The Château 'Bethanian' Shiraz 2020
Tasting Notes

From our estate vineyard on the sandy loam soils on Bethany creek. Settled by German immigrants in the 1840s, Bethany, or ‘Bethanian’ as the locals called it is the oldest settlement in the Barossa.

Lifted aromas of blackberry, blueberry and black pepper supported by spicy, dark berry fruits on the palate. The extensive finish is framed by elegant, fine-grained tannins from maturation in a combination of new and seasoned American and French oak.

Winemaking

The grapes are carefully destemmed and spend seven days on their skins prior to fermentation in open fermenters to gently extract colour, flavours and tannins. 

One single pressing of the grapes in a basket press and maturation in a combination of French and American oak barrels results in a sumptuous wine of dark fruits of the forest supported by a hint of spice and fine grained tannins on the long lasting finish.

The grapes for the Bethanian Shiraz are grown on the sandy loam soils of the Bethany sub-region of the Barossa Valley.

Reviews
GOLD MEDAL
Review by: Berlin Wine Trophy 2022
91 Points
Review by: Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Delicious. The 2020 The Chateau Single Vineyard Bethanian Shiraz is concentrated and spicy, but it's powerful and fresh too, with a skein of salted red fruits, toasty oak and exotic spice through the finish. Nicely handled. At the end of the day, we want wine that tastes like the place that it hails from, and this captures all of the open sky, red dirt and ferrous tannins that the Barossa does so well.
94 Points
Review by: Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
I'll confess, I'd never heard the word ‘Bethanian’ previously but apparently, some Barossa locals use the term for the venerable old settlement of Bethany (settled back in the 1840s). Whatever the thinking behind this, Bethany (or Bethanian) is also a well-known and highly regarded sub-region of the Barossa. After destemming, the grapes spent a week on skins in small open top fermenters, before fermentation was allowed to begin. This wine then saw a single pressing of the Shiraz grapes, which are from a single vineyard, in a basket press, before 18 months maturation in a mix of French and American oak barrels, both new and seasoned. Needless to say, the wine offers everything you’d expect. Dark maroon in colour, this is rich, with dry herbs, earthy notes (imagine a handful of freshly dug Barossa dirt trickling through your fingers) and full of chocolate and black fruits. Vinous mud cake, anyone? Classic Barossa. There is oak evident but it is well integrated, although a touch toasty still, which suits the wine perfectly. Good concentration here, with a seductive texture, through to silky tannins. Black olive notes on the finish, a very long finish. A wine which will drink superbly for at least a decade. 
94 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
Gracefully rich and perfumed, the bouquet shows dark berry, vanilla, cake spice and cedary oak characters. The palate is equally satisfying with excellent weight and fleshy texture, wonderfully enhanced by velvety flow and a persistent supple finish. Gorgeously layered with delicious flavours and textures. At its best: now to 2040.
90 Points
Review by: Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Shiraz sourced from a single vineyard in Bethany. Vibrant ruby in the glass with aromas of red and dark plums, blueberry and boysenberry. There are hints of deli meats, fine spice, earth and licorice with light wafts of cedar and stone. The tannins are compact and fine, the acidity bright and the finish medium length, with plentiful spicy blue and black fruits.

 

Tasting Notes

From our estate vineyard on the sandy loam soils on Bethany creek. Settled by German immigrants in the 1840s, Bethany, or ‘Bethanian’ as the locals called it is the oldest settlement in the Barossa.

Lifted aromas of blackberry, blueberry and black pepper supported by spicy, dark berry fruits on the palate. The extensive finish is framed by elegant, fine-grained tannins from maturation in a combination of new and seasoned American and French oak.

Winemaking

The grapes are carefully destemmed and spend seven days on their skins prior to fermentation in open fermenters to gently extract colour, flavours and tannins. 

One single pressing of the grapes in a basket press and maturation in a combination of French and American oak barrels results in a sumptuous wine of dark fruits of the forest supported by a hint of spice and fine grained tannins on the long lasting finish.

The grapes for the Bethanian Shiraz are grown on the sandy loam soils of the Bethany sub-region of the Barossa Valley.

Reviews
GOLD MEDAL

Score: GOLD MEDAL
Review by: Berlin Wine Trophy 2022

91 Points

Score: 91 Points
Review by: Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Delicious. The 2020 The Chateau Single Vineyard Bethanian Shiraz is concentrated and spicy, but it's powerful and fresh too, with a skein of salted red fruits, toasty oak and exotic spice through the finish. Nicely handled. At the end of the day, we want wine that tastes like the place that it hails from, and this captures all of the open sky, red dirt and ferrous tannins that the Barossa does so well.

94 Points

Score: 94 Points
Review by: Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
I'll confess, I'd never heard the word ‘Bethanian’ previously but apparently, some Barossa locals use the term for the venerable old settlement of Bethany (settled back in the 1840s). Whatever the thinking behind this, Bethany (or Bethanian) is also a well-known and highly regarded sub-region of the Barossa. After destemming, the grapes spent a week on skins in small open top fermenters, before fermentation was allowed to begin. This wine then saw a single pressing of the Shiraz grapes, which are from a single vineyard, in a basket press, before 18 months maturation in a mix of French and American oak barrels, both new and seasoned. Needless to say, the wine offers everything you’d expect. Dark maroon in colour, this is rich, with dry herbs, earthy notes (imagine a handful of freshly dug Barossa dirt trickling through your fingers) and full of chocolate and black fruits. Vinous mud cake, anyone? Classic Barossa. There is oak evident but it is well integrated, although a touch toasty still, which suits the wine perfectly. Good concentration here, with a seductive texture, through to silky tannins. Black olive notes on the finish, a very long finish. A wine which will drink superbly for at least a decade. 

94 Points

Score: 94 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
Gracefully rich and perfumed, the bouquet shows dark berry, vanilla, cake spice and cedary oak characters. The palate is equally satisfying with excellent weight and fleshy texture, wonderfully enhanced by velvety flow and a persistent supple finish. Gorgeously layered with delicious flavours and textures. At its best: now to 2040.

90 Points

Score: 90 Points
Review by: Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Shiraz sourced from a single vineyard in Bethany. Vibrant ruby in the glass with aromas of red and dark plums, blueberry and boysenberry. There are hints of deli meats, fine spice, earth and licorice with light wafts of cedar and stone. The tannins are compact and fine, the acidity bright and the finish medium length, with plentiful spicy blue and black fruits.

 

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