The 2016 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh is a Syrah from the Clare Valley in South Australia, produced by the Jim Barry winery. This wine is known for its complexity, balance, and aging potential, and it boasts an alcohol content of 14.2%. The wine comes with a screw cap closure.
James Suckling awarded this wine a remarkable score of 99, describing it as "a bold, brassy shiraz" with intense aromas of ripe blackberries, dark plums, licorice, and sweetly spiced earth. He praised its powerful and juicy palate, noting the "supple, long and deep-set tannins and heroically expressive fruit." Suckling concluded that this wine is "really impressive now, but this will deliver much more over the next two decades," highlighting its aging potential.
Echoing this sentiment, Decanter also gave the wine a score of 99, calling it "a brilliant wine that makes you sit up and pay attention." They noted its concentrated and mouthwatering nature, with flavors of spicy licorice root and black cherries. Decanter emphasized the wine's balance and long aging potential, stating that it "packs a punch without being overpowering" and achieves "the feat of great wines where you simply know how good they are by how your palate responds to the effortless balance of tannin, juice, and brambled fruit."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with Erin Larkin reviewing, scored the wine 96 and highlighted its complexity, noting an array of deli meats, forest berries, exotic spice, and a hint of red curry paste. Larkin described the wine as having "texture, density, and rippling muscles," and recommended drinking it over the next two decades.
James Halliday also scored the wine 96, appreciating its savory and earthy qualities, with tannins described as "four square and ready" and a hint of "charred meat." He noted that the wine is "utterly original" and special, even if one does not necessarily love it.
Vinous, with a score of 97 from Josh Raynolds, praised the wine's powerful and spice-accented profile, with notes of black and blue fruits, incense, potpourri, and licorice. Raynolds highlighted its superb balance and long, juicy finish with harmonious tannins and resonating spice and floral notes.
Wine Spectator, with a score of 96, described a "stunning mix of intense flavors" including salted black licorice, black walnut liqueur, wild blackberry, bittersweet chocolate, cigar box, and black cherry preserves. They noted the wine's firm, dense tannins and long, expressive finish with a lingering note of fresh mint.
Overall, the 2016 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh is a highly acclaimed wine, praised for its complexity, balance, and aging potential, making it a standout choice for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
