"This is one of my go-to wineries for top values from the Barossa Valley in Australia. The Thorn family has been growing grapes since the 1870s, and the quality of these wines is impressive. Moreover, the prices are almost ridiculously low, making these wines frequent entries in The Wine Advocate. All of the following wines are produced from 100% Barossa Valley fruit from what they call the Kabininge Vineyard. The 2012 Terra Barossa Shiraz (aged 12 months in American oak) exhibits lots of toasty oak, sweet blackberry fruit, licorice, tar and a subtle hint of herbs in the background. Medium-bodied, soft, and round, it can be drunk over the next several years. - Robert Parker"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (November 2014), 87 pts
"Bright purple. Smoky cherry and blackcurrant aromas are sharpened and lifted by a peppery quality and a hint of candied flowers. Supple and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit flavors and a touch of olive that becomes stronger with air. Finishes with echoing blue fruit and olive notes, good length and just a whisper of tannins."
"Dark purple. Ripe cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by suggestions of black pepper, licorice and mocha. Plush, broad and appealingly sweet, offering pliant black and blue fruit flavors and a spicy nuance that builds with aeration. The clinging, darkfruit-dominated finish shows gentle tannic grip and very good persistence. - Josh Raynolds"
"Fresh earth, toasted cumin and black tea flavors are dark and dense, with black licorice and thick tannins forming a backdrop to the blackberry and plum compote notes. Persistent on the finish. Drink now through 2028.—M.W."
Silver Medal - 2016 San Francisco International Wine Competition
"Classic Barossa shiraz, this wine is plush and jammy with ripe flavors of blackberries and blueberries. There’s a light floral note that gives the wine extra lift. If you can refrain from drinking it all at once, it’s even better the next day. ABV: 14.5 percent. - David McIntyre"