2006 John Duval “Plexus” Barossa Valley GSM

Had my in-laws over for dinner to celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday and opened this very nice Rhone style GSM from winemaker John Duval formerly formerly with Penfolds for over 29 years. This is the fourth release of Plexus with RP scoring the 2006 release a 95. It runs around $39.00 US Dollars, so is a very good value!

Proprietor: John Duval Wines

Vintage: 2006

Region: Barossa Valley

Varietals: Shiraz 52%, Grenache 30%, Mourvedre 18%

Shiraz was sourced from vineyards in the Stockwell, Light Pass, Krondorf and Marananga regions.
Grenache from old bush vines 50-60 years old from Stockwell, Light Pass and Krondorf regions.
Mourvedre from old bush vines, the oldest over 100 years old, from the Light Pass and Krondorf regions.

Note: Fermentation with submerged cap in both traditional old open top tanks and small stainless steel fermenters. 100% barrel matured for 16 months. Some Shiraz finished fermentation in new oak. 10% new fine grain French oak hogsheads (300 litres), balance; 3 years and older mostly French oak.

Tasting: Beautiful dark purple-red in the stem. Raspberry, red cherry, black cherry, blueberry, followed by Spanish cedar, tobacco, spice box, smoked game, black pepper, and nice floral notes. Excellent full-bodied structure and impeccable balance with rich ripe fruit and finely grained tannins. The finish is generous and pleasant. This wine will improve with bottle rest and will drink for around 10 years or more, but can be enjoyed now with some decanting.

Rating: 94 JH