This shiraz comes from estate-grown vines planted around 1894, aged for 24 months in new French and American oak puncheons. It retains its rich and commanding character, showcasing intense flavors of dark plum, blackberry, and black cherry, complemented by notes of fruitcake spice, black strap licorice, high-cocoa dark chocolate, cedar, and roasted meats. Full-bodied and pure, it exhibits superb depth of fruit, with superfine, gypsum-like tannins contributing to a concentrated and balanced finish that lingers impressively. The Ashmead family's legacy continues to shine through Elderton, where Julie Ashmead, the fifth-generation winemaker at Campbells in Rutherglen, leads production, overseeing viticulture and winemaking. Elderton boasts four vineyards across the Barossa and Eden Valleys. The Craneford Vineyard in the latter is planted with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, and Chardonnay, while the Mengler Hill Vineyard, acquired in 2022 from the Mattschoss family, features old-vine Shiraz, Cabernet, Riesling, and Grenache. The original estate vineyard, Nuriootpa, dating back to 1894, is planted with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Additionally, the Greenock site, purchased in 2010 and planted by the Helbig family in 1915, includes Shiraz, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Semillon. Halliday Rating: 96 points
