2022 The Marcus Ebenezer Shiraz
($76.50 Wine Club price)
In some years, some vineyards just seem to produce grapes that ultimately make a wine that sits outside the norm, in this case the norm being the style we make at Hayes Family Wines. Sometimes these wines are exceptional in their own right. The 2022 The Marcus is such a wine. It is a wine of power and richness. Named in honour of Marcus Schulz, one of the great men of the Barossa.
The grapes for this wine were grown on the historic Schulz Home vineyard in Ebenezer district of the Northern Barossa. This vineyard has been farmed by the Schulz family for 7 generations (over 150 years) and is one of the truly special vineyards of the Barossa Valley.
This wine has taken full advantage of cooler but truly wonderful 2022 vintage, dark, dense, black fruited. It has all all the hallmarks of a wine that will benefit from a significant stint in the cellar - bright purple hue, powerful black and blue fruits, full bodied, the dense fruit balanced by abundant tannins. Drinking well now but will cellar very well.
Technical Tasting Notes
2022 THE MARCUS EBENEZER SHIRAZ
GROWING SEASON
The 2022 Barossa Valley vintage will be remembered as the second almost faultless season in a row after an equally impressive although different 2021 vintage. Both Vintages were cool, the coolest since 2002. Good spring rains meant that we entered the growing season with good soil moisture levels. A warm dry growing season followed, with balanced and healthy canopies producing an average crop of extremely high quality fruit. A pigeon pair, perhaps the best two since 1990/1991 if not longer. The good news is that flavours and colours (in reds) and the vibrancy and lift in the whites are incredible. Overall quality is exceptional. Another extremely good Barossa vintage in the making.
TASTING NOTE
The wine has all the hallmarks of a Northern Barossa shiraz grown on in an exceptional vintage - bright purple red hue, powerful black and blue fruits, full bodied, yet carries some restraint curtsey of the cooler than normal vintage conditions. Dense rich fruit is balanced by abundant natural tannins. This wine is already drinking well but has ample structure to improve for many years to come.
SPECIFICATIONS
Region: Barossa Valley
Sub Region: Ebenezer
Variety: Shiraz
Alcohol: 15.0%
Production: 800 bottles
Cellaring: 10 years+
Winemaker: Andrew Seppelt
Download Technical Tasting Notes 2022 Vintage →
Download Technical Tasting Notes 2021 Vintage →
Reviews
2022 The Marcus Shiraz
Not Submitted for Review
2021 The Marcus Shiraz
QWine (www.qwinereviews.com)
95 Points - Class is stamped throughout this Shiraz. Glorious aromas of blueberries, cedar and chocolate captivate. The presence and structure are superb as it slides through beautifully - velvety smooth. A flash of coffee and earthiness play clever secondary roles but the joyous, delicious fruit is the hero. Sure there is some power but it is measured. The tasting turned into a drinking - all I wanted was more. It's lick the glass out material, that's for sure. A wine that will last well beyond a decade, it will change its shape by then and head down the savoury road. Why not embrace the thrill of its youth now? Either way, you win.
Drink to ten years+
2020 The Marcus Shiraz
Not Submitted for Review
2019 The Marcus Shiraz
Not Submitted for Review
2018 The Marcus Shiraz
James Halliday (theaustralian.com.au)
96 Points - The dep colour heralds a dense bouquet and an even denser palate, with strips of licorice, dark chocolate and pepper strung through the lush fruit of the long and lingering palate. A tribute to friend Marcus Schulz. 15.2% alc, screwcap
Drink to 2048