The Barossa Valley is recognised globally for producing some of the finest and most collectable wines.
The 2017 vintage was a perfect follow up to the hype of 2016, with cooler conditions leading to bright fresh styles with great purity and energy; classic conditions for Eden Valley to shine. Continuing our stellar run of great vintages the near perfect conditions in 2018 has resulted in another spectacular vintage characterised by intensity and elegance. These wines will age for many years and will cement the Barossa Valley as one of the worlds iconic wine regions.
We are again very proud and eager to release the new 2017 Bruce, 2018 Harold and 2017 Don. Two of these wines; the Bruce and the Harold are distinctive releases, with some noteworthy differences to the origin of previous vintages.
The Wines
2017 Izway Bruce Shiraz
When we purchase grapes from our growers, we are assigned the same patch of vineyard each year. As a consequence, our yields are directly related to the conditions experienced each season, and we believe that this is important to our philosophy and to our story as winemakers. The bountiful rain and cool growing conditions we experienced in 2017 presented us with fantastic yields and perfect fruit. The flow down effect of this is most evident in the Rob & Les and Bruce, as we can use the extra fruit we receive from the Harold and Don vineyards in these blended wines. In 2017 we had a record crop in the Harold vineyard, and it meant that for the first time the Bruce is a Barossa Valley & Eden Valley Shiraz. I have always loved the style of wine blended from the two valleys and am excited that we have been able to craft this Bruce from some exceptional sites (25% Don Vineyard, 19% Harold Vineyard).
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2018 Izway Harold Shiraz
I deliberated over this release on many long runs and concluded that if I was to use a Barossa Valley vineyard to make a one-off Harold, the wine would have to be spectacular. And in my opinion, it is. I have had massive wraps on this wine since we made it back in 2018, and every bottle I open reassures my initial assessment. Admittedly, this is nothing like the previous Harolds we have made, but we haven’t tried to make it fit the style either. It is pure Northern Barossa Shiraz from a tiny, old plot in the heart and soul of the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley.
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2017 Izway Don Shiraz
The conditions in 2017 seemed to suit the Don vineyard perfectly. The fruit load and canopy were in harmony and the ripening meandered through March and well into April. This allowed perfect phenolic ripeness while maintaining natural acidity. A cool fermentation created a wine with both freshness and richness that has carried through to the bottle. The new oak component is looking elegant and balanced through careful refinement in the past five years. I have been extremely pleased with the evolution of this wine.
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We see these wines as another articulation of the style of Izway, and an impeccable expression of our philosophy of winemaking.
Cheers,
Craig & Kathryn Isbel