2022 John Duval Annexus Shiraz

95 POINTS

Dave Brookes - Halliday Wine Companion

In the 2022 vintage, the northern subregion of Moppa proved to be the source for John Duval's Annexus Shiraz. It reflects those northern roots with clarity and detail, with super-ripe satsuma plum and boysenberry fruits with shades of baking spice, ironstone, roasting meats, panforte, violets, dark chocolate and Moppa earth. Tannins like powdered sand lend a base and structure; there is a nice, slightly saline edge to the acid profile and an overall sense of balance and harmony as the wine slowly retreats. Super stuff.

94 POINTS

David Sly - Decanter

This single-vineyard expression pulls a tight rein on feisty black-fruit Shiraz. The taut blackberry is like a big game fish that strikes hard and runs deep, driving through an extended mid-palate cloaked in dark tones. Hang on for the long ride – and then the black tannins take a bite and it all fades to black. This will look more impressive after a few calming years in the cellar.

93 POINTS

James Suckling

Notes of spiced plums, cherry chocolate, ground cloves, licorice and hints of sandalwood. Full and broad on the palate but round-textured and not heavy with some freshness and mineral notes. Hints of iron and oyster shell in the finish.

93 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

I’m tasting this from a Penfolds branded glass, which I inherited from my partner. Ho ho ho. It feels apposite, anyway. This comes from an old vine vineyard in Moppa, just over the fence from Kalimna™. 20% new oak. 250 cases produced. Very purple tasting wine here; dark cherry, boysenberry, dark chocolate and biscuit spices, sage and new leather. It’s full-bodied, but finds balance in a rich and salty dark fruited way, acidity is quite bright, tannin is silty and grainy, and while there’s a little warmth on the finish, it still pulls pretty long and offers some orange peel tang to close. Good wine. No shortage of flavour and impact.