2018 Balthasar Shiraz, Grant Burge

The Midnight Silk of Eden Valley

This is Balthasar in a darker, more brooding mood: pure Eden Valley Shiraz with power, perfume and a lovely cool-climate edge. The nose is deep and inviting, full of blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and dark plum, wrapped in milk chocolate, clove, cinnamon, cedar, eucalyptus and white pepper. It feels broad-shouldered, but not heavy, with aromatic lift running through all that dark fruit.

The palate is rich, rounded and velvety, with blackberry, blueberry, dark spice, vanilla, cocoa and a touch of fresh thyme. There is plenty of fruit power, but the wine holds itself together beautifully, finishing long, smooth and savoury. It is drinking superbly now, especially with a decant, yet still has enough structure and depth to keep developing.

Drink now to 2035.

For when you want Shiraz that feels plush, serious and quietly dramatic.
Pairs with ribeye steak, duck confit, slow-cooked lamb, beef short rib, venison sausages, smoky aubergine, or aged cheddar.
If this wine were… a night, it would be midnight in the hills: dark, cool, scented with smoke and impossibly smooth.

Grant Burge Wines is a benchmark Barossa producer, shaped by family heritage, deep vineyard knowledge and a house style built around generosity, polish and regional character. Balthasar shows the estate’s Eden Valley side: cooler, more perfumed and more finely drawn than the warmer valley floor.