Critical Acclaim
Since first being established, Dalwhinnie has received countless awards and reviews from many iconic wine writers and critics.
James Halliday, Australia
The Eagle Shiraz is the holy grail. It is only released in true great vintage years, with only 12 wines produced in 33 years.
The wine speaks of the old Shiraz clone PT23 and the vineyard where the grapes are grown.
To drink this wine with 10 years bottle age is one of life’s great treats. Dalwhinnie only knows how to make great wines.
Matthew Jukes, UK
For the record, I think Dalwhinnie is one of my favourite estates in the world – small dramatic vineyards, an awesome, one room, space age winery and sensational wines!
Campbell Mattinson, Australia
Dalwhinnie is considered one of the great cool climate Shiraz wines of Australia. The dry-grown, low-yielding fruit has created a wine of beauty and unyielding juxtaposition; infinitely dense yet powerful, balance and perfectly weighted.
Dalwhinnie ranks alongside the most exclusive vineyards of Australia. It’s got altitude, it’s got a sweeping aspect, it’s got a natural feeling for warmth and so a natural feeling against frost.
Huon Hooke, Australia
It’s March 1998 and I’m part of a panel tasting 30 of Australia’s greatest shirazes for a wine magazine article. Dalwhinnie’s ’96 is one of the top wines, which surprises none of the tasters.
We all know it’s one of the country’s greatest, a statuesque red of exceptional concentration, power and balance. It achieves this without being propped up by American oak; indeed it is a subtly wooded wine in the context of Australian shiraz.
I spot a cluster of old vintages which have not yet been tasted. I grab four 1990 wines: Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, Wynns Michael and Dalwhinnie. We pull the corks, purely in the interests of science, of course. They are four mind-bending wines which would stand tall beside anything the world could throw at them.
To play favourites is pointless; it all comes down to subjective preference for a style. But for me at least the Dalwhinnie leads the way.
Sit back and watch, with glass and book in hand, as Dalwhinnie etches a name for itself, not only among the great wines of Australia, but the world.