About John Duval Wines

 

Located in the Barossa Valley in Australia, John Duval Wines is one of five wineries that make up the “Artisans of Barossa.” This is a group of like-minded wine producers who work to promote the creation of sub-regional wines. Each winery exhibits different styles of winemaking. However, all display the diversity of both the Barossa and Eden Valleys. The Barossa Valley is known for red wines, especially Shiraz. In fact, the region is a source of some the oldest known Shiraz vines on the globe. Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most well-known wine, typically uses a large volume of Barossa Shiraz in their blends. Other common varieties grown the valley include Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, and Riesling. A visit to the John Duval winery involves a trip to Vino Lokal, a wine room operated by the Artisans of Barossa. There, visitors can sample a number of top wines along with local foods sourced from the region.

 

History

 

John Duval started his own wine label in 2003 after working for the winemaker Penfolds for 29 years. He studied agriculture and winemaking at Adelaide University. After graduating in 1973, he was mentored by famous Penfolds winemaker Don Ditter. His family ran a vineyard south of Adelaide and supplied Shiraz grapes to Penfolds, so John wasn’t new to the wine industry. He became Chief Winemaker at Penfolds in 1986 and won a number of awards for the business. In 1989, he won Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. In both 1991 and 2000, John won Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London.  

 

After leaving Penfolds, John worked as a consultant for many wine companies in Europe, Australia, and South America. He’s a vintner partner for Long Shadows in Washington State and also has a project in the Apalta Valley in Chile.  Although John’s often on the move, he makes it a point to spend four uninterrupted months in Barossa Valley each year. There, he works on honing his skills and further developing the complexity of John Duval Wines.

 

Wines

 

The 2016 John Duval Plexus SGM is made from 53% Shiraz, 29% Grenache, and 18% Mourvedre grapes. It’s barrel maturated for 15 months in French oak. This Shiraz has a vibrant purple color with aromas of red and blackberries. There are also hints of licorice, spice, and dried herbs. It has a medium body with flavors of ripe black and red fruits. It contains a sharp acidity with fine tannins. The 2017 John Duval Entity Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz grapes sourced from vineyards in Eden Valley, Krondorf, and the Moppa and Ebenezer regions. It has a purple-red color with aromas of boysenberry, violet, and blackcurrant. On the palate, it brings layers of red and blue fruits along with clove and spice. The 2017 John Duval Plexus Marsanne Roussanne Viognier consists of 45% Marsanne, 45% Roussanne, and 10% Viognier grapes. It has a pale straw color and aromas of ginger, citrus, honeysuckle, and stone fruits. It finishes dry and brings flavors of nectarine, citrus, and mandarin, which makes is a great wine for food pairings.

 

Meta: John Duval Wines in the Barossa Valley of Australia is creating exciting examples of Shiraz and other varieties. Learn more about this independent winery.