Showing all 11 results

• Red Wine

  2017 Shiraz ‘Watervale Single Vineyard’, Jim Barry

  £2250

  This 2017 Shiraz comes from a single-vineyard sourced from the Florita vineyard in Watervale.  The Shiraz block is planted on a gentle northwest facing slope that takes full advantage of Clare Valley climate.

  It is an opulent wine with expressive aromas of rich, bright red fruits that are supported by classic Clare Valley spice. Beautifully structured with fine savoury tannins and terrific length of vibrant fruit on the palate.  This is not your typical Clare Valley Shiraz!   The opulent nature of the wine could be due to winemaking that saw one-third of the grapes being co-fermented with 15% of whole bunch fruit to impart complexity and an aromatic lift to the wine.   The wine then went through malolactic fermentation (a process where tart malic acid in wine converts to softer, creamier lactic acid) before being transferred to oak barrels for 12 months of ageing.

  A terrific mouthful of wine!

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• White Wine

  2020 Riesling ‘Single Vineyard McKay’s, Jim Barry

  £2500

  JThis Riesling was sourced from the McKay’s vineyard in Watervale. South or east-facing slopes are best suited for Riesling as they are shielded from the hot northerly winds that can occur during summer and also receive the cooler morning sun. The soil in the McKay’s vineyard is clay over limestone, which is free draining. The Clare valley climate is continental with a high diurnal temperature difference with clear skies. The cool nights lead to the preservation of crisp natural acidity and delicate flavours.

  The wine displays minerality on the nose, with characters of crunchy green apples and wet slate. A firm acid line drives through the palate with lime, citrus and a mineral finish. It has a lush silky flow and a calming finish.

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• White Wine

  2018 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry

  £3350

  The 2018 Florita is a wine of immense purity and drive that is bursting with intense aromas of lemon, lime and citrus blossom. The tightly wound palate delivers laser focussed acidity and crisp lime juice at its core and shows all the hallmarks of Florita Riesling.

  The famed Florita Vineyard is synonymous with the classic grape variety and was planted with Riesling grapes by Leo Buring in 1962. In 1986, the Barry family acquired the 32-hectare property. Florita’ is Spanish for ‘little flower’ and the first release of this micro-batch of premium Riesling was in 2004; it was the fruit of years of patience. Individual rows are selected where the terra rossa and loam soils barely cover the deep limestone below and the vines deliver a wonderful elegance. The Clare Valley climate is continental, with a high diurnal temperature difference. The cool nights allow the Riesling vines to preserve the crisp natural acidity and delicate flavours.

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• White Wine

  2021 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry

  £3350

  Jim Barry’s iconic and outstanding single-vineyard Riesling, The Florita, stands tall at the top of the tree for Clare Valley Riesling.

  Located fifteen kilometres south of Clare township in the tiny village of Watervale, Florita – Spanish for ‘little flower’ – comes from a famous Riesling vineyard planted to Palamino in 1946 for making Fino Sherry but was replanted to Riesling in 1962. This was the birthplace of Leo Buring Watervale Riesling and the Florita vineyards, where legendary winemaker John Vickery sourced his grapes for his great Watervale Rieslings of the 1960s and 1970s.

  The 80-acre vineyard was bought by Mark, Peter and John Barry in 1986. First released as the ‘Florita Riesling’ in 2004 by Jim Barry Wines, this micro-batch Riesling is made from grapes hand-selected from individual rows. Its best fruit comes from vines planted in shallow loamy soils and the vineyard has good air-drainage which alleviates the risk of frost. A wine with a reputation second to none for consistency and a true benchmark wine.

  The 2021 is a simply astonishing incarnation that Riesling lovers would be remiss to not have in their cellar. Drink 2027 – 2050 +

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• White Wine

  2010 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry

  £3800

  This legendary dry Riesling from Jim Barry has matured under optimum conditions and displays the complexities that fine Australian Riesling develops over time.

  The 2012 Florita Riesling has an ultra reserved pristine nose of lovely lifted kaffir lime leaves and musky, floral notes with a hint of fresh lemongrass. The palate is all about delicacy, power, finesse and
  balance, with a huge amount of length and structure coming from the natural acid backbone and the generosity of the lime citrus centred fruit.
  A magnificent cellar worthy Riesling.

