palate, creamy in texture, impressive in its concentration and balanced by a crisp, fruit-driven finish. Quintessential Barossa Shiraz.
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James Suckling
A stalwart and rich Barossa Valley shiraz, which delivers in spades. Tarry blackberry and redder fruit aromas with spicy oak and smooth, luscious tannins. Barely out of the gate. Try this from 2022.
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After time spent working in Saudi Arabia, Neil and Lorraine Ashmead, moved to the Barossa in 1979, after Lorraine’s father identified a beautiful home with potential. The Ashmeads believed this would be a great place to raise their family. The homestead, in the heart of the township of Nuriootpa, was surrounded by extremely old Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. At a time where demand for Australian table wine was negligible, the vineyard had become derelict. After years of no interest, the real estate agent eventually offered the Ashmeads the 72 acre vineyard as a bonus, as part of the sale of the homestead. Three years later, after restoring the vineyard, Elderton Wines was born.
The second generation, Cameron and Allister, took the reins of the business in 2003 and today work together to run Elderton Wines, with Lorraine still involved through her role on the Board. Cameron and Allister believe very strongly in continuing the traditions that began a generation earlier, on the Nuriootpa vineyard. Wanting to take the family company to the next level, they together devised a plan to buy great vineyards in other significant sub appellations of the Barossa. Through using sustainable practices, the hope is that the next generation of the Ashmead family have a lot to work with when they are at the helm.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.