2024 Mystery Barossa Shiraz Deal No. 5969

98 POINTS

Tony Love - Winepilot

Dean Hewitson’s winery is situated beside the Para River at 66 Seppeltsfield Road in the heart of the Barossa Valley, hence the naming convention. Grower and estate Shiraz parcels are groomed towards this exceptional wine, matured for 18 months in French casks before a final barrel selection is blended to be a best of the best expression. Easy in weight and style at 13.5%abv, the single most important sense here is its purity. Of the vinous elements: aromas of plum juices, native bushes and creek stones; flavours that reveal more and more palate fragrance on top of spicy peppered fruit, with a fresh and lively undercurrent acidity, enlivening and moreish, exciting to drink now yet with a backbone that suggests many more years of cellaring will only enhance this exhibition of Barossa Shiraz mastery.

98 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

It's seductively expressed on the nose, showing dark plum, blackberry, baking spice, potpourri, dark cocoa, and cedar aromas. The concentrated palate is both refined and plush, displaying outstanding weight and depth, wonderfully enhanced by seamlessly flowing mouthfeel and finely infused tannins. The wine combines exceptional fruit purity with alluring complexity, with a sustained, graceful finish.

98 POINTS

Ray Jordan - Winepilot

Well, I had a suspicion this wine was going to be pretty damn good coming from what was a wonderful season in the Barossa. And to say that it hasn't disappointed is a supreme understatement. It comes from a barrel selection just before bottling, so what you're getting is the best of the best. Highly scented aromas of red fruits and plum, with a little raspberry-strawberry combination. The palate is quite sublime. It's smooth, it's effortless, it's integrated, and it powers through to a sustained finish with so much ease. This is class and polish, and it's a wine that is so well-structured and put together now that you can certainly enjoy it in the short term. But of course, its greatness will be exemplified with further aging.

97 POINTS

Russ Gallagher - Vino Masters

Deep inky purple with an almost opaque core. The bouquet is intensely concentrated and complex, revealing blackberry, plum and black cherry layered with dark chocolate, spice and finely integrated French oak. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with oak leading a powerful core of blackberry, blackcurrant and plum, supported by firm, structured tannins and balanced acidity. Layers of mocha, spice and cedar unfold through a deep, seamless mid-palate, finishing exceptionally long and persistent. Its precision, concentration and oak integration highlight its pedigree and cellaring potential. ★★★★★ Elite and powerful Barossa Shiraz

97 POINTS

Ken Gargett - Winepilot

Hewitson is located at 66 Seppeltsfield Road, hence the reference in this name. The final blend here can be a mix of parcels from the team’s own vineyards as well as those of growers. 2024 is proving itself to be another excellent vintage. After fermentation, maturation was in French oak casks for a year and a half before a final barrel selection was made. A magenta/purple hue, there are bold aromas here. A gorgeous, quintessential Barossa Valley Shiraz, exhibiting notes of chocolate, cocoa powder, nutmeg, vanilla, spices, tobacco leaves, mocha and even a touch of white pepper. This is seamless and seductive with a cashmere-like texture, great length, silky tannins and intensity running the full length. Immaculate balance and real focus, the wine does retain a sense of refinement. Superb. Twenty years.