John Duval Entity Shiraz 2018 | 97pt Dark & Profound from the Barossa Valley Master
John Duval Entity Shiraz 2018 presents solid black and viscous. Classically jammy on the nose, with ripe blackberry, wild plum, and boysenberry fruit softened by touches of vanilla, toast, and cocoa. Big, powerful, and muscular, the richness of the ripe black fruit contrasts nicely with the velour-textured tannins. Full-bodied but balanced, with notes of mocha and five spice on the long finish. Drink now – 2032.
G’day Mate – try some more Red Wine Gems under $35
One. Single. Bottle. That’s what Aussie red wine lovers are limited to when they buy John Duval’s 2018 Entity Shiraz from the winery website. The restriction seems over the top—until you realize it’s completely necessary to keep the hoarders at bay.
Little “Grange” | The Last 5 vintages sold out bloody fast…
That’s because the past five vintages of Entity have earned 95, 96, 96, 97, and 99 points from Australian critic James Halliday, and last year even took down Henschke’s Hill of Grace to claim the title of Australia’s Shiraz of the Year. With a track record like that—and a price that sits about 95% lower than that of the $600+ Henschke—a free-for-all would have predictable results: The wine would disappear in an instant, much of it then reappearing on the grey market for many times the price.
More Sensational Cellar Selections
Sourced equally from Australia’s warm Barossa Valley and the cooler Eden Valley, the 2018 Entity boasts serious power and beautiful balance. After 15 months in 300L French oak hogshead barrels (31% of which were new) it’s got jammy black fruits on the nose, softened by touches of vanilla, toast, and cocoa. Big, powerful, and muscular, the richness of the ripe black fruit contrasts nicely with the velour-textured tannins that make it such a delight to drink right now.
Winemaker John Duval | Stratospheric quality and concentration
So, Winemaker John Duval spent 29 years at Penfolds, one of Australia’s most legendary wineries. While crafting each extraordinary vintage of Grange for seventeen years as head winemaker. Furthermore, a Shiraz bottling equaled only by the likes of Guigal’s Côte-Rôties and Michel Chapoutier’s Hermitage. In 2002, Duval left Penfolds to focus on his own small-production Shiraz — the most extraordinary of which is called “Entity.
