Smidge Wines receives 8 gold reviews in James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
- Best of the Best Award for Magic Dirt Greenock and Magic Dirt Menglers Hill
- 11 wines rated 90 plus points
Smidge Wines is honoured to receive a total of 11 reviews with scores over 90 for our wines in the esteemed James Halliday Australian Wine Companion for 2021.
It was one of the best years we’ve had for the revered wine guide with a total of eight gold reviews, one silver and two bronze. The reviews also confirm our status as an acclaimed 5 Red Star Winery for the fifth year in a row.
We were especially over the moon to have two of our top-of-the-range wines - the Magic Dirt Greenock Barossa Valley Shiraz and the Magic Dirt Menglers Hill Eden Valley Shiraz - recognised as The Best of the Best Shiraz for 2021. Both wines were awarded 97 out of 100 points.
Other gold medal wines that received 96 out of 100 included the S Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016, the Magic Dirt Strout Road McLaren Vale Shiraz, the Magic Dirt Willunga McLaren Vale Shiraz.
Our White Label series also performed exceptionally, with Adamo Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017 and The Ging McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016 both receiving 95 points as did the Pedra Branca McLaren Vale Saperavi 2018.
La Grenouille McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 received a Silver with 94 points. The Pedra Branca McLaren Vale Grenache 2018 received bronze with 92 points and the Houdini McLaren Vale Shiraz received 90 points.
Full list of reviews below:
The Golds
Magic Dirt Greenock Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016
From a block of red-brown clay loam with small pieces of ironstone and quartz. It is a wine of extreme length - rich with black and blue fruits - yet it achieves this without any sign of effort. Finesse on a high level. 97/100
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Magic Dirt Menglers Hill Eden Valley Shiraz 2016
The vines are grown by the very highly regarded Peter and Joel Mattschoss on a west-facing vineyard at 480m with shallow red clay/loam full of quartz and ironstone. Very elegant. Red fruits join in the fray along with ultrafine, but important, tannins, providing the length. 97/100.
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S Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016
No fancy winemaking tricks; 16 days on skins, barriques and 2 hogsheads, all 2yo French oak, 24 months in the barrel. Yes, oak plays a role, but it’s the purity and freshness of the wine that makes it special. 96/100
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Magic Dirt Willunga McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016
From Smidge’s estate vineyard, the soil deep red clay/loam with small fragments of quartz and ironstone. Standard vinification. The result, like its McLaren Vale sibling, is a wine that explores every corner of the mouth; ripe, slightly fluffy tannins the standard-bearers. 96/100
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Magic Dirt Strout Road McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016
Deep red clay/loams mottled with small pieces of quartz and ironstone. The wine expands on the back palate and finish with ripe, persistent tannins. The shape of the wine in the mouth is wider than its Barossa siblings, but not as piercing. Dark chocolate makes a mark but not to extremes. 96/100
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Adamo Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017
Grapes come from 91% Barossa Valley, 9% Eden Valley; 16 days on skins, 20 months in used French Barriques and hogsheads. I cannot understand 15.5% alcohol in the context of ‘17 but the spice and texture can’t be denied. 95/100
The Ging McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016
Multiple batches vinified separately, 14 days on skins, 20 months in French barriques and hogsheads (8% new) plus further time in bottle before release. Its unusual cured pipe tobacco bouquet gives way to lush black fruits, licorice and a dab of chocolate on the palate. 95/100
Pedra Branca McLaren Vale Saperavi 2018
Pedra Branca is an experimental range made in limited quantities - here is a hoghead. Saperavi is a Russian variety with a red flesh, its intense colour giving the grape its name. In Russian, saperavi means ‘dyer’. It’s juicy and luscious and gives no sense of elevated alcohol. 95/100
The Silvers
La Grenouille McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
No holds barred in either fruit or tannins, both full force. Its real value will be understood in 10+ years. 94/100
Pedra Branca McLaren Vale Grenache 2018
92/100
Houdini McLaren Vale Shiraz 2018
90/100