Jim Barry’s flagship wine

The late Jim Barry planted the eight-acre Armagh vineyard between 1964 and 1968 and hand watered the vines through the drought of 1968-69 off the back of an old ute. It sits in the fork of Benbournie and McRae Wood Roads and takes its name from The Armagh Creek that runs through the center of the vineyard. The vineyards planted by Jim Barry in 1968 yield less than 2 tonnes per acre. The soil is sandy-gravel and receives an average rainfall of 24 inches per year. The vineyard lies on a north-west facing slope which acts as a natural sun trap, ensuring the fruit is always fully ripened when picked. The 2005 vintage was considered to be an outstanding year in the Clare Valley. The season produced near perfect growing conditions. Spring was warm, but the maximum temperatures over January and February were slightly cooler than usual and there were useful falls of rain that kept vines looking healthy. The Armagh is about to debut on one of the elite fine wine stages, La Place de Bordeaux, where all the top names of Bordeaux are bought and sold as well as a few wines from Italy, the United States, Chile, and Argentina. It’s the first time Australian wines will be on offer.

The 2005 Armagh is inky and impenetrable. It displays elegant, yet brooding aromas, which are highly complex — including boysenberry, plums, blueberries, rose, lavender and spice.