Peter Lehmann, 2004 Stonewell Shiraz.

The story of Stonewell Shiraz began in 1987 when Peter Lehmann decided to make a special Shiraz - a wine of immense intensity and muscularity that would demand time in the barrel and bottle before release. The wine was named Stonewell’ after the district that he believed best showed the characters admired most in Barossa Shiraz.

This tradition has continued and each vintage the best Shiraz from our legacy of growers’ Barossa vineyards is chosen to create Stonewell. Usually no more than a dozen small, old vineyards are selected each year, the oldest planted in 1885. The berries are small and sparse with crops typically less than 1.5 tons per acre.

The pedigree of these vineyards and the knowledge that has been passed from each grape growing generation to the next assures us that Stonewell Shiraz is a wine of great longevity that can be cellared with confidence for many years to come.

The 2004 Stonewell Shiraz, sourced from several Barossa districts, spent 18 months in predominantly French oak hogsheads. Opaque purple-coloured, it delivers an enticing bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, smoked meat, and blueberry. It has a firm entry onto the palate followed by layers of sweet, savoury fruit. Balanced, with excellent depth and concentration, this lengthy, ripe effort will evolve for 4-6 years and offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2025.

92 Points - Wine Advocate # 181 Feb 2009