Estate reds from the 2016 vintage are noted for their quite sublime elegance, no more so reflected than with our '1860 Vines' Shiraz from that year.
A fragrant nose of bright red berries mingles with spice, tea leaf and truffle aromas that then flow to a velvety palate of dark cherry and plum fruits alongside warm earth and black olive characters with savoury/cedary notes from time in French oak.
Tannins are finessed and supportive, with further complexity to be realised if cellared.
Enjoy Now to 2036+
The '1860 Vines' Story
As original as the Estate itself, these un-grafted, pre-phylloxera Shiraz plantings are amongst the oldest in the world.
The vines have survived Phylloxera; the vine louse that decimated Europe’s vineyards and arrived at Tahbilk in the late 1800s; as well as Mother Nature’s droughts, floods and killer frosts.
Our '1860 Vines' planting was nominated by renowned USA Wine Spirits magazine as one of the 25 Great Vineyards of the World. The vineyards selected were those where "the terroir; the total environment of a place, including soil, climate, aspect, vine and even history is most clearly perceptible in the wine.”
Wine auctioneers Langton’s recently released Classification of Australian Wine VII lists Tahbilk’s '1860 Vines' Shiraz releases as "Outstanding", defined as the best of Australian winemaking practices, vineyard provenance and regional voice. "The exquisite and increasingly rare 1860 Vines Shiraz; typically possesses violet, herb garden, blackberry and chocolate aromas, loose-knit gravelly tannin structures, and underlying roasted walnut and chestnut notes.”
Since the 1979 vintage inaugural release under Alister Purbrick’s tutelage, these wines have become one of the world’s most sought-after wine collectables and, more importantly, sublime drinks.
Accolades and reviews
Huon Hooke | therealreview.com (Tasted 15 December 15 2021)
"Deepish red/purple colour. The bouquet is mellow, savoury and complex, with freshly-turned earth, white pepper and clean kid-leather aromas. Hints of roasted meats and woodsmoke, multi-faceted and elusive.
In the mouth, the most immediate feature is the texture, velvet-smooth, with quiet depths and understated power. On the palate we can add licorice and liqueured cherry, the flavours building and lingering for a very long time.
The line of the wine is seamlessly even and the overall impression is of great harmony. Close to perfection. 97 Points"
Jane Faulkner | winecompanion.com.au (Published 1 August 2020)
"It is amazing how this unfurls in the glass. As if those old vines have a point to make - not so much look at me rather, I am all about grace.
Everything is just so. The red and blue fruits, the dash of spices and the cedary oak that's tucked in well.
It's medium-bodied yet there's length once the supple tannins finish gliding across the palate."
