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Chris Ringland is one of the foremost winemakers in Australia. He produces Shiraz-based wines from both his own Barossa vineyard and from those managed by the North Barossa Vintners company; both bear his name. The flagship wine is the Chris Ringland Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz, which is one of the most highly priced wines made in Australia, and is produced in tiny quantities.
It is known for its rich texture and weight. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the wine received 100-point ratings from the then highly influential US wine critic Robert Parker on five occasions.
Since 1995 the wine has come from the unirrigated Stone Chimney Creek Vineyard, a 2 hectare (5 acre) block of very old vines in the Barossa Ranges. It is typically fermented in new French oak open top vats and aged in new French oak hogsheads (300 liters) for 48 months.
It is then matured in bottle for several more years before release. The Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz has been known to reach as much as 17 percent alcohol. A second wine from the property, Randall's Hill, is made from parcels deemed less ageworthy, and is only released in certain years. Just a handful of barrels of each wine are made.
| Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1996 |
| Rating | 100 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | South Australia |
| Location | Barossa Valley |
| Producer | Three Rivers (Chris Ringland) |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Rating | 100 RP - A colossal effort and very much in keeping with the style produced by the owner/winemaker Chris Ringland the 1996 Shiraz (only 100 cases produced) is made from 90-year old vines. Following malolactic fermentation in cask it spent 40 months in new oak prior to being bottled unfiltered. This is arguably the greatest Shiraz made in Australia but sadly there is little of it. This viscous black/purple-colored wine represents the essence of both wine and Shiraz. With impeccable balance uncanny as well as unreal levels of concentration yet perfectly integrated tannin acidity alcohol and wood it is akin to a dry vintage port. Once past the explosive bouquet of creme de cassis espresso melted fudge and graphite this massive yet seamless wine offers layers of unctuously-textured flavors crammed with blackberries smoke charcoal and currants. The finish lasts for 70+ seconds. The wine should prove to be immortal lasting for 30-50 years but who is going to wait that long to unleash the magic? This is compelling stuff! I just wish there were ten times the quantity produced. Kudos to Chris Ringland for this ultimate Australian blockbuster Shiraz. |
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| Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1996 |
| Rating | 100 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | South Australia |
| Location | Barossa Valley |
| Producer | Three Rivers (Chris Ringland) |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
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