“Apart from the Armagh I would also look out for their Cabernet/Malbec blend coming out soon, where they believe this region, especially from The Armagh vineyard can excel,” writes Jones
In good company: the Armagh 2018 rubbing shoulders with its illustrious cousins
The iconic ‘Armagh’ vineyard was named after the original Irish settlers who arrived in 1849 and named their village with its surrounding lush, rolling hills after their homeland. Fast forward to 1964 when Jim Barry planted 900 Malbec and 2,500 Cabernet Sauvignon vines, followed by 5,881 Shiraz vines in 1968 on the eight-acre Armagh vineyard.
These Shiraz cuttings were sourced from the Wendouree Shiraz vines planted in 1893. The winemaker at Wendoree, Roly Birks was a great friend of Jim’s, and in fact used the winery as his base for his original St. Clare Cellars label before establishing his own farm (it was rebranded to Jim Barry Wines in 1982).
A few months after planting his most cherished Shiraz rootlings, disaster was averted as a terrible drought hit the region and he conscripted his 10 and 13 year old sons Peter and Mark to hand-water the vines from 44 gallon drums from the back of an old truck with strict instructions not to feed the plants with green leaves, keeping the scarce water for the driest plants.
Sat the front of the tasting room at 67 Pall Mall, Jim Barry’s grandsons Sam and Tom explained that their library of Armagh wines are divided into three groups. The older wines shone, whilst the ‘middle years’ 1996 – 2009 are riper with more power and muscular density (although admittedly they are ageing fabulously). Tom Barry, the current winemaker, is pursuing the same perfection of his father and grandfather but with a different approach and possibly he is producing the wine’s best ever vintages, notably The Armagh 2018.
It was interesting to hear Tom say that, although he was always evolving and working with climate, oak and the soil, he was moving back to the profile of the earlier style of the wines such as the 1989, 1992 and 1994.
So how did the new The Armagh 2018 stack up against the older vintages?
The Armagh 2018
Blackberry, ginger spices, cassis, clove, sage, violets… rich, dense, juicy and fleshy, big tannins but balanced, sweet oak, length and persistent. Seamless nose, silky fruit at the fore, very young but I love the freshness, precision of the fruit: black fruit and hints of orange essence/apricot with delicate spices and vanilla. This is certainly an amazing wine, if you cannot wait to try it do decant it a few times and serve in a large Shiraz glass, a sheer joy to compare this to the 1989.
The Armagh 1989
Opened beautifully with red fruits, cedar oak and silky tannins. Hints of tobacco, and copper, dusty feel, raspberry, red plum and caramel; there’s a sweetness to the fruit with a powerful acidity – long and lingering, hints of Tawny port, textured and refined cassis/blackcurrant/blackberry finish on the palate – sublime, reminded me of aged Rioja. Just perfect.
The Armagh 1992
Classy layering of long, fine tannin, dark-fruited, savoury, spiced, red liquorice, mid-palate richness, spiced and a hint of fine vintage port; the mouthfeel is classy and polished, the acidity is more restrained than the 1989, offal and lamb roast blood, hint of bonfire/BBQ, restrained elegance, intense grip on the finish, fabulous.
The Armagh 1994
Excellent purity and intensity, savoury, with a lovely dark-fruited feel, textured, mocha coffee, cola, crimson, apricots and orange blossom lifting it, fresh and lovely grip on finish. Wow! so easy to drink and evolving beautifully.
The Armagh 1999
Bold and rich, dark-fruited, then a powerful intense bright fresh mid palate, crimson, red cherries, loganberries, velvety polished finish. Freshness is there to allow it to continue to age gracefully.
The Armagh 2002
This had a spicy and smooth-honed feel, blackberries, crimson, bright fresh focused, youthful with tannins still there, cocoa softened by the natural acidity, citrus peel and pith. Stunning framboise on the finish. Youth-full but rich.
The Armagh 2006
Herbal, crimson, seems quite forward with chalky tannin, inky, graphite, cassis, inky, umami, the elegant silky feel at end is quite superb, that lingers an age, rich and textured.
The Armagh 2008
Bright fresh crimson, raspberries, silky fresh, coconut, the oak shows, black berry, rhubarb, touch gripping, opulent and deep, needs time to showcase its style.
The Armagh 2010
The purity and richness is superb. Dark mocha, meaty, this is the first under screw cap and the use of hogheads – intensity grip and freshness at fore, needs time, love the perfume savoury herbaceous feel, reminds me of a classic Aussie “Claret”, feels young but shows immense potential.
The Armagh 2012
Very attractive fruit intensity, perfumed nose, violets, fresh red berries some plums, sweet and vivacious, fresh youthful, love the purity of the fruit, fresh aniseed hit, background of Truffles and forest floor, focused and graphite with hints of fresh foraged blackberries.
The Armagh 2014
Seamless, crimson, sage, praline, blackberry, purity is immense, clean focused perfumed fruit, mocha on finish, delicate cocoa, restrained oak, wow a beauty to hide away for 20 years.
The Armagh 2016
Delicate Mocha and dark fruited aromas, balanced with a lovely intensity on the mid palateI. Focused, polished, gripping tannin, refined, restrained, all the attributes of wine that will age gracefully. Complexity and layers of fruit that is gently simmering away.
And finally….
“Someone once said they can’t afford to drink The Armagh. I said they can’t afford not to.” (Jim Barry)
Rest assured I have followed Jim’s advice, and am so pleased that his two grandsons are now continuing the quest for perfection.
Apart from the Armagh I would also look out for their Cabernet/Malbec blend coming out soon, where they believe this region, especially from The Armagh vineyard can excel. I must also mention Peter Barry who brought Jim Barry to the UK all those years ago and welcomed me many times to their winery in Clare and to the hallowed Armagh vineyard.