  The Florita has an incredible story, and we urge you to read it below in the ‘Producer info’ section.

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• White Wine

  2008 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry

  £3900

  This legendary dry Riesling from Jim Barry has matured under optimum conditions and displays the complexities that fine Australian Riesling develops over time.

  The Florita Story

  This story is best told by famous Australian wine writer, Huon Hooke and head of the Barry Family, Peter Barry who below tell the wonderful story of Florita…..

  It starts in 1946, just after the war, when Leo Buring bought land at Watervale and planted Pedro ximénez for sherry – the preferred wine of Australians at the time. He named the vineyard Florita, which is Spanish for ‘little flower’ – a reference to the sherry flor (or flower), the film of yeast that covers the dry flor sherry as it matures in its ullaged casks.  Public tastes shifted, table wine became fashionable, and in 1962 Buring’s winemaker John Vickery began to remove Pedro and plant riesling. “He started to make riesling (wine), which began to be seen as the future of Australian white wine,” says Barry. Indeed, Vickery and the Leo Buring brand became almost synonymous with riesling.   “In 1986 Philip Morris (the tobacco company which owned the Leo Buring brand at the time) had six years supply of riesling in its cellars, and no-one was drinking it – chardonnay was the new fashion. They decided to sell the Florita vineyard.

  My brothers and I went to the auction. I was 24.  Mum said ‘You’re not allowed to buy it’. She said we already had plenty of vineyards. We told Dad he’d better buy it, and that would let us off the hook.
  Southcorp (the precursor of Treasury Wine Group) owned the Florita trademark at the time, and although the Barrys began using the grapes immediately, they couldn’t use the name.
  “I had to wait eight years until the registration period was up, but then Southcorp renewed it for another 10 years, so I had to wait 18 years all told, and I registered the name Florita two days after it lapsed.

  Eighteen years is a long time to wait for a drink.”

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• White Wine

  2009 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry

  £3900

  This legendary dry Riesling from Jim Barry has matured under optimum conditions and displays the complexities that fine Australian Riesling develops over time.

  The Florita Story

  This story is best told by famous Australian wine writer, Huon Hooke and head of the Barry Family, Peter Barry who below tell the wonderful story of Florita…..

  It starts in 1946, just after the war, when Leo Buring bought land at Watervale and planted Pedro ximénez for sherry – the preferred wine of Australians at the time. He named the vineyard Florita, which is Spanish for ‘little flower’ – a reference to the sherry flor (or flower), the film of yeast that covers the dry flor sherry as it matures in its ullaged casks.  Public tastes shifted, table wine became fashionable, and in 1962 Buring’s winemaker John Vickery began to remove Pedro and plant riesling. “He started to make riesling (wine), which began to be seen as the future of Australian white wine,” says Barry. Indeed, Vickery and the Leo Buring brand became almost synonymous with riesling.   “In 1986 Philip Morris (the tobacco company which owned the Leo Buring brand at the time) had six years supply of riesling in its cellars, and no-one was drinking it – chardonnay was the new fashion. They decided to sell the Florita vineyard.

  My brothers and I went to the auction. I was 24.  Mum said ‘You’re not allowed to buy it’. She said we already had plenty of vineyards. We told Dad he’d better buy it, and that would let us off the hook.
  Southcorp (the precursor of Treasury Wine Group) owned the Florita trademark at the time, and although the Barrys began using the grapes immediately, they couldn’t use the name.
  “I had to wait eight years until the registration period was up, but then Southcorp renewed it for another 10 years, so I had to wait 18 years all told, and I registered the name Florita two days after it lapsed.

  Eighteen years is a long time to wait for a drink.”

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• White Wine

  2014 The Florita Riesling, Jim Barry – Magnum

  £5995

  There is nothing quite like a magnum for sharing and this iconic 2014 ‘The Florita’ Riesling from Jim Barry is just the ticket.

  This magnificent wine opens in the glass with delicate floral aromas of citrus blossom, rose water, lime citrus and hints of green pear.  A wine of immense drive and purity.  It shows the
  hallmarks of a youthful but restrained Florita with a promise of more to come. Lime citrus is dominant with elements of pear and rose water with long lingering acidity.
  A magnificent benchmark dry Riesling to be enjoyed now or with careful cellaring for the next ten years.

