2021 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz
2021 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz

2021 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz

Jim Barry |Clare Valley |Shiraz
The Armagh stands as a beacon of Australian winemaking—a majestic Shiraz with a half-century of history woven into every bottle.
Price:
$449.00
Stock:
Sold out
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Description

The story of The Armagh Shiraz is one of legend, not just in Clare Valley but on the global stage. The vineyard, planted in 1968, sits on a small patch of land that Jim Barry named after his Irish heritage—the village of Armagh.

Grown on the contoured rows of Blocks 9, 14, and 15, these Shiraz vines are now over 50 years old, their roots running deep into Clare Valley’s ancient soils. Over time, the vineyard has built a reputation for producing a Shiraz that balances raw power with elegance—one that can rival the world’s best.

Layers of dark chocolate, tobacco, and spice weave through the rich fruit, creating a wine that’s at once bold and restrained.

The Armagh holds a Grand Cru-like status in Australian wine, consistently rated among the finest Shiraz in the country. 

98 Points
“Moreish, a beautiful slice of Clare Valley Shiraz from fruit planted in 1968... Hard not to love this, with its slate textured scrape giving just the right amount of lift, muscular tannins, and a touch of peach pit and salted cracker on the drawn-out finish.”
- Jane Anson

98 Points
“I am fortunate to have tasted a great many vintages of The Armagh, and this is one Aussie Shiraz that never disappoints. Often closed and brooding in its youth, there is always a benchmark Clare signature of wild herbs, baked earth, and desert florals hovering above the epic fruit. This 2021 vintage is no exception, and the fruit is nothing short of sensational. I cannot remember tasting a more expressive or, indeed, more elegant wine from this hallowed ground. It is the perfect expression of region, grape, vintage and site, and it rings true to the Barry’s ethos of reaching for the stars with every wine they produce. In two words: ‘buy it’.”
- Matthew Jukes
97 Points
“This is one of the very best Armagh’s made to date. The 2021 The Armagh Shiraz comes with the backing of the superb 2021 season that birthed it.”
- Erin Larkin (Wine Advocate)

Since its first vintage in 1985, The Armagh has achieved remarkable success and is regarded as one of Australia’s most important wines.

Sourced entirely from 1968 plantings of Shiraz on The Armagh Vineyard, and exclusively the contoured rows of Blocks 9, 14 and 15, this reference claret-style wine is renowned for its powerfully expressive aromas, chocolatey richness and sinuous structure.

With some years of bottle age, the elements fold in together and develop a superb inky density and vigour.

Single vineyard provenance, history, family ambition and generosity underpin its authenticity and appeal.

98 Points – “Moreish, a beautiful slice of Clare Valley Shiraz from fruit planted in 1968. Violet-edged in colour, this wine delivers stunning freshness and vibrancy, packed with ripe damson, red cherry and raspberry fruit. The yield is a little higher than the previous few vintages, at around 33hl/h, and it helps emphasise juiciness and poise, deftly pairing intensity and restraint. Hard not to love this, with its slate textured scrape giving just the right amount of lift, muscular tannins, and a touch of peach pit and salted cracker on the drawn-out finish. 100% French oak, winemaker Tom Barry, bottled unfiltered and unfined.” - Jane Anson

98 Points – “I am fortunate to have tasted a great many vintages of The Armagh, and this is one Aussie Shiraz that never disappoints. Often closed and brooding in its youth, there is always a benchmark Clare signature of wild herbs, baked earth, and desert florals hovering above the epic fruit. This 2021 vintage is no exception, and the fruit is nothing short of sensational. I cannot remember tasting a more expressive or, indeed, more elegant wine from this hallowed ground. It is the perfect expression of region, grape, vintage and site, and it rings true to the Barry’s ethos of reaching for the stars with every wine they produce. In two words: ‘buy it’.” - Matthew Jukes

97 Points – “This is one of the very best Armagh’s made to date. The 2021 The Armagh Shiraz comes with the backing of the superb 2021 season that birthed it. Aromatically, the wine leads with charry oak and spicy black and red fruits: pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, and licorice. It smells succulent, ripe, and plush, but it doesn’t give the impression that it is bloated or heavyset. On the palate, the wine is everything we hoped it could be: mouthfilling, full-bodied, blanched, and ripe. The fruit stays on the red end of the spectrum while there is date, toffee apple, black peppercorns, and a hint of prune through the finish. Dark chocolate, tobacco, and star anise complete the picture. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.” - Erin Larkin (Wine Advocate)

95 points - "A thunderous release on hand. It feels a bit darker fruited and woody than the 2020, but maintains its impressive presence and structure galore. Opens with a procession of dark berries, clove and mahogany spice, fig and date richness, mocha with some turned earth and faint eucalyptus-like characters. The texture delivers grip, swerve and pucker. More of the clove/cedar woodiness here, dried fruits, ferrous characters, dark berries, stewed plum and a swish of bramble and minty lift to taste. The texture is fleshy but comes with ribbons of firm, gravelly tannin, the finish long and gently palate staining with saline and graphite mineral elements. Decadence plus. In its grippy, dry form now, it shows that time in cellar is advisable." - Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

Jim Barry

Jim Barry Wines is a family affair in the Clare Valley.

Founded by one of SA's most influential wine figures, this producer has been one of the most acclaimed in the region since it began in 1974.

They focus primarily on traditional Clare Valley varieties, with a myriad of laser-sharp Rieslings, powerful Shiraz and intense Cabernet blends making up the foundations of the range. With a sprawling range including everything from super-premium to top value, they are considered a cornerstone of the Clare with classic wines that develop beautifully in the cellar given time.

Now, with the third generation of Barrys - Sam, Tom and Olivia - now in charge of the winemaking, marketing and business development, there is a new energy about the brand and there are plenty of exciting new things on the horizon.

Peter, Tom & Sam Barry - Clare Valley Jim Barry

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