"90 Points, Anthony Rose, Decanter.com
With Shiraz the dominant force and Grenache playing second fiddle this year (as opposed to Mataro last year) thanks to a cool growing season, the 2017 has powerful aromatics of spice and plum, with primary dark red berry fruit and classic Barossa power. The palate is ripe and full-bodied, with a richness of spice-laden, powerful dark berry fruit, aged for 12-15 months in seasoned French and American oak hogsheads. The palate is supported by supple tannins in a distinctly savoury Rhône style that’s already approachable, but it's worth cellaring for two to four years. Perfect with barbecued pork or lamb shanks - Drinking Window: 2019 - 2026"
Bin 138 draws its inspiration from the wines of Southern Rhône, where Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro (Mourvèdre) are blended in varying proportions to create full-bodied wines possessing rich and heady perfume. Each year fruit for Bin 138 is sourced from the Barossa Valley from well-established vines, including some old vineyards. After fermentation, each varietal is matured separately in mostly seasoned oak hogsheads. The finished blend is assembled just prior to bottling. The first vintage release of this varietal blend was the 1992, labelled ‘Old Vine Barossa Valley’ – it was then elevated to Bin status with the 1998 vintage.
