2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend, Clare Valley, Australia
95 Points, Royal Melbourne Wine Awards 95 Points, Sydney Royal Wine Show 91 Points, New World Wine Awards
Tasting Notes
The 2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend decorates the glass with a bright magenta color. Juicy and vibrant on the nose, this wine displays red and dark fruit flavors – raspberry, blackberry, and cherry, with lifts of violet florals and sweet spice.
The palate is lively and bright with a burst of red fruits. A medium-bodied composition with soft, fine-grained tannins give length and depth, finishing with a touch of spice and savory oak. Very easy drinking.
About the Wine
“Just as the two previous generations brought new and innovative viticultural and winemaking ideas to Jim Barry Wines, we are determined to forge our individual mark. We have taken inspiration from our family’s history to create this wine. Our two favourite varieties, Shiraz and Cabernet, were blended to deliver a contemporary expression of this traditional Australian style.” - Tom & Sam Barry
Wine has been flowing in the Clare Valley since 1851 and is an integral part of the culture. It is one of Australia’s most prestigious premium wine regions, most famous for its Riesling and Shiraz. A small area, accounting for less than 1.5% of Australia’s total wine production. With its beautiful, rolling hills, ideal winter rainfall, and Mediteranean climate, the Clare Valley carries a unique history and winemaking heritage.
Specs
Varietals: 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Clare Valley, South Australia
Soil Profile: Loam and limestone
Estate Grown: 100%
Alcohol: 13.9%
Total Acid: 6.2g/L
pH: 3.5
Oak: French
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x 2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend, Clare Valley, Australia
Case:
12x 2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend, Clare Valley, Australia
Certain names resonate strongly within the halls of Australian wine history. Jim Barry is one such name.
Jim Barry Wines is a multi-generational, family-owned winery in the Clare Valley of South Australia. The winery was founded in 1959 by the late Jim Barry and his wife Nancy. Jim Barry was a pioneer of the Australian wine industry. Graduating from Roseworthy College with the 17th diploma in Oenology, he became the first qualified winemaker in Clare. Today the company is owned and managed by Jim’s son Peter and grandsons, Tom and Sam.
The Clare Valley Region
South Australia’s Clare Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine-producing areas, with a winemaking history dating back to settlement in 1849. The unique combination of geography, geology, and climate, result in terroir that is perfect for producing world-class wine. Warm days, coupled with cool nights during the growing season provide favorable conditions for the varieties grown in the area.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, ID, IA, LA, ME, MA, MN, MO, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WY
I got a surprise email (on Monday) informing me that I was being once again inducted into involuntary Lab Rat duty. I received a shipping notice on Wednesay (with a referenced number of JIMBARRYRED from which I correctly deduced that it would be this red blend). When the UPS delivery finally arrived at 7:20pm on Thursday (after a warmer day, but the bottle did not seem to be unusually warmed) I was somewhat pleased to see that this was the 2016, as some later dates had less than favorable ratings. I left the bottle to rest for about 24 hours on the counter, then cooled it down to my preferred opening temperature of around 60 for reds. I often find Australian reds to be somewhat overpowering, so I was wondering what this one would be like.
Since the front of the bottle is already pictured (except that mine had the coveted Casemates sticker), I’ll just post the back label (note it has the ABV at 14.2%, in contrast to the 13.9% mentioned elsewhere):
Realizing that this was a Cab/Shiraz (or should I say, Shirazzz) blend, I hoped to pair it with some red meat. However, the steak option was lacking in my available provisions so I opted for some (from the freezer, previously) smoked ribs. I unscrewed the cap at mealtime and poured off half of the bottle into a 375ml and stored it in the fridge for tomorrow (we have some guest arriving and I hope to get their opinions). In the glass, the wine was a deep almost opaque magenta (sorry, I didn’t get a picture), with some dark fruit on the nose. The taste was somewhat as expected, with dark fruit and a bit of spice from the shiraz. It seemed fairly well balanced, not as “in your face” as many of the Australian reds I have had. The food pairing seemed somewhat overpowering for the wine, as its flavors were subdued after a bite of the ribs. As I took a sip over time it seemed to get a bit smoother.
At the case price, it’s a pretty good buy. I’ll post an update later today, and watch for any questions. Thanks again to Casemates for the opportunity!
@Mark_L Just to add some second day thoughts. Our friends tried the wine and thought it was pretty good (but she thought it might have a bit of bitterness, which I also could detect – a bit of what I often associate with many Australian wines). Taste was consistent with the first day.
Mark_L already posted an image of the back label in his review so I won’t repeat, but here are a few images of the wine in the glass.
