It was a group of Silesian pioneers who landed in the Barossa Valley in 1840s, and by the final decade of the century, had purchased and planted 91 acres of Grenache, Mataro, white hermitage varietals, and of course, Shiraz, all under the name of Kaesler. Even now, some of those same gnarled dry-grown vines remain on their beautiful property there near the town of Nuriootpa, and since a change of ownership in 1999, many of the ones that had seen better days have been lovingly regenerated, making way for the creation of multiple touchstone Shiraz and Cabernet labels that consistently sit among Barossa's very top tier. This Saturday (30th May, between 12 and 2pm) sweeps in those four iconic names for their very latest releases, just released to the market this past week - the WOMS Shiraz Cabernet, Alte Reben Shiraz, Age of Light Cabernet, and the Old Bastard Shiraz! For some tasty entry options to ease into that palate intensity, we have their racy Old Vine Semillon, the bright and juicy Reach for the Sky Shiraz, and one of the best iterations of the fuller-bodied 'Bogan' Shirazwe've seen. For this cooler weather, there aren't many lineups out there that strike us as more fitting - hope to hand you a glass!
For the gin lovers among you, we have three unique takes of delicious drier styles in the Bondi, Brisbane, and Gold Coast labels from Australian Distilling Co! From 4 until 7pm tomorrow (Friday 29th), we'll have these opened and ready to savour, either on their own or with a lick of tonic water - your call!
Old Vine Semillon 2024 -
$34 on special this week ($38 RRP)
"Lemony, textured and long of flavour, Kaesler's Old Vine semillon is a gem, offering a crisply focused line and an abundance of food matching options. Sleek citrus fruits with notes of white flowers, almond paste, quartz and a distant suggestion of lanolin, it is really the lemony drive that grabs you and it's so easy to drink. We should all be drinking more Barossa semillon." - 95 Points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Reach for the Sky Shiraz 2022 -
$30 on special this week ($35 RRP)
"The fruit for this wine was carefully selected from multiple blocks across our estate vineyards. Reach For The Sky is a soft, juicy style of Shiraz that reflects the opulence and diversity of Barossa. Bouquet of ripe plums, blueberries, jubey florals with some raspberry liqourice. Lovely fresh fruits on the palate, with blueberry and wild cherry flavours. Subtle toast in the background. A supple, velvet-like tannin structure with lots of juicy blue fruits to finish." - Winemaker Notes
'The Bogan' Shiraz 2022 -
$52 on special this week ($59 RRP)
"The beautifully named Bogan is an assemblage of shiraz from plots planted between 1899 and 1965. Full bodied and pure of fruit, it has evolved over the years I've seen it and is seemingly a little lighter on its feet now. Red and dark fruits, crunchy, plummy fruits wth abundant spice, purple floral facets and an earthy core, finishing bright and long wth fine, sandy tannins and an enduring draw on the exit." - 94 Points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
WOMS Shiraz Cabernet 2021 -
$80 on special this week ($90 RRP)
"A brooding nose of raspberry licorice, blackcurrant jam and roses makes way for a dense and structured palate. The tannins are grippy, offering flavours of charred meats and coffee. It seems to be in a few parts at the moment but this full-bodied red offers great potential. There's freshness, structure, intensity and complexity - all that's needed for a bright future." - 95 Points, Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review
Alte Reben Shiraz 2023 -
$109 on special this week ($125 RRP)
"A good purple tint to the bright colour; soft plum/earth/vanilla aromas, the palate follows on faithfully with richness and flesh, appealing texture and balance. A touch of ironstone. Poached plums. This is supple and seamless, with lovely texural glide and long, long carry. A big Barossa red of real quality." - 95 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
'Age of Light' Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 -
$150 on special this week ($170 RRP)
"Deep blackberry and black cherry fruits on display with layers of baking spices, meadow herbs, morello cherry, turned earth, cedar, violets and roasting meats. Plenty of dark and black fruit depth with light pastille tones and an earthen facet. Tannins cascade thick and fine through the powerful fruit, finishing with a wash of cassis and spice. Good cellaring potential here." - 95 Points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
"The depth of fruit flavour here is significant. It’s a soft, plush, complex wine but its inherent depth is the centre of attention. It tastes of black and green olives, blackcurrant, saltbush and violets, with black licorice and smoked earth notes trailing through the aftertaste. All these flavours hit up front and continue on throughout, ultimately finishing long. There’s a grainy/earthen/tobacco-like aspect to the finish, which helps to firm it up and, in the process, emphasise its quality credentials." - 94 Points, Campbell Mattinson
'Old Bastard' Shiraz 2022 -
$350 on special this week ($389 RRP)
"This is a single vineyard wine from a block of vines that was planted to shiraz in 1893. This is a superb release. Simply superb. It’s a bold, powerful, black-fruited wine but it’s laced with graphite and rust-like notes and it runs on forever through the finish. The web of tannin running through the back half of the wine is elite in itself; it’s the perfect anchor to the shipload of fruit flavour. Peppercorn, saltbush, cedarwood, earth and smoked olive notes play minor roles; everything else is major. This is an epic Barossa shiraz." -
98 Points, Campbell Mattinson
"Do not let the fun label and irreverent name fool you. This is serious wine. And seriously good wine. An opaque centre with a bright crimson rim, this is a mix of red and black fruits, with notes of cassis, spicy touches, tobacco leaves, chocolate, liquorice and coffee beans. The texture is delightfully plush with real intensity, immaculate balance and great length, finishing with cashmere tannins. The oak integration is superb. One can declare this a twenty-year proposition without hesitation. Love it. Drink now–2045" -
97 Points, Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal
The Lineup -
All on special for $74
($83 RRP)
Bondi Gin
"Clear, vanilla creamy notes on the nose. Custard. Creamy buttery taste and juniper. Grassy herbal notes developing into foral notes. A dry finish with violets." - Distiller Notes
Brisbane Gin
"In Brisbane Gin, we take painstaking care to distil our gin in small batches, using carefully-sourced botanicals to create a unique blend that captures the spirit of Brisbane. With bold notes of local Queensland finger lime and the warmth of fresh ginger, it’s like a ray of sunshine and we’re confident you’ll fall in love at first sip. Bold, sweet nose. A full mouth of fresh bright fennel, methyl floral notes. Hints of rose and turkish delight. Good balance with a firm alcohol and a lingering citrus note." - Distiller Notes
Gold Coast Gin
"Soft notes of lychee and lime lead the subtle and balanced flavour profile of Gold Coast Gin, which is a beautiful and inventive take on the dry gin style." -
Distiller Notes
If you wish to purchase any of these wines, please use the links above
Otherwise, if you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Special prices valid until Thursday the 4th of June