2022 John Duval Entity Shiraz

96 POINTS

David Sly - Decanter

Velvety opulence speaks from the moment this hits your tongue until the last drop disappears. It’s a luxurious take on the grandeur of fit, medium-bodied Shiraz, putting plush red berry characteristics on a pedestal, encasing them gently in oak and fine-gain tannin, then allowing them to saunter gracefully down the long catwalk before sashaying out the exit curtain. Bravo! Further ageing will only enhance its beauty.

95 POINTS

Dave Brookes - Halliday's Wine Companion

Shiraz sourced from vineyards in Krondorf, Tanunda, Marananga, Moppa and Eden Valley (BV 85%, EV 15%), matured in French oak, 28% new, for 15 months. A vibrantly coloured multi-subregional blend that shows plum, black cherry and blackberry fruits cut with hints of baking spice, cedar, vanillin, mace, licorice and earth. A thickly shouldered wine, plush with ripe fruit and creamy oaken nuance finishing long and elemental with fine, chalky tannins and a sense of mineral definition.

94 POINTS

James Suckling

Ripe but very attractive black and blue fruit with cooking spices, sandalwood and hints of tar. Focused and vivid on the palate with medium to full body and fine, well-integrated tannins. It is juicy and agile with some dusty mineral nuances and hints of white pepper at the end. Long finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

94 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

Textbook Barossa Shiraz. It’s spicy, blue and black fruit, cherry, aniseed, a little tar and mint. Medium to full-bodied, acidity is crisp and lively, baked raspberry with some chocolate cake, a fine sooty grip to tannin, a little dried herb and reduction to close on a finish of good length. Yes yes. Nice nice. Expressive and bright Barossa Shiraz.

94 POINTS

Erin Larkin - Wine Advocate

The 2022 Entity Shiraz is 85% Barossa Valley and 15% Eden Valley. The palate is, as this producer is so consistently capable of, supple and polished, with brilliant fruit clarity and poise. The framing of the 2022 vintage works in the favor of this wine; it is more bulbous and rounded than the 2021 tasted beside it, but I like it; it balances the heady fruit and brings pleasure and chew and bounce to the wine. Excellent. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

94 POINTS

Christina Pickard - Wine Enthusiast

Bone broth, bay leaf and dark chocolate mingle with ripe dark berry and plum fruit. This is a rich, densely packed bottling with muscular tannins, but it never feels heavy or cloying, thanks to well-balanced acidity and a through line of plump fruit. Still a baby, it should age well for decades.

94 POINTS

Angus Hughson - Vinous

The stylish 2022 Shiraz Entity offers fine and detailed aromas of dried meats and dark cherry with a strong seam of crushed cloves. It is dry, mid-weight and quite Rhône with meat and spice flavors, with a fresh line of acidity leading to a very long and refined finish. The 2022 is charming and should age well.