Halliday's Top 100 2023
#1 SHIRAZ & #1 WHITE WINE!
James Halliday’s Top 100 has just been released and two Australian Shiraz have topped the charts with 99pts! Whilst the ratings are identical, the pricing can only be described as representing the opposite ends of the spectrum.
Henschke Hill of Grace is without doubt an Australia icon and fully deserving of its standing at the very pinnacle of Australia’s wine scene (and its $900+ price tag). Teusner may not be a household name, but for wine enthusiasts it has been a remarkable and highly respected Barossa gem for the best part of two decades. The release of this 99pt 2021 Albert Shiraz will certainly add to their growing fame.
Winemaker Kym is just an all-round likeable bloke (and a very successful vintrepreneur to boot). When Tuesner gets it right (for those who recall the Sub-$20 2010 Riebke we offered nearly a decade ago), they really do hit it out of the ballpark. We will have both the 2021 Teusner Albert and 2021 Riebke (along with a 2010 Riebke for a little nostalgia) on tasting this Friday/Saturday for those of you keen to taste, although we cannot guarantee there will be any remaining of Albert to buy (stocks are very limited!).
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"Albert Shiraz is named after my Grandfather, Albert Alfred Teusner…a man I admired for his commitment and his persistence. This vintage of Albert Shiraz is made from parcels of fruit sourced from a couple of our favourite vineyards….an old block at Ebenezer in the Barossa’s North and another in the Barossa’s North West at Koonunga. I reckon the 2021 was one of the best seasons that I have ever seen. Textbook perfect – cold wet winter, cool sunny spring, warm long ripening period with cool nights delivering fruit with great flavour, beautifully balanced acids and tannin. The wines are stylish and full with great poise and structure, and our 2021 Albert Shiraz is a great ambassador for a great vintage. The old vineyards produce small yields of amazing concentrated fruit flavour, with soft, supple and velvety tannins that set them apart from the younger stuff. Plenty of blackberry, black satsuma plum, black cheery and cassis with great intensity and length. The ‘21 reds all show superb structure and I’m fairly confident in saying this is one of our best Alberts yet.” – Kym Teusner, Owner & Winemaker
