It’s called ‘Narrow Road’, but the palate in this Cabernet by Schild Estate shows immense depth and scope. A wine of great opulence and intensity, it pours into the glass as a rich, ruby red.
The fruit for this wine is harvested by hand. Every element of the winemaking process is aimed at retaining optimal fruit-driven flavour. It is aged in a mixture of new and old oak.
This is an incredibly concentrated Cabernet, with fine tannins and impressive structure. Primary fruit comes through strongly, with notes of forest fruit and juicy plum. The finish is long, and lingering, with subtle alcohol warmth.
High quality cork, but the dumpy bottle doesn't impress. Estate-grown, 27 barrels made. Succulently rich plum and blackberry jam fruit, the alcohol (just) under control, the palate long and balanced.
96 points, Wine Companion (September 2019)
It’s monumental in flavour and monumental in texture. It’s creamy-smooth, ripped with blackcurrant and plum, sprayed with minty herbs and lacquered with resin. There are floral elements, almost into heightened blackcurrant. I wouldn’t call it complex and it is indeed oak heavy. But the stuffing and the feel and the follow-through of it; it’s very impressive.
94 points, The Wine Front (December 2019)
Deepish red with a tinge of purple, bright colour and a compelling raspberry-like aroma. Hints of walnuts. It's fruit-driven and the cabernet component is clearly evident. The wine is intense and rich, concentrated and driving, with a long aftertaste which has a touch of elegance and refinement about it. There's a juiciness and a warmth of alcohol, and the whole thing hangs together beautifully. A very tasty glass of red.
94 points, The Real Review (December 2019)
Mint and sage notes accent the nose of the 2017 Narrow Road Vineyard Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon, a 70-30 blend of the two varieties. Like in the 2016, the Cabernet takes charge, delivering those herbal notes, as well as ample cassis flavors. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with a generous yet structured feel on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that turn silky on the long, chocolate-tinged finish.
92 points, Wine Advocate (August 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.