  The Florita Story – It starts in 1946, just after the war, when Leo Buring bought land at Watervale and planted Pedro Ximénez for sherry – the preferred wine of Australians at the time. He named the vineyard Florita, which is Spanish for ‘little flower’ – a reference to the sherry flor (or flower), the film of yeast that covers the dry flor sherry as it matures in its ullaged casks.
  Public tastes shifted, table wine became fashionable, and in 1962 Buring’s winemaker John Vickery began to remove PX and plant Riesling. “He started to make Riesling (wine), which began to be seen as the future of Australian white wine,” says Barry. Indeed, Vickery and the Leo Buring brand became almost synonymous with Riesling.

  “In 1986 Philip Morris (the tobacco company which owned the Leo Buring brand at the time) had six years supply of Riesling in its cellars, and no-one was drinking it – Chardonnay was the new fashion. They decided to sell the Florita vineyard.   My brothers and I went to the auction. I was 24.  Mum said ‘You’re not allowed to buy it’. She said we already had plenty of vineyards. We told Dad he’d better buy it, and that would let us off the hook.  Southcorp owned the Florita trademark at the time, and although the Barrys began using the grapes immediately, they couldn’t use the name.
  “I had to wait eight years until the registration period was up, but then Southcorp renewed it for another 10 years, so I had to wait 18 years all told, and I registered the name Florita two days after it lapsed.

  Eighteen years is a long time to wait for a drink.”

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• White Wine

  2018 Wolta Wolta Clare Valley Riesling, Loosen Barry

  £7200

  The friendship between Ernst Loosen, of the Dr. Loosen Estate in Germany, and Peter Barry, of Jim Barry Wines, Australia, began in 1995 at the London Wine Fair. Forged out of mutual respect for the noble variety Riesling, this collaboration of ideas pays homage to the wine making techniques used by the Loosen family for generations, and the vineyard practices of the Barry family.

  The German-style Riesling made in Australia is called Wolta Wolta, (Aboriginal for ‘good water’) in honour of one the Barry family’s most significant and successful land purchases, which later became known as Lodge Hill. The Australian-style Riesling, made with grapes from the Erdener Treppchen Vineyard in Germany, is called Walhalla, (pronounced Valhalla) named after the majestic hall ruled over by Odin in Norse mythology.

  It was no simple task for an Australian winemaker to make a German-style Riesling and vice versa, but when each winemaker can draw on forty years of experience of their counterpart, the possibilities are genuinely intriguing, and even though Peter and Tom Barry were uncertain they could make such a different style of Riesling, they were delighted with the outcome.

  This project is not about sales. This is a project of passion, designed to test the skills, explore the possibilities, and hopefully, get people thinking about Riesling in a different way.

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• White Wine

  2017 Wolta Wolta Clare Valley Riesling, Loosen Barry

  £7200

  The friendship between Ernst Loosen, of the Dr. Loosen Estate in Germany, and Peter Barry, of Jim Barry Wines, Australia, began in 1995 at the London Wine Fair. Forged out of mutual respect for the noble variety Riesling, this collaboration of ideas pays homage to the wine making techniques used by the Loosen family for generations, and the vineyard practices…

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• Red Wine

  2012 Armagh Shiraz, Jim Barry

  £19500

  This is one of the worlds greatest wines.

  The iconic ‘Armagh’ vineyard was named by the original Irish settlers who arrived in 1849 and called the lush, rolling hills after their homeland. In 1968, the vineyard was purchased by Jim Barry who planted it with Shiraz. Today these low-yielding vines produce less 27 hectolitres per hectare. The soil is sandy gravel and receives an average rainfall of 600 millimetres per year. The vineyard lies on a northwest-facing slope which acts as a natural sun trap, ensuring the fruit is always fully ripened at harvest time. The Clare Valley climate is continental with a high diurnal temperature difference, producing Shiraz with evenly ripened tannins and flavour.

  ‘Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Shiraz The Armagh offers a gorgeous perfume of baking spices, violets, Sichuan pepper and fragrant earth. More earthy and savory in the mouth than on the nose, the palate is superbly structured and taut—built for the long-haul—with a long, complex finish. Still very youthfully, forget this wine for 3-5 more years and consider drinking it over the next 20+’      98+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate

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