Hobbs Shiraz 2010
Wine Description & Tasting Notes
The 2010 vintage was superb in the Eden Valley with its long, cool, even ripening period proving to be just perfect for the 2.5 acres of 108 year old Shiraz vines from our estate.
These low-yielding, gnarled old vines are hand-picked and the grapes fermented in open vats where we utilise plunging and pump-overs before spending a total of 24 months in new French oak hogsheads.
Deep, vibrant purple/red in colour with intense aromas of blackberry, macerated plums, crème de cassis and black cherry. Hints of black-strap licorice, espresso, dark chocolate, vanillin, clove, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, beef consommé and earth. Floral notes also make an appearance with a flick of jasmine and frangipani blossom coming through at the end.
Perfect weight and poise on the palate with an initial fruit attack of concentrated black-fruits - black plums, cherry and blackberry with crème de cassis and kirsch notes following through. There's a waft of jasmine blossom immediately following the rich, primary fruit characters.....frangipani too. Hints of clove, five-spice, chocolate bullets, tea-cake, cola and crushed Eden Valley stone.
The wine shows plenty of structure with a fresh, vibrant line of acidity framing the fine, super-ripe tannins beautifully as the wine lingers persistently with abundant power and poise. A wine that we believe is built for the long-haul and will certainly repay with careful cellaring. Only 130 cases produced.
Wine Reviews
Greg and Allison Hobbs have been growing grapes on ancient (including some centurion) vines on six hectares of vineyard in the Barossa Ranges and making wines for little over a decade. Their neighbour, Chris Ringland, made the first vintages and he remains a friend and consultant while the talented Pete Schell takes over winemaking responsibilities. Their reds are expensive yet sublime.
Hobbs Shiraz 2010 (96 points)
The 2010 has a brooding quality, all briar, bramble and chocolate, dense, ripe, concentrated and powerful, with velvety texture, tongue-coating tannins and a seamless core. Needs five years and could comfortably be cellared for ten
(Source: Peter Forrestal, Chairman of Judges, Australia's Wine List of the Year, 2009 WCA Wine Communicator of the Year.) 2012.
Hobbs Shiraz 2009 (95 points)
The 2009 more floral with blueberry pastille, blackberry flavours, fleshy texture and approachable slinky tannins
Needs five years and could comfortably be cellared for ten
(Source: Peter Forrestal, Chairman of Judges, Australia's Wine List of the Year, 2009 WCA Wine Communicator of the Year.) 2012.
HOBBS Shiraz 2008
93 points
Ripe and rich, brimming with spicy blackberry, pomegranate and plum flavors, picking up walnut and floral notes as the finish lin- gers with power, elegance and supple texture. Drink now through 2018.
(Source: Wine Spectator, Harvey Steiman,2012
Hobbs Shiraz 2006
92 points
The 2006 Shiraz was aged for 24 months in new French hogsheads (300-liter barrels). Purple/black in color, it offers up a brooding bouquet of toast, smoke, violets, blueberry, blackberry, and Asian spices. Dense and layered on the palate, this well-balanced effort is a bit tightly wound at present and will benefit from 4-6 years of cellaring.
(Source: Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 2009)
Hobbs Shiraz 2005
Rating 95 points
This wine is sourced from 100+ year old vineyard yielding one ton of fruit per acre. At was aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads. It exhibits a similar flamboyant personality (as the 2005 Shiraz Viognier) but without the extra dimension of complexity from the Viognier component.
(Source: Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 2008)
Hobbs Shiraz 2004
Rating: 97 points
The spectacular 2004 Shiraz was sourced from vines planted in 1906 with yields a meager 1.25 tons per acre. It was aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads (300-liter barrels). Opaque purple-colored, it has a superb bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, blackberry, and blueberry pie. This leads to a full-bodied, mouth-filling, opulent wine with layers of flavor, great depth, and a long, 60-second finish. It has enough structure to evolve for 6-8 years and should drink well through 2025.
Greg and Allison Hobbs vineyards are contiguous with Chris Ringlands Three Rivers vineyards; furthermore, Ringland is a consultant to winemaker Peter Schell. The Hobbs Shiraz and dessert wines are made with minimal intervention and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
(Source: Wine Advocate #173 October 2007)
Hobbs Shiraz 2003
Rating: 96 points
From the same tiny vineyard as Gregor, this Shiraz has a fresher, livelier style, and it’s a stunner. It’s not a huge wine but a rich, ripe and savory mouthful of smoky, peppery blueberry, plum and fresh cream flavors that just keep lapping against the palate on the ultralong, ultrapolished finish. Absolutely gorgeous stuff, and it’s built to last. Drink now through 2020.
Harvey Steiman
(Source: Wine Spectator, Harvey Steiman, posted August 9, 2006)
Rating: 96 points
From a 91 year old vineyard in a cool sector of the Barossa, this fabulous Shiraz was made by Chris Ringland for owners Greg and Allison Hobbs.
After spending 2 years in both new and old French oak hogsheads, it offers a cool climate, peppery nose revealing scents of flowers, and red as well as black currants, superb concentration, an enticing texture, and great delineation.
With 15% alcohol, it is a spectacular effort from this up-and-coming producer that should drink well for 10-12 years. I am glad to give it high marks as Greg Hobbs is a retired member of Adelaide's Swat Team.
Robert Parker
(Source: Wine Advocate #155 October 2004)
|
