From the outset we should make it clear that we LOVE Barossa Valley Shiraz and Langmeil is one of our favourite producers.

So when we were sent a bottle of the 2016 Hallowed Ground Shiraz to review we jumped at the opportunity. Except… it wasn’t quite what we were hoping for.

Firstly, the viscosity was a lot more pronounced and the colour had much less of a brown-tinge than we are used to seeing in Barossa Shiraz of this age. The oak jumped out with the first sniff and was deftly matched by the red fruits in the race to dominate.

But it was on tasting that we got a strange sense of deja-vu, from an unexpected source.

Like Warrabilla Shiraz, this wine had a really impressive and complex palate but virtually no tannin structure. The length, likewise was unimpressive which is a real pity because until this point, the wine had exceptional promise.

Overall, we gave the wine a score slightly below the median score by other, professional wine critics, still a high quality wine, but we have found better wines at the price ($50 per bottle).