Jim Barry, 2004 The Armagh Shiraz.

The name of ‘Armagh’ was bestowed by the original Irish settlers who arrived in 1849, and named the lush rolling hill after their homeland.

The vineyard was planted by Jim Barry in 1968 and yields less than 2 tonnes per acre. The soil is sandy-gravel and receives an average rainfall of 24 inches per year. The vineyard lies on a north-west facing slope which acts as a natural sun trap, ensuring the fruit is always fully ripened when picked.

The 2004 vintage had its challenges, with a series of unusual seasonal infl uences. From early October through to the end of vintage, Clare experienced less than half of its normal rainfall. December was the hottest for several years, followed up by one of the coolest January’s on record. Then a heat wave descended upon the Valley in February, with an average temperature of 37.9 degrees celsius.

Despite the trying conditions, the Shiraz fruit showed amazing resilience, resulting in a rich, fullbodied wine that can take its place proudly amongst previous releases of ‘The Armagh.

Winemaking Notes: The 2004 Armagh is black-purple in colour. It displays a nose of lifted, aromatic, bluberry/blackberry cassis, cedary oak, spice and complex, underlying savoury characters.

The palate is huge and dense, with fully integrated oak, yet still featuring complex fruits of plum, blackcurrant, blackberry and black cherry. It shows deep, brooding consisitency, with the fl avour and texture of chocolate mudcake.

This wine is ideal for long term cellaring. We suggest that the wine is allowed to ‘breathe’ for a minimum of two hours before being consumed to fully appreciate the distinctive flavours and aromas.

98 Points, Wine Advocate # 167 Oct 2006.