2023 Mystery Barossa Valley Nero d'Avola Deal No. 5796

94 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

Richly ripe and complex, the fragrant bouquet shows blackberry, star anise, game and toasted nut aromas, followed by a succulent palate that's bold and weighty. Firmly structured with a sustained, sturdy finish.

94 POINTS

Dave Brookes - Halliday Wine Companion

A cracking nero d'Avola from the De Fazio vineyard in Moppa Springs. It's really alluring with a bright, fragrant nose of red plum, cranberry and blueberry fruits, daubed with spice, citrus blossom, morello cherry, cola and earth. It's bright yet savoury with an awesome saline twang in its tail that I love. It's one of those wines where you stare at the glass and say "I could drink a lot of that" ... you know what I mean.

91 POINTS

Steve Leszczynski - QWine Reviews

From the Barossa's latest picking vintage this millennia, this Arila Gardens Moppa Nero d'Avola 2023 doesn't reach the lofty heights of its predecessor. A good wine in its own right, this speaks more of the vintage. The 2022 was the debut release, and while that wine was quite an explosion of flavour, this 2023 is more subdued. Grown on sandy loam soils containing a mix of sandstone and quartz over red clay, this is not as expressive aromatically. It sees seasoned French oak for 14 months. Blackberries, cola and a little sarsaparilla make a solid first impression but the pretty red berries and raspberry coulis take a back seat. Some squishy blueberries build momentum as juicy tannins pin themselves to the mid-palate before drying out ever so slowly leaving a sheet of powder in its wake. Drink to five years.