Situated in the cool uplands of the North Mount Lofty ranges about 50 km north of Adelaide, the vineyards of Jim Barry were established in Clare in 1959. This is a family run winery committed to producing quality wines through an innovative approach to viticulture and winemaking technology.
The late Jim Barry planted the eight-acre Armagh vineyard between 1964 and 1968 and hand watered the vines through the drought of 1968-69 off the back of an old ute. It sits in the fork of Benbournie and McRae Wood Roads and takes its name from The Armagh Creek that runs through the center of the vineyard. Shiraz occupies the eastern flank of the site, which was the last section to be planted, while the western section is planted to cabernet sauvignon and malbec.
94 Points James Halliday
Full red-purple; lovely dark cherry and blackberry fruit dominates a complex bouquet, with only subtle oak in evidence. A big, succulently dense black cherry and chocolate-flavoured palate follows, finishing with soft tannins. Notwithstanding all that flavour, not over-extracted.