The Armagh Shiraz 2008 (Jim Barry)

Cellar for 20 years or more. Decant for 2 to 3 hours before serving. This is one of the most impressive and luxurious red wines to come out of South Australia for some time. It is a vivid red colour, with accents of royal purple. On the nose, you can find a rich medley of mulberry, plum, cranberry and chocolate, with hints of fresh mint unfolding as the wine airs. It is made of 100% Shiraz, harvested from Clare Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in Australia. The Jim Barry winery was built throughout the 1960s by its eponymous owner and his wife, Nancy. He was an important character in the development of Southern Australia as a wine region, and his entrepreneurial spirit is carried on by Peter, representing the second generation of Barry winemakers, and Tom, Sam, and Olivia, Peter’s three children. The Armagh begins with a core of intense fruit - notes of sour black cherry, red currant and cassis collide in the mouth. It shows a dense tannic structure, pronounced acidity, and a remarkable potency, seamlessly knitting together the complex flavours. Look for further hints of graphite, dried herbs, cocoa and coffee. It was aged in a mixture of French and American oak for 14 months. Pair it with a rib-eye steak, sumptuous beef stew, or roasted lamb.