"The sheer vibrancy and purity of fruit is nothing short of a marvel from these grand, dry grown 1867 vines planted by Henry Best himself. The 2012 is just the 13th release, precociously backward on release, promising a monumental future, yet so irresistible now that it will take superhuman restraint to let it get there. Even in my strictly disciplined tasting routine I couldn’t spit it. Such is its vibrancy of purple hue it’s almost luminescent, radiating brilliant shafts of violets, black plums, black cherries and raspberries in all directions. Wrapped into its folds, layers of star anise, liquorice and high cocoa dark chocolate, lingering relentlessly amidst superfine tannins of pristine grace yet confident structure. One of the top half dozen Australian wines of the past year. 2800 bottles. Make sure you get one of them. 98 Points/Drink 2022-2032" - Tyson Stelzer
"It’s bigger and more powerful than the Bin 0 with the fruit spectrum concentrating on plums and blackberries. Cocoa, extremely complex spice and more than enough intensity to match what is obviously high-grade oak tastefully applied. Power, tannic impact and length to burn along with a certain earthiness that imparts further gravitas. The quality of the grapes is obviously outstanding. All class. Will make glorious old bones. 96 Points" - Jeremy Pringle, Wine Will Eat Itself
"From vines planted, remarkably, in 1867. Basket pressed, open fermented, French-oaked, matured in the estate’s underground cellars. Living history.
The fruit flavours here are strong and dark, more so than you would normally expect of a Great Western shiraz. It gives the wine a sense of gravity and command. Blackberry, plum, olive and plum, with spicy/toasty oak nestled into the fray like a cat into a blanket. Tannin, earthen and spicy, is both similarly bold and well integrated. Nothing about this wine suggests anything other than that it will be exceptionably long-lived. 96 Points/Drink 2022-2040" - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front