The 2016 The Barry Brothers Red blend from Jim Barry Wines is, as the description tells us, a Shiraz and Cab blend from Australia. After a pop and pour, I would say it’s slightly Shiraz forward, with the fruity flavor profile we expect from that varietal but not overwhelmingly so, nicely blended with the Cab very evident, particularly in the finish. The nose and middle are primarily dark fruits, with cherry, plum and blackberry in evidence and then towards the finish the more savory Cab takes over with oak and spice. The description calls the tannins soft, but in my opinion they’re not actually particularly soft yet; they’re still relatively firm and well-structured which leads me to believe that this is a wine you’ll be able to age for a bit longer if you desire. That said, it’s definitely ready to drink now.
I didn’t have a chance to let it get some air, so I may test that and update the review later today if I have more thoughts.
As for QPR, I certainly think this is a good deal at this price.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Australian Red Blend - $30 = 21.43%
2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend, Clare Valley, Australia
95 Points, Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
95 Points, Sydney Royal Wine Show
91 Points, New World Wine Awards
Tasting Notes
About the Wine
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $216/case MSRP
About The Winery
The Clare Valley Region
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, ID, IA, LA, ME, MA, MN, MO, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Oct 31 - Wednesday, Nov 2
2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Red Blend
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.67/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
I got a surprise email (on Monday) informing me that I was being once again inducted into involuntary Lab Rat duty. I received a shipping notice on Wednesay (with a referenced number of JIMBARRYRED from which I correctly deduced that it would be this red blend). When the UPS delivery finally arrived at 7:20pm on Thursday (after a warmer day, but the bottle did not seem to be unusually warmed) I was somewhat pleased to see that this was the 2016, as some later dates had less than favorable ratings. I left the bottle to rest for about 24 hours on the counter, then cooled it down to my preferred opening temperature of around 60 for reds. I often find Australian reds to be somewhat overpowering, so I was wondering what this one would be like.
Since the front of the bottle is already pictured (except that mine had the coveted Casemates sticker), I’ll just post the back label (note it has the ABV at 14.2%, in contrast to the 13.9% mentioned elsewhere):
Realizing that this was a Cab/Shiraz (or should I say, Shirazzz) blend, I hoped to pair it with some red meat. However, the steak option was lacking in my available provisions so I opted for some (from the freezer, previously) smoked ribs. I unscrewed the cap at mealtime and poured off half of the bottle into a 375ml and stored it in the fridge for tomorrow (we have some guest arriving and I hope to get their opinions). In the glass, the wine was a deep almost opaque magenta (sorry, I didn’t get a picture), with some dark fruit on the nose. The taste was somewhat as expected, with dark fruit and a bit of spice from the shiraz. It seemed fairly well balanced, not as “in your face” as many of the Australian reds I have had. The food pairing seemed somewhat overpowering for the wine, as its flavors were subdued after a bite of the ribs. As I took a sip over time it seemed to get a bit smoother.
At the case price, it’s a pretty good buy. I’ll post an update later today, and watch for any questions. Thanks again to Casemates for the opportunity!
@Mark_L Just to add some second day thoughts. Our friends tried the wine and thought it was pretty good (but she thought it might have a bit of bitterness, which I also could detect – a bit of what I often associate with many Australian wines). Taste was consistent with the first day.
Mark_L already posted an image of the back label in his review so I won’t repeat, but here are a few images of the wine in the glass.
The 2016 The Barry Brothers Red blend from Jim Barry Wines is, as the description tells us, a Shiraz and Cab blend from Australia. After a pop and pour, I would say it’s slightly Shiraz forward, with the fruity flavor profile we expect from that varietal but not overwhelmingly so, nicely blended with the Cab very evident, particularly in the finish. The nose and middle are primarily dark fruits, with cherry, plum and blackberry in evidence and then towards the finish the more savory Cab takes over with oak and spice. The description calls the tannins soft, but in my opinion they’re not actually particularly soft yet; they’re still relatively firm and well-structured which leads me to believe that this is a wine you’ll be able to age for a bit longer if you desire. That said, it’s definitely ready to drink now.
I didn’t have a chance to let it get some air, so I may test that and update the review later today if I have more thoughts.
As for QPR, I certainly think this is a good deal at this price.
No MD?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2016 Jim Barry Wines The Barry Bros Australian Red Blend - $30 = 21.43%
This reminds me a lot of the wonderful, affordable offer back on wine woot years ago, TLC. I’m in for 6.
Sounded good, but no Illinois.
Alabama? I guess it’ll never happen…
Sounds good, especially for the price. Thanks, Rats!
/giphy otherworldly-cursed-werewolf
