97 points to Omensetter Shiraz from James Suckling

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Brash Higgins Omensetter Shiraz 2010 gets a whopping 97 points from wine writer Nick Stock recently in his Jamessuckling.com McLaren Vale report, putting the wine at the very top of over 300 wines tasted. Here’s Nick’s note in full: “There’s an Australian euphemism known as ‘guts’ which basically equates to maximum courage. This wine is a gutsy wine. It is a single vineyard offering from the heart of McLaren Vale and in 2010 is a blend of shiraz (85%) and cabernet sauvignon (15%). The nose has incredibly concentrated aromas of black liquorice, there are dark plums, some redder berry fruits and a lifted spiced liqueur note. The texture is opulent, really full and intense, tannins are supple and register neatly through a very rich, hearty mid-palate. This shows the kind of graceful intensity that defines the very best fuller-bodied McLaren Vale reds. Lingers impressively with essence-like dark chocolate, mocha and dark plum flavor.” thanks, Nick. For the full report go here https://www.jamessuckling.com/mclaren-vale-report.html

Brash Higgins’ 2010 Omensetter is 100% made from fruit grown at the BH Omensetter estate vineyard. The site owes its name to the eponymous hero of the William H. Gass novel “Omensetter’s Luck”. Ever since Brash Higgins’ founder Brad Hickey first laid eyes on the site in 2007, he has dreamed of capturing its promise of goodness in a select blend of grapes.

85% Shiraz and 15% Cabernet, 2010 Omensetter was aged over three years in two new 500L French Ermitage puncheons, before being allowed to mellow in bottle for a further two and a half years. The tradition of extended barrel and bottle ageing represents a stylistic tangent from the progressive wines for which Brash Higgins has become renowned, but imposed itself as the only approach for this grand, time-honoured Australian style of wine.

Brad Hickey remarks, “We are not the first to do extended barrel and bottle ageing—on the contrary—but it’s a first for Brash Higgins, and that is why we’re so excited now that it’s ready to drink.” To complement the traditional technique, Brad chose a chunky 1859 Burgundy bottle with art deco design as the perfect home for 2010 Omensetter. He then handpicked each premium cork (using dry soak analysis) to guarantee a clean seal. “It’s an attention to detail,” he says, “and well worth sniffing 1,200 corks for my peace of mind.”

On the tasting bench, the distinctive blood orange flavour profile of the shiraz together with the black tea and ferrous notes of the cabernet make perfect sense and taste sensational. ‘Think wicked notes of aged beef, fresh beef blood, charcoal embers, creosote, sweet cherries, dungeons, and a brooding intensity, yet still youthful and energetic—stuff that challenges the grey matter between my ears,” says Brad.

A modern addition to a proud tradition, 2010 Omensetter will leave a legacy all of its own. The Brash Higgins team has plans to create new interpretations for 2012, just bottled, and 2015.

1,200 bottles, 12 Magnums, 6 Jeroboams

Price: $95 per 750ml bottle, $570 per six bottle case. Please enquire about larger formats.