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Wine Heroes

This page is dedicated to our wine heroes – the wines, winery, winemakers that have shaped our vinous journey over the past 20 years.
We followed, bought and collected all the wines that feature on this page for many years and their quality vintage upon vintage is without question.
In short, these are the wines we drink, and we hope you will love them as much as we do.

Wine Heroes

Showing 16–30 of 36 results

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  • 2008 ‘La Ciornia’ Shiraz, La ViolettaRed Wine

    2008 ‘La Ciornia’ Shiraz, La Violetta

    £4500

    The inspiration for La Ciornia comes from Andrew Hoadley time spent working in Barbaresco.    Really refined bright, the aromatic nose showing sweet, pure raspberry and cherry fruit with subtle hints of meat, olive and spice. The palate is superbly elegant with pure, seamless, beautifully poised cherry and raspberry fruit. Lovely elegance and freshness   I think Matthew Jukes summed it up best for me when be said of Ciornia “I certainly had no idea that a Shiraz from Denmark could have Pinot Noir tenderness under its malevolent, vampiric exterior.”

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  • 2018 Moppa Springs Grenache-Mataro-Shiraz, Rockford Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2018 Moppa Springs Grenache-Mataro-Shiraz, Rockford

    £4500

    A stupendous blend of Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz is elegant and restrained with a subtle note of vanilla and pretty floral notes.  The Grenache supplies tangy sour cherry to this blend whilst Mataro offers a savoury cocoa note and Shiraz holds it all together with a backbone of fine tannins and a touch of brambly fruit.

    Moppa Springs, Ebenezer, and Kalimna, are some of the driest areas in the Barossa. This hard country is cold, wet and frosty during pruning, then hot, dry and dusty during harvest. These are the kind of tough conditions that ensure Grenache, Mataro, and Shiraz give their best.

    The grapes are hand-forked into Rockford’s famed 1880’s Bagshaw de-stemmer, open-fermented and then gently basket pressed. All of the components for Moppa Springs are aged separately in a combination of seasoned American and French oak hogsheads and large vats to allow the tannins to soften and colours and flavours to consolidate.

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  • 2018 Rod and Spur Shiraz-Cabernet, Rockford Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2018 Rod and Spur Shiraz-Cabernet, Rockford

    £5200

    This incredible blend of Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon is a uniquely Australian blend that pays homage to the great Aussie wines of yesteryear.    With plenty of sweet spice and brambly black fruit comes a concentrated blackcurrant and vanilla aroma following on to a rich, full-bodied palate. The flavour is full of crunchy black fruit with soft tannins, refreshing acidity and subtle vanilla sweetness.

    The name Rod & Spur acknowledges the contribution of Rockford’s growers who spend the cold Barossa winters hand-pruning their vines in the traditional rod and spur method. This wine is a return to the great Australian reds of the 1950’s and 60’s, when Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon blends dominated the premium market. This very Australian wine is not common in any other region of the world.

    Like all Rockford reds, the grapes for this wine go through a 1880’s Bagshaw de-stemmer, are open fermented and then gently basket pressed. All components are aged separately in a combination of seasoned American and French oak hogsheads and large oak casks for two years. This allows the tannins to soften and colours and flavours to consolidate, before being bottled under the highest quality cork.

    The 2018 vintage was described by Rockford’s winemaking team as ‘One of those years when things just fell into place. Despite the season being one of the driest in many decades, it lacked any prolonged heat waves or significant rainfall events. The Eden Valley Shiraz components, in particular, were standout in the warm dry conditions. The 2018 wines have striking colours, outstanding structure, richness and mouthfeel.

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  • 2005 Shiraz ‘Savitar’, MitoloRed Wine

    2005 Shiraz ‘Savitar’, Mitolo

    £5500

    Savitar, the flagship Mitolo Shiraz, is a tightly structured wine produced in very limited quantities. Powerful yet elegant Savitar is opulent, brooding and intense.

    The wine name ‘Savitar’ refers to a mythical dragon-like monster.  The fruit for Mitolo Savitar Shiraz comes from the Lopresti vineyards Chinese Block, which is located in the Willunga district at the southern end of McLaren Vale. Savitar Shiraz is sourced from a particularly unforgiving, skeletal soil patch in the North-Eastern corner of the block, where the vines are pushed hard to create very low yields of outstanding depth of flavour and quality.

    In the glass this outstanding Shiraz has a rockstar level aromas with a mocha top note followed by liquorice, spice and vanilla finishing with a blackberry end note. Mouthfilling palate, great concentration of flavours – strong black pepper and spice palate flavours, with white pepper rolling out on the back palate. Fine grained perfectly balanced tannins. Very long aftertaste of liquorice, blackberry and vanilla.

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  • 2011 Patrina Syrah, Alban Vineyards Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2011 Patrina Syrah, Alban Vineyards

    £6500

    John Alban is more than a wine producer: Robert Parker has described him as the “spiritual and qualitative leader of the Rhône Ranger movement”: his impact on wine production in California is not to be understated.  Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

    A deliciously rich and complex wine, the 2011 Patrina hits the ideal balance between the New and Old World ways of winemaking. Dark and brooding in the glass, the bouquet is understated with earthy notes of blackberry and cherry. As it moves across the palate it reveals an array of dark berries, plum, cassis, and Indian spices. The finish includes dark cocoa delicately balanced on a framework of silky tannins.

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  • 2010 Patrina Syrah, Alban Vineyards Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2010 Patrina Syrah, Alban Vineyards

    £6500

    John Alban is more than a wine producer: Robert Parker has described him as the “spiritual and qualitative leader of the Rhône Ranger movement”: his impact on wine production in California is not to be understated.  Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

    The 2010 Patrina boasts gorgeously pure aromatics of cassis, raspberry, flowers and spice, full-bodied richness and an overall layered, fresh profile that’s hard to resist.

    It offers a rare and affordable glimpse into the craft of one of the Central Coast’s most enduring pioneers of Rhone varieties.

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  • 21 Year Old Para Tawny, SeppeltsfieldRed Wine

    21 Year Old Para Tawny, Seppeltsfield

    £7000

    The 1999 vintage 21-Year-Old Para Tawny is proudly a single vintage fortified wine, whereby parcels have been matured in old oak hogsheads. Brandy spirit has been used as the fortification element, which along with extensive oxidative ageing, gives rise to roasted nut, praline and butterscotch aromas and flavours.  A fine example of single vintage Tawny from extended barrel maturation, lifted, fresh & elegant.

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  • 2013 Voices of Angels Shiraz, Charles Melton Wines Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2013 Voices of Angels Shiraz, Charles Melton Wines

    £7500

    This 2013 single vineyard Shiraz from the legendary Charles Melton is sweetly perfumed with just a hint of whole bunch character. Great density in the bouquet. Not wildly fruity, just intensely perfumed rounded sweet, almost Burgundian palate. Rich and round right to the edges. Spicy complexity in the mouth feel and firm tannins to finish. Enough complexity and weight to see out a decade or two at least.

    This wine is sourced from the Mount Pleasant vineyard which sits on the boundary of Eden Valley and the Adelaide Hills. Technically, this wine is from the Adelaide Hills, but spiritually the fruit is Eden Valley.

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  • 2002 Charles Melton Sparkling Red, Charles Melton Wine Republic Heros Champagne & Sparkling Wine, Sparkling Red

    2002 Charles Melton Sparkling Red, Charles Melton

    £8500

    Charlie Melton uses the traditional Australian technique for their sparkling red, as pioneered by Seppelts at Great Western. The base wine is aged for around two years or so in oak and then tirage bottled and left on lees for up to four years. This gives a complex aromatic of fruit sweetness and classic autolysis character and fine bubble. An important factor is the liquering dosage as this degree of sweetness ensures they will develop for decades.

    This 2002 Sparkling red was disgorged in August 2005 so has had a further 16 years in bottle.   It is an incredible bottle of wine and still has decades to go!   Rich black cherry and plum on the nose with a delightful charry element. It has a fine mousse with powerful red and black fruits. Spicy, dense with a beguiling sweetness. It has a tight, dense core of rich fruit. Off-dry and has fabulous intensity and complexity.  Fabulous!

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  • 2005 Shiraz, Charles Melton Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2005 Shiraz, Charles Melton

    £9000

    Charles Melton Wines has produced premium Barossa red wines since 1984. Charlie and a small band of Barossa winemakers turned their winemaking efforts to what was then considered a couple of unfashionable varieties: Shiraz and Grenache. These wines were initially styled on those from the Rhône but are now considered leading examples of the varieties in their own right. The wines have always attracted national and international recognition, and an enduring commitment to dry-farmed vineyards and careful crafting of the wine will ensure that this continues.

