2015 Berton Vineyards Reserve Shiraz Barossa Australia 750 ml

At the Top of the 17,000+-bottle Heap

17,200 wines were judged at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards. Of those wines, just 34 wines took home what Decanter calls “the ultimate accolade”: Best in Show status. That means that just one out of every 505 wines—a mere 0.2% of the wines that crossed the threshold—can claim that lofty honor.

The lofty accolades and sharp price aren’t all that sets the Berton Reserve Shiraz apart from your standard jammy Barossa bottling: It is raised in High Eden, a part of Barossa whose high elevation and mineral-rich soils are known for yielding lively and nuanced Shiraz. The 2015 Berton is mineral, structured, and shows tons of black fruit, pepper, savory herbs, and olive, and knowing it was the exact kind of wine that Wine Access members love to stack by the case, we went all-in by claiming every stateside bottle.

But just because we got all we could, doesn’t mean we got all we need, and a 95-pointer that conquered the Decanter World Wine Awards will go quickly.

Long before he had his own operation, Bob Berton was a recognizable figure in the Australian wine industry, having put in years as a top manager for several high-profile Aussie wine estates. And when it came time to purchase a block of vines of his own, Bob could have gone anywhere on the sprawling continent. But he chose the High Eden subregion, which skirts South Australia’s Barossa and Eden Valleys.

High Eden Shiraz is different than the grapes that grow in the sandy soils of the Barossa Valley. Berton’s vines sit at nearly 1400 feet above sea level, where the diurnal swing results in fantastic, mouthwatering freshness. The soils at this height are poor, which stresses the vines, lowering yields and offering excellent concentration. All in all, it means a Barossa Shiraz that impresses more with elegance and finesse than brute strength.

The 2015 Berton Reserve spent 16 months in new and used American and French oak before bottling, and shows a beautiful cut, toasted oak, and complex herbs. According to Huon Hooke, one of Australia’s most eminent wine critics, it’s a “scene-stealer.” According to the Decanter World Wine Awards, it sits at the very top of a 17,200-bottle field. According to us, it’s a case-buy that should be ordered, and opened, and enjoyed without a moment’s hesitation.