Hobbs of Barossa Ranges Tango Shiraz Viognier 2019

Tasting Note

The Shiraz and Viognier were handpicked from the Hobbs Estate vineyard at optimal sugar, tannin, and acid ripeness. The grapes were co-fermented in small batches, hand-plunged and monitored closely to ensure perfect balance and integration. Once fermentation was finished, the wine was pressed off the skins into new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Matured in new French oak for 24 months. On the palate, this full-bodied wine is a rich mix of dark red fruits, mixed berries and chocolate with a surprising savoury spice, super fine tannins and a lively hint of floral notes on the finish.

Awards & Accolades

92 Points
Halliday Wine Companion 

A blend of 96/4% shiraz/viognier from vines up to 90 years old, in the Eden Valley. The viognier is left to dry on the vine while the shiraz ripens, then they are picked together and co-fermented, spending 24 months in 80% new French oak. It's a whopper! In fruit purity and concentration, texture and alcohol content. It's a sitting-down style of wine. For all it's over-the-top-ness, there's a lot of impressive concentration and heft....and yes, some alcohol heat on the finish. It's flexing.
- Dave Brookes 

95 Points
Wine Reviewer

An inky red to purple, floral lift meets meaty savoury nuance and concentration of plush black fruits work amongst generous embellishments of spice. The wine has such depth and concentration but the balance of acid and oak gