2022 Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz
2022 Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz

2022 Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz

96 pts
Head Wines |Barossa Valley |Shiraz
A powerful, old-vine Barossa Shiraz from one of the region’s most intuitive winemakers - built to cellar, but full of detail and class right now.
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
1 Review
Price:
$64.00
Stock:
Sold out
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Description

This is Barossa Shiraz, but not as you know it. ‘The Brunette’ comes off an old vineyard in Flaxman Valley -planted in the mid-'60s, sitting at 480 metres on lean, rocky soils. It’s a cool, east-facing slope with just enough morning sun and afternoon shade to coax out depth and structure without sacrificing freshness. This is where Alex Head goes when he wants to bottle power.

Alex has made a name for himself by doing things his own way. No formal training, just a sharp palate, a good gut instinct, and deep respect for site. Over the years, he’s carved out one of the most compelling ranges of Shiraz and Grenache in the Barossa, always pushing for definition over density, balance over brawn.

That said, ‘The Brunette’ is his more brooding expression - dark fruit, ironstone, black tea and graphite. It’s muscular, sure, but there’s tension here too. Fine, gritty tannins give it shape. Time on lees brings polish. The oak is subtle. Nothing’s overplayed. It’s a wine that means business now, but will really reward patience.

96 points
"Such a beautiful-smelling wine. Pure and lifted plum and blue fruits with tones of citrus and clover blossom, fine spices, sage, ironstone, jasmine and earth. Powdered granitic tannins seem to flocculate through the wine; the fruit, pure and endearing, shows grace and presence, minerally cadence providing the perfect amount of thrust, finishing long and purely dark-fruited. A great release for Alex."
- Dave Brooks (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 Points - "Shiraz from a single site; a 1965-planted block in Flaxman Valley, 10% whole bunch, matured on fine lees for 18 months in 20% new 500L French oak. Super deep magenta-flashed crimson. Such a beautiful-smelling wine. Pure and lifted plum and blue fruits with tones of citrus and clover blossom, fine spices, sage, ironstone, jasmine and earth. Powdered granitic tannins seem to flocculate through the wine; the fruit, pure and endearing, shows grace and presence, minerally cadence providing the perfect amount of thrust, finishing long and purely dark-fruited. A great release for Alex." - Dave Brooks (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Deep red with a good tint of purple and a floral/herbal/peppery almost bunchy kind of bouquet, traces of cloves and humus. The tannins are quite emphatic and coat the mouth, while the length is impressive and concludes with some alcohol warmth to match its decadent richness. Impressive shiraz." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

Customer Reviews

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 1 review
Total 5 star reviews: 1 Total 4 star reviews: 0 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
1 review
  • A
    Abdulla
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    4 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2021 Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Loved it

    An excellent choice that you won't regret. Will definitely be ordering this again.

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Head Wines now works with a diverse range of up to 20 different shiraz vineyards in the Barossa and Eden Valleys. To be considered part of ‘The Brunette’ a vineyard must perform amongst the few top vineyards each year and represent the ‘dark-side’ of Shiraz in the Barossa. In the vineyard, we give every opportunity for the fruit to provide us with the tannins and concentration to make a structured and long-lived traditional Barossa Shiraz. In the 2022 vintage, the base shiraz comes from a vineyard planted circa 1965, in the Flaxman Valley at 480m altitude. The vineyard has a perfect easterly aspect and gradient to catch the morning sun and is shaded from the late heat of the day. The soils are lean, with clays, mixed ironstone and some scattered quartz, producing optimum conditions for dark, savoury fruits and fine, structured tannins.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Shiraz
Country Australia
Region Barossa Valley
Australian State SA
Reviewed By The Real Review
Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 96
94
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2022
Closure Screw Cap

Head Wines

Alex Head has had what you might call a meteoric rise through the Australian wine industry. In his short career as a producer he has been heralded as one of the best Young Gun Winemakers, not only in the Barossa but the whole country.

With no formal training as a winemaker, the purity and balance inherent in the wines are amazing.

Alex has a passion for the old vineyards that populate the Barossa. With a keen eye for a good site, Alex has put together a formidable portfolio of vineyards which produce simply outstanding renditions of Shiraz and Grenache year-in, year-out. These are some of the most exciting wines in the Barossa.

Alex in the vines Barossa Valley, SA Head Wines

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