Mission Codename Way Down Under
This Shiraz/Cab monster made by our friends from Down Under, Brother in Arms, is loaded with accolades, including 95 and 92 point scores and a gold medal. We see why because this wild wine took us on an adventure. Sometimes, the most fun part of drinking wine is finding a truly interesting and different wine. And, well, we’ve got one for you, today!
The wine is quite dark, almost completely opaque with a rich garnet hue, from core to lip. This wine has a crazy nose, but don’t be scared - we really liked it. It has sweet hickory, herb bundle of rosemary and sage, eucalyptus, with a roasted meat aroma. The palate came through with the same interesting dimensions but the sugar allowed more fruit to come through: Herbs, smoke, plum, bramble and blackberry pie. This Shiraz/Cab blend packs a punch with some serious tannin. It creates the complexity needed to hold together this wild wine. It’s time to throw some shrimp on the barbie! Yep. We went there. It really would be perfect.
This wine hails from an estate whose first vines were planted back in 1891. Shiraz yields were tiny back then as compared to the total annual yield of about 700 tons today. The is one of Australia’s most respected Shiraz producers, and for good reason. Their wines are excellent. When we offered the very last cases of today’s great wine, we grabbed up every single case. That said, we will likely sell out before the end of the day.
Very highly recommended.
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Here’s what the wine press has to say.
95 Points - Just Wine Points
92 Points - James Halliday
Gold Medal - China Wine & Spirits Awards
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast - “Eighteen months in oak has given this wine a vanilla-cedar sheen that blankets the fruit from nose to finish. That said, there’s plenty of dark plum and asphalt to support the oak and a ripe creamy texture that makes the wine easy to drink. Drink now through 2019.”
What the Winery Says
2013 No. 6 Langhorne Creek Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- Jim Urlwin
- Varietal
- Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
- Composition
- 82% Shiraz
- ~
- 18% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Appellation
- Langhorne Creek, South Australia
- Vineyard
- Metala Vineyards
- Abv
- 14.8%
- pH
- 3.48
- TA
- 6.3g/L
- Baumé at harvest
- 14.9 - 15.5
- Harvest Date
- 8 March - 25 March 2013
- Oak Maturation
- 18 months
- ~
- 30% new French oak barriques
- ~
- 70% 2yo & seasoned French/American barriques
- Bottling Date
- 3 March 2015