Reflecting on the seasons we are releasing the new wines from, and it seems like we were making wine in a completely different region! 2022 and 2023 were both cool seasons in the heart of a wet period, where the Barossa seemed alive and lush. During the period between the start of 2020 and the end of 2024 we did not receive a single day above 40 degrees, and each calendar year delivered above average rainfall, with the 2021 winter (feeding into 2022 harvest) the wettest in 25 years. It seemed like Dionysus had personally provided these conditions! 2023 produced an even wetter Spring and cooler summer, with vintage running well into May. I love making wine in these cool, late harvests, and the results are indicative of the styles that we strive to make.
We cannot speak highly enough about the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons, we can’t remember a three-vintage period that goes close to matching their quality. The new wines we are releasing are a testament to these conditions, and we are looking forward to sharing them with you.
The Wines
2022 Izway Bruce Shiraz
Due to a severe hailstorm that pummelled the centre of the Barossa and hit the Eden Valley hardest, this release returns to a wine exclusively made from Barossa Valley vineyards. However, with the season being so cool, the wine is naturally more refined, elegant and balanced and still reflects the characteristics of the cooler Eden Valley.
Immediately assertive and assured, the 2022 Bruce displays classic Northern Barossa aromatics of dark chocolate, mocca, liquorice and cherry, with hints of clove and spice eluding to further curiosities. There is a comforting familiarity to the nose that all Bruce lovers will adore, like a warm embrace from an old friend. The palate is alive and lush, smooth and juicy, with a gravelly, ripe tannin profile encircling the core of fruit.
The vibrant energy in the wine is a testament to the cool harvest conditions, and maintaining this freshness through maturation is something we have worked hard on for many years. This Bruce may well be the most approachable we have released, and it’s soft, velvety and balanced texture belies its potential for aging. It is everything I hoped it would be from a stunning vintage.
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2023 Izway Harold Shiraz
Harold seems to be the champion of the Izway wine stable at the moment, selling out faster than the other wines and gaining it’s own cult following. The 2023 release will not disappoint, and if anything, I think it adds another dimension to the story of this wine. As a result of near-perfect ripening conditions, we were able to pick this tiny vineyard across four different days between the 6th of April and the 26th of April. This provided us with diversity in both flavour and texture, with the final blend a composition of three of these different batches.
An incredibly intense and distinctive nose signals a cool harvest, with tobacco leaf and tamarind combined with celeriac and white pepper to create a beguiling, intriguing, and enticing aroma. The texture is equally titillating, with assertive tannin and spice coiling fluently with dark cherry, orange rind, and Campari-like florals. It evokes recollections of Barolo and Cornas, two of my favourite regions in the world, of course with our own unique, Eden Valley twist. A wine that changed gears overnight and became an incredibly balanced and silky drink on day two. It will age gracefully over a long period and is a unique release that sits aside from the norm. One out of the box.
The 2021, 2022 and 2023 releases of Harold are all distinctive and captivating, individually representative of their harvest conditions and the site they are grown. These three releases perfectly reflect my aspirations of working with single vineyard wines.
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2022 Izway Don Shiraz
Once again, the cool and favourable ripening conditions of 2022 allowed us to pick this vineyard in two passes almost three weeks apart; the first from the Northern end of the block and the second from the South. The two distinct batches were classified and blended, creating a more balanced texture from this single site.
As has been typical of the past three releases of this wine, the 2022 Don opens quietly, with subtle spicy fruit and potpourri evolving into high toned and elevated aromatics. Customary hints of cacao, coffee, tar and tea layer with pitted dates and sexy French oak. The diversity continues to the palate, with refined energy and richness flowing effortlessly towards a ripe and long tannin structure. Olive tapenade, dark cacao and liquorice dance towards a juicy, saline centre like a decadent Lindt Lindor chocolate.
A very similar style to the 2021, where patience will reward cellaring, but will probably open in a decanter with even more vigour than its predecessor. I believe that all three of these wines encapsulate the vision that we have been working towards, making wines with energy, freshness and vitality, while still being faithful to the area which we are from.
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They are ripe Barossa and Eden Shiraz with great elegance and poise, incredibly captivating, ageable and approachable while still displaying character and individual flair. We hope you enjoy drinking them as much as we enjoy making them.
Cheers,
Craig Isbel
Winemaker