19 Sep 2023

“Powerful...a gentle insistence to this wine that refuses to go away, and yet never overpowers.  98 points" - Jane Anson

Made in the tradition of great Australian wines like Grange and Henschke's Hill of Grace, the 2019 vintage of Jim Barry's 'The Armagh' Shiraz is released today for sale on the Place de Bordeaux, at £990 per six bottles and with 98 points from Jane Anson. 

The Armagh was the first Australian wine to be offered on the Place de Bordeaux and has a long history.  The late Jim Barry was a pioneer of Clare Valley, arriving here in 1947 as the region's first qualified winemaker (having trained at Roseworthy).  He purchased the Armagh vineyard in 1964. The name dates back to 1849, when Irish settlers arrived here and named the lush green Armagh Creek after their homeland. 

Barry replanted part of the Armagh vineyard with Shiraz, at an elevation of 367m, on heirloom, pre-phylloxera rootstocks, seeing the potential of the thin, alluvial soils.  By the 1980s, when most Australian vineyards were pulling out their Shiraz vines, he and his son Peter had the vision to set out to make Clare's first great wine from this variety.  The first 'Armagh' vintage was released in 1985. 

Over the years, the style has moved from classic, heavily-oaked Australian Shiraz to something much more precise and complex.  

“The 2019 growing season was warmer and drier than average. This meant very prudent vineyard management and fruit selection was required, resulting in only 40% (10hl/ha) of the site’s potential volume being produced. A beautifully classic Armagh, with muscular structure, concentration, and acid/tannin tension; characteristics associated with the best vintages from this site. Be patient, as it will require a few years to unfurl.” – Tom Barry, Third Generation Winemaker

We also have extremely limited availability of the 2019 in large formats, please order early to avoid disappointment.

Offered en primeur, landing spring 2024.