John Duval Entity Shiraz Barossa Valley 2015 | 96 Points JH | “Superbly Pleasurable”

96JH | John Duval Entity Shiraz Barossa Valley 2015 reflects — in the best sense — John Duval’s long career as the chief architect of Grange. This brings together depth, texture, and complexity to a palette (sic) of black fruits, ripe tannins, and oak. It cries out for patience (as does Grange), and the greater your patience, the greater the reward.

Red Wine Gems under $35

95WA | John Duval Entity Shiraz Barossa Valley 2015 presents alluringly purple in color.  While a wildly complex nose revealing black fruits and forest floor earthiness. Juicy and plump on entry, redolent of blackberries, and black plums tinged with anise, violets, and cocoa powder. Excellent tannin structure glides to a lengthy finish that reveals a lingering cherry note.  The refreshing acidity balances out the entire experience.  Hence, making for a superbly pleasurable wine to drink now and for the next 5-7 years.

Duval’s Shiraz Entity | “Little Grange”

From the start, Duval’s Shiraz “Entity” stunned Halliday, Parker, Vinous, and Wine Spectator. Parker and Vinous would go on to unleash a barrage of 93- to 95-point scores, far and away the highest marks for any Shiraz in the $40 price range.  Duval focuses on fruit that comes from older vines in Barossa while including Rhone varietals, leading to one of his stellar ones, “Plexus.”

In the low-yield 2015 growing season, Duval hunted through vineyards 50-100 years old in the Ebenezer, Light Pass, Krondorf, and Eden Valley regions. Of course, snapping up only the best fruit.  While a late burst of heat drove ripening to the hilt.  Thus allowing Duval to blend rippling Barossa power with finesse and an astoundingly age-worthy backbone.

Winemaker John Duval

Duval crafted what the world anointed as Australia’s greatest First Growth Shiraz while at the helm of Penfolds. Going for $400 per bottle, the winery’s signature effort combined sublime black-fruit richness with miraculously age-worthy…

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So, John Duval began his self-titled label in 2003. Duval graduated from Adelaide University in 1973 with a degree in agriculture and winemaking.  He then became a winemaker for Penfolds for the next 29 years. Duval was appointed Chief Winemaker at Penfolds in 1986.  His skills led to one of the most dynamic periods of change in the Australian wine industry. He received Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London in 1989; Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London in 1991 and again in 2000.  John Duval soon saw the 1990 Penfolds Grange named the Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 1995.