Tom Barry on the 2011 Clare Valley Rieslings plus tasting notes on Jim Barry flagship 2006 reds

Last week I interviewed 3rd generation winemaker Tom Barry of Jim Barry in London at a tasting hosted at Planet of the Grapes’ new buzzy basement wine bar on Bow Lane.  It explains the grainy footage and excitable background noises, for which apologies!

Following hot on the heels of Jeffrey Grosset and Stephanie Toole, in this video, Barry adds to the buzz about Clare Valley’s “beautiful, beautiful” Rieslings in the 2011 vintage (provided rain didn’t stop play i.e. the grapes were off before 18 March).

He also introduces the latest addition to the Jim Barry portfolio, PB, a Shiraz Cabernet blend, the 2006 of which we went on to taste, together with two other top notch reds from the very lovely 2006 vintage, The Armagh and First Eleven Cabernet. Here are my notes:

Jim Barry PB Shiraz/Cabernet 2006 (Clare Valley)

No shortage of oomph to this rich, expansive blend.  Loaded with fleshy black fruits and plum it shows warm earth and savoury dark spice as well as sweeter molasses and ju-jube.  A juicy finish keeps it more or less on the straight and narrow which, with 15.5% abv, was a challenge when the air con was out of order!  Hedonistic.

Jim Barry Armagh Shiraz 2006 (Clare Valley)

Matthew Jukes awarded this a perfect score (click here for details). As you’d expect, this flagship single vineyard Shiraz is super-concentrated with a great depth of blackberry and currant fruit.  Yet to unfurl and show off its layers, nonetheless, it’s tremendously spicy, with star anise and carraway seeds which, together with its textured tannins, bring lift and line.  Huge potential; do not touch for at least five years!

 Jim Barry First Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Coonawarra)

A perfumed, expressive Cabernet.  Dried herbs, liquorice, leather and polished oak mingle with its concentrated but juicy cassis and blueberry fruit.  Firm ripe tannins make for a long, gravelly, dry finish.  Very good.  Broachable with lots of scope for development.