Awards, Ratings & Reviews
98/100 — James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion · 2013 Vintage
“A perfect rendition of medium-bodied shiraz, burdened neither by massive alcohol or oak, allowing the black fruits, led by blackberry and supported by hints of licorice and earth, free play. The overall texture is exceptional, the tannins smooth and supple. Drink by 2048.”
96/100 — Jeremy Oliver · 2013 Vintage · Drinking Window: 2033–2043
“Artfully balanced and complete, this elegant and deeply flavoured shiraz has a lustrous, wild and floral bouquet of cassis and violets laced with cracked black pepper and exotic spice. Full to medium-bodied, it's long and richly flavoured with brightly lit notes of pastille-like cassis, raspberries and blueberries tightly knit with sweet cedar/vanilla oak and underpinned by a firmish, pliant spine of fine, crunchy tannins. Wrapped in a deliciously fresh and taut acidity, it finishes with wonderful freshness and Wendouree's typically linear focus. Drink: 2033-2043.”
96/100 — Huon Hooke, The Real Review · 2013 Vintage · Drinking Window: 2015–2045
“Great colour and a sensational aroma of black fruits with some new oak evident, the palate rich and fleshy, dense and full-bodied, tannic and solid. Not minty. A powerful, concentrated, superb wine. (25% new oak). Drink: 2015-2045.”
95/100 — Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review · 2013 Vintage
“Lovely gentle purple fruit. This feels the most special of all the Shiraz wines. Soft coating of tannin and a warm finish. There’s a definite blackness – fruit cake and cooked plum – to the finish. Super smooth and fine boned, it’s spicy but moderate, all about tannins and coiled power. Archetype Clare Shiraz, with the extra generosity really tipping it from 'very good' into 'special'. Absolute top shelf wine. While many will prefer the Cabernets, this is the wine everyone will want to drink.”
94/100 — CellarTracker · 2013 Vintage
94/100 — The Wine Front · 2013 Vintage
Special Value Wine — Halliday Wine Companion
About This Wine
“An iron fist in a velvet glove best describes these extraordinary wines.” — James Halliday
Wendouree is one of the cult legends of Australian wine and amongst Australia’s most sought-after wines. The wines are a celebration of an incredible vineyard featuring old vines planted in the late 1800s.
The powerful and long-living Wendouree Shiraz is sourced from low-yielding, unirrigated vines planted in 1893 and 1919.
The estate's original 1893 plantings are believed to be genetic material from the original James Busby collection, while the 1919 vines are planted further from the winery in what is known as the eastern block.
The vineyard is situated on a northerly ridge not far from the township of Clare on shallow soils of red loam over limestone.
About the Producer
A.P. Birks Wendouree Cellars was established in 1892 when Alfred Percy Birks and his brother planted a half-acre block of cabernet sauvignon. The following year they added three acres of shiraz. These old vine plantings still exist today.
By 1903 the brothers had built a small winery and storage area, and for the next 20 years they sold all their wine and surplus grapes to the Stanley Wine Company, who either on sold the wine to the London market or used it to bolster up some of their lighter-bodied wines.
In 1914, with production around 18,000 litres a year, Alfred constructed a stone wine cellar which has virtually been unaltered to this day and is still in use.
Alfred handed over winemaking responsibilities to his son Roly Birks in 1917, beginning a remarkable winemaking career that spanned 65 vintages.
Under Roly's direction, Wendouree's vineyards were expanded, and what became known as the Eastern Vineyard was purchased and planted over the winters of 1919 and 1920.
In 1974, Tony and Lita Brady acquired Wendouree and began rejuvenating the vineyards, working closely with Roly Birks and neighbouring winemakers.
Today, Tony and Lita see themselves as custodians of a priceless treasure. Wines are sold exclusively by mail order to a loyal customer base, with no cellar door, website or email address.
Specifications
- Vintage: 2013
- Grape Variety: Shiraz / Malbec
- Region: Clare Valley / South Australia / Australia
- Drinking Window: 2023–2048
