The Romulus Old Vine Shiraz comes from seriously old vines. To qualify for the Romulus blend the vines need at least 50 years of age, and to be managed sustainably. The blend is made of Shiraz fruit from a number of Barossa Valley sub-regions. The baby of the bunch comes from Gomersal with spritely 50+-year-old vines. Menglers and Lights Pass contribute 60+-year-old vines, and the great sub-region of Moppa adds fruit from venerable 80+-year-old vines.
Named Romulus after one of the two brothers who form the foundation myth of Rome, the wine is more powerful than its brother Remus. Very well structured, this is a wine made for long term cellaring.
Two of the three vineyards used for this wine are over 80yo, the third over 60yo. Hand-picked, crushed and destemmed, different cap management protocols, but all are matured in new and used French oak for 18 months. It's an elegant wine, the structure and texture good, but the oak is currently too assertive and needs some years to settle down. The glass is three-quarters full.
94 points, Wine Companion (February 2020)
Aromas leap from the glass of blackberries, Cherry Ripe, pot-pourri and bitumen - a heady mix. A lovely, fresh young palate - agile; black and blue fruits with a cinnamon fragrance through the mouth. Beautifully-crafted from pristine fruit.
94 points, The Real Review (March 2020)
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
