THE VINTAGE JOURNAL | AUGUST 2026

99

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Laird 2021

Deep crimson. Complex black cherry, roasted chestnut, cedar aromas with praline. Beautifully balanced and richly flavoured wine with black cherry, roasted chestnut, smoky oak notes, supple chocolaty/touch graphite/muscular tannins and superb marzipan, vanilla complexity. Liquorice notes at the finish with lovely roasted chestnut, grilled almond notes. First growth elevage. 1958 shiraz plantings. Now–2045

96

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Forebear 2021

Deep crimson. Beautifully concentrated blackberry, panforte, espresso aromas with graphite, hint tobacco, smoky bacon notes. Dense chocolaty blackberry, stewed plum, panforte, roasted coffee, flavours, plentiful gravelly, chewy tannins, underlying roasted chestnut, marzipan notes and balanced fresh acidity. A tawny/tobacco complexity at the finish with fresh long acidity. Very complex and individual. Historic vineyard. 1850 Shiraz plantings. Now–2045

98

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

RunRig 2023

Deep crimson. Classical black cherry, meaty, praline, vanilla marzipan aromas with panforte, herb notes. Concentrated and supple with black cherry pastille, panforte, apricot flavours, chocolaty textures and balanced vanilla, mocha notes. Chocolaty firm with apricotty, stone fruit notes at the finish. Lovely pure acid line and aniseed notes give freshness, and lengthens the palate. Western side of Barossa – superb old vine material. Average age 120 years old. 2028–2045

96

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Les Amis 2023

Medium crimson. Strawberry, hint apricot, stone fruit, with hints of tobacco leaf. Concentrated strawberry, redcurrant, stone fruit, aniseed flavours, some graphite/chalky, ferruginous textures, a hint of vanilla, roasted almond, and underlying crisp acidity. Lovely complexity,
vinosity and flow. Now–2040

98

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Factor 2023

Deep crimson. Fresh blackberry, ironstone, graphite, marzipan aromas with liquorice/aniseed notes. Massively concentrated with saturated black cherry. Blackberry pastille fruits, dense chocolaty firm tannins, superb mid-palate richness/sucrosity and integrated roasted chestnut notes. Finishes chocolaty, a touch juicy with a loose-knit graphite plume. Very impressive ultra-fine Barossa shiraz. Now–2040

97

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Descendant 2023

Deep crimson. Intense black and red cherry, stone fruit aromas with praline notes. Richly concentrated, smooth and velvety with lovely pure black cherry, apricot flavours, chocolaty tannins and underlying marzipan, vanilla notes. Finishes gravelly with apricotty strawberry star anise notes. A very well-balanced signature style. Around 98% shiraz, 2% viognier. Now–2040

94

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Gask 2024

Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, black olive, liquorice aromas. Very deep black cherry, black olive, cedary flavours, attractive mid-palate concentration and chocolaty/muscular tannins. Finishes flinty/graphite firm and tight. Now–2035

95

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Struie 2024

Deep crimson. Lovely pure blackberry pastille, dark chocolate, with musky, cinnamon notes. Densely concentrated blackberry pastille, praline, espresso flavours, fresh bittersweet/graphite tannins, brilliant viscosity and well-balanced toasty/roasted hazelnut notes. Some liquorice notes at the finish with quartz/touch sherbet acidity. Very appealing Barossa shiraz showing lovely density and flow. 70% Barossa Valley, 30% Eden Valley. Now–2034

93

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Pict 2023

Medium-deep crimson. Blood and bone/ferruginous blackberry, meaty aromas with minty notes. Supple sweet-fruited with ample blackberry, blueberry fruits, chalk/gritty textures, very good mid-palate viscosity and crispy tannins. Minty/bush garrigue notes at the vintage. Really interesting wine. 1901-planted bush vines.

94

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne 2024

Deep crimson. Fresh black cherry, graphite, ferric aromas with bitter dark chocolate notes. Inky-deep black cherry, dark chocolate, attractive mid-palate buoyancy and underpinning ferruginous/graphite tannins. Finishes claret firm with liquorice notes. Very good volume and flow. Around 98% shiraz, 2% roussanne (2022 shiraz on 1988 plantings) Now– 2036

94

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Woodcutter's Shiraz 2024

Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, dark plum aromas with dark chocolate liquorice notes. Beautifully concentrated black cherry, dark plum, touch marzipan flavours, chocolaty firm tannins and integrated roasted walnut notes. Finishes firm and juicy fruited with liquorice notes. All points of the compass Barossa Valley wine – north, west, south, east. Now–2034

93

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Hillside Vineyard Grenache 2024

Medium crimson. Intense red cherry, strawberry, rose garden. Sweet, almost luscious buoyancy with strawberry, ginger, aniseed flavours, lovely creamy complexity, lacy/chalky tannins and fresh mineral acidity. Juicy minerally finish. 1949-planted vines. 1850-established estate. Now–202

95

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Steading 2024

Medium-deep crimson. Musky plum, red cherry, apricot aromas with praline, hint bush garrigue notes. Beautifully concentrated and fleshy with lovely plummy, strawberry, red cherry fruits, lovely mid-palate richness, and persistent and brisk chalky tannins. Underlying acidity gives crispness and line. 50% grenache, 30% shiraz, 20% mataro. Includes circa late-1840s (mataro) and 1893 (shiraz) plantings. Now–2030

93

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

The Steading Blanc 2025

Pale colour. Intense lemon curd, flinty, tonic water aromas with herb notes. Supple and generously concentrated lemon curd, verbena flavours and slinky/chalky textures. Some al dente notes. Ready to drink, possessing definition with energy and flow. 60% roussanne, 37% marsanne, 3% viognier. Now–2030

95

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Cuvée Juveniles 2024

Medium crimson. Pretty strawberry pastille, red cherry, talc/marzipan aromas with hints of violet. Supple and lacy textured with lovely creamy red fruits and underlying persistent chalky tannins. The acidity and aniseed line keep it fresh and animated. Pretty exceptional for its price, RRP $30. 48% grenache, 31% mataro, 10% carignan, 6% counoise, 5% shiraz. Now–2030

94

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Woodcutter's Semillon 2026

Pale colour. Intense pure lemon glacé, grapefruit aromas. Sweet pure grapefruit, lemon curd, tonic water flavours, fine chalky textures and crisp minerally acidity. Lovely density and flow. 100-plus-year-old vineyards. Now–2030

95

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Cuvée Juveniles Blanc 2026

Pale colour. Fresh lime, white peach tonic water aromas with herb notes. Generously concentrated white peach, apricot, lime pastille fruits, some tonic water notes, lovely mid-palate richness and fresh indelible acidity. Lovely line and length. 26% clairette (grafted on 100-year doradillo!), 25% marsanne, 21% roussanne, 17% viognier, 11% grenache blanc. Now–2030

96

Andrew Caillard & Jenni Port
THE VINTAGE JOURNAL

Viognier 2025

Pale colour. Fresh apricot, tonic water aromas with herb garden notes. Generously concentrated and sweet-fruited with ample apricot, grapefruit glacé, verbena, grilled nut vanilla flavours, fine chalky textures, lovely mid-palate viscosity/creaminess and superb acid cut. Ginger notes at the finish. Voluminous and crunchy. Now–2030