    This phenomenal wine was made from dry farmed old vine Shiraz, has a very deep colour with a toasty nose – some high-quality oak lifting the bouquet. A hint of sweet plums, strawberries poking through. Good firm tannins but with sufficient middle palate weight to match. The spiciness shows through onto the palate with a food-friendly savouriness being knit together with the traditional Barossa richness and sweet fruit finish.

    Purchase & earn 90 points!Add to Basket
  • 2010 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2010 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards

    £12000

    Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône.  Pioneered by John Alban at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

    It is the Syrah releases from Alban which, justifiably, receive the most attention. Reva Syrah is Alban’s much-coveted, hard to come by top release; a 100% single vineyard Syrah which is aged in oak for 42 months before release.

    “The 2010 Syrah Reva is magnificent. Blue and blackish tone fruits, smoke, tar, liquorice, cloves and menthol all flesh out in a supple, exotic wine endowed with superb depth and polish. An explosive finish rounds things out beautifully in this impeccable, opulent Syrah. The 2010 spent 44 months in oak, 70% new, all of which it has handled with grace. Of the three 2010 Syrahs, this is the wine I would personally reach for more often, as it is truly stellar.”  Antonio Galloni, Vinous: 95-97pts.

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  • 2011 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2011 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards

    £12000

    John Alban is more than a wine producer: Robert Parker has described him as the “spiritual and qualitative leader of the Rhône Ranger movement”: his impact on wine production in California is not to be understated.  Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

    It is the Syrah releases from Alban which, justifiably, receive the most attention. Reva Syrah is Alban’s much-coveted, hard to come by top release; a 100% single vineyard Syrah which is aged in oak for 42 months before release.

    This 2011 is a superb offering from the Reva Vineyard boasting gorgeous aromas of blackberry liqueur, creosote, graphite, and a hint of smoky oak.  It is an intense, dense, stunning effort with huge tannin, beautiful freshness and a blockbuster finish.

    Incredibly decadent Syrah

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  • 2009 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2009 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards

    £12000

    Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône.  Pioneered by John Alban at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

    It is the Syrah releases from Alban which, justifiably, receive the most attention. Reva Syrah is Alban’s much-coveted, hard to come by top release; a 100% single vineyard Syrah which is aged in oak for 42 months before release. Upfront and highly varietal on the nose, this cult wine exudes aromas of cassis, wild herbs, violet, earth and smoke. The palate is incredibly full-bodied and decadent with immense depth and wonderful freshness. Flavours of dark fruit, coffee, toasty oak and perfumed spice build on an intense mid-palate before continuing on a long, momentous finish. We believe that this is California’s greatest example of this grape variety and will age gracefully over the next 20 years and beyond.

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  • 2002 Shiraz, Standish Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2002 Shiraz, Standish

    £12000

    The 2002 Shiraz from Standish Vineyard is a remarkable wine with a rich history and a complex profile. The grapes were sourced from 89-year-old vines, which is quite significant as older vines tend to produce fruit with more concentrated flavours. This Shiraz spent 30 months aging in French barriques (barrels), specifically ones that were 3-5 years old. This aging process contributes to the complexity and depth of the wine’s flavour. It has a very deep garnet colour, indicating its maturity and concentration. The wine offers intense aromas of dried plum and warm blackberries, layered with notes of dusty earth, menthol, coffee, tree bark, black truffle, tobacco, and liquorice. This combination of aromas suggests a rich and savoury character with a balance of fruit and earthy elements. The 2002 Standish Shiraz is highly regarded and reflects the quality of the Barossa Valley region in South Australia, known for producing some of the world’s finest Shiraz wines.

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  • 2016 Mount Edelstone Shiraz, Henschke Wine Republic Heros Red Wine

    2016 Mount Edelstone Shiraz, Henschke

    £13950

    The Mount Edelstone vineyard, situated in the Eden Valley, was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas, who founded South Australia. Unusual for its time, it was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500-million-year-old soils on the vineyard are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from the nearly 100-year-old dry-grown ungrafted Centenarian vines. First bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 1952, it became recognised as one of Australia’s greatest Shiraz wines.

    2016 is the 64th release of Mount Edelstone.  In the glass, it is deep crimson in colour with violet hues. Fragrant, spicy aromas of black pepper, sage, bay leaf and star anise are interwoven with vibrant plum, blackberry and blueberry, and gentle notes of tarragon and cedar. The palate is complex and textured with rich and concentrated flavours of mulberry, blackberry and plum, layered with sage, black pepper and star anise. The finish is beautifully balanced, with long, velvety tannins and excellent depth.

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