Hot Off The Hobbs - Big Reds of Barossa

In the early 1990s Greg & Allison Hobbs had a dream of moving from Adelaide, finding a vineyard of their own and making wine. Fortune favours the brave - something Greg surely knew as a retired member of the South Australian STAR Force (SWAT Team) - and so they took the plunge. The Hobbs bought their vineyard and what a find it was. Beautifully positioned in the Barossa ranges, in an area known as Flaxman’s Valley, it sat at 500m elevation, between Angaston and the Eden Valley. The vineyard had dry grown (ie. no irrigation), low yielding, old vines, with one patch planted in 1908, amongst the oldest in the Barossa.

It was only after they’d made the move that they became aware that the adjacent vineyard, a continuation of their own, was owned by none other than Chris Ringland. Chris was the winemaker at Rockford for many years before branching out on his own, initially under the Three Rivers name, but now simply as Chris Ringland. Of the mere 20 or so Australian wines ever to have received a perfect 100 point score from Robert Parker, 4 were made by Chris Ringland… an astounding achievement. Parker described Ringland’s wines as “the greatest Shiraz made in Australia.” No surprise they also became some of the most expensive.

Hobbs Vintners

Chris became not only a neighbour, but a friend and mentor. The first few years saw the Hobbs sell their fruit to Rockford, where Chris was winemaker at the time, as well as to Torbreck for their flagship wine ‘RunRig.’ Then in 1998, Chris made the Hobbs’ first wine, just one barrel, and as luck would have it, the wine was tasted by a visiting American négociant who offered to buy not only the entire barrel, but all future barrels at a price they couldn’t refuse.

The ball was rolling and the Hobbs were single minded in producing the best wine they possibly could. Organic and biodynamic approaches (not certified) were favoured in the vineyard as they diligently pruned and re-trellised it back into shape, as well as expanding it from an initial 10 to 15 acres with new plantings. Allison headed off to Charles Sturt Uni in Wagga to study winemaking and by 2002 they were no longer selling any of their fruit, instead using all of it to make their own wine. Still only a tiny 20 tonnes mind you.

Hobbs are one of the last to pick their fruit, leaving it on the vine as long as possible to ensure it reaches maximum ripeness and flavour.

Chris, Greg and Allison continued to collaborate and more recently were joined by one of the Barossa’s newer stars, Peter Schell of Spinifex Wines (ex Turkey Flat). In the winery, natural yeasts, minimal intervention and high quality oak are preferred. But the Hobbs are ‘pragmatic minimalists’ as I like to call them, meaning they’ll cautiously intervene when necessary to ensure their wines are able to safely cellar for many years to come. Very reassuring for the style of wine they produce.

With this focus on quality, it’s no surprise Hobbs wines receive rave reviews from critics, especially Robert Parker. The wines are not cheap, but I think for the quality they offer, they’re good value. Highly regarded UK wine critic Jamie Goode ofThe Wine Anorakagrees: “Quality is top-notch: I was really impressed by these wines, which I reckon justify their relatively high prices.”

The GFC, a high $AUD and Aussie Shiraz falling out of favour in the US weren't good news for Hobbs, but it did mean that back in Australia we got to see more of their wines, albeit in tiny quantities. For those who love their blockbuster reds… this one’s for you!

1. Hobbs Tins Lids 2013

This is the second release for what has become Hobbs entry level red wine, named after, and made with the assistance of their own ‘tins lids’, Sean, Bridget and Jessica.

It’s a quintessentially Australian blend of 50% Cabernet and 50% Shiraz, a style combining the classic tannin structure of Cabernet with the mid-palate richness of Shiraz. The Cabernet is sourced from Phil Lehman (Peter’s son) in the Eden Valley, while the Shiraz is from the Hobbs own vineyard. The Cabernet is matured in new French oak for 24 months and the Shiraz is matured for 24 months in second use French oak. The wine is bottled unfiltered.

The wine is a deep dark plum colour with a purpley edge. Its inky density is impressive and matches its depth of flavour. Notes of sweet blackberry, plums, vanilla, cedar and violets mingle with juicy blackcurrant, liquorice and pepper. It’s viscous and smooth with flavours lingering for a very long time. Yum. Flavour, texture and density you think could be overwhelming, are matched in equal measure with firm acid and silky tannins, both of which give a lovely dry finish with impressive balance and length.

Newly released so no reviews yet, but to give you an idea of the pedigree, the previous vintage was awarded 90 points from Robert Parker and 94 from Halliday.

I can offer it for $55 a bottle. SOLD OUT.

2. Hobbs Tango Shiraz Viognier 2012

2012 was a terrific vintage in the Barossa, with both Halliday and Langton’s scoring it 9/10 for reds. The ‘Tango’ has about 4% late picked Viognier in the blend, adding intensity and complexity. The wine was fermented using natural yeasts and aged for 24 months in new French oak.

Wow - this is an intense wine. Dark, rich and concentrated, and at 16.2% alcohol it has all the hallmarks of a monster. But its power is beautifully balanced, smooth and approachable making this a very gentle monster. Pity they make such a small quantity!

“Black fruit, Turkish apricot, some toast and spice. Big flood of sweet dark fruit, raspberry coulis and stone fruit the main flavours, with a smattering of earthiness. Very fine ripe tannin. Even acidity. Pretty good finish. Holds its alcohol like a sailor. Feels so very deluxe. Warm finish that’s quite sweet and brown bread-like, pulling in tighter with emery-like tannin. Almost certain to find an audience that will adore its large scale and flamboyant nature.” 92 points Gary Walsh, Wine Front. (He’s not a fan of this style, so this is a very good score from him).

“Deep garnet-purple coloured… has a beautiful nose of wild blueberries and blackcurrants over nuances of aniseed, roses, dark chocolate, lavender, cloves and aged meat. Very big, full-bodied and buxom on the palate, the densely packed fruit flavours have lovely freshness and vitality, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing with great length.”94 points, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate.

For big red drinkers, this is a must.

I can offer it for $120 (limited). Click here to order.

3. Hobbs Gregor Shiraz 2012

This is the wine that gets all the interest, a big Barossa Shiraz, but with a slight twist. It’s made by Peter Schell of Spinifiex winery fame in an Amaronestyle. This is a technique practiced in the Valpolicella region in the northeast of Italy, where grapes are picked and laid out on racks to semi-dry before fermentation. It’s a laborious process that leads to increased sugar concentration in the juice, which in turn means a higher alcohol level in the finished wine (15.6% in this case) as well as rich raisiny, dark fruit and chocolate flavours. The wine is then aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads (300L).

The result is unique - a full-bodied Australian Amarone-style made from 100% Shiraz - and what a heroic and beautiful wine it is. There are several good notes for this wine, however you really can’t go past this incredible score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate:

“Deep purple-black coloured, it is profoundly scented of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry preserves with suggestions of chocolate box, menthol, sandalwood and prunes plus a waft of clove-studded smoked ham. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-decadent, it fills the palate with spicy black fruited preserves and just enough freshness, finishing long.” 97+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Advocate).

To put this in perspective here are a few other wines that have scored 97 (not +) points by Parker:
97 points - 2005 Château d’Yquem
97 points - 2005 Château Cos d’Estournel
97 points - 2008 Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Romanee Conti
97 points - 1990 Henschke Hill of Grace
97 points - 2009 Penfolds Grange
97 points - 2008 Château Petrus

Makes this wine suddenly seem like a bargain! Grab a bottle or two of this rare wine and enjoy its unique decadence. 

I can offer it for $130 a bottle (limited). Click here to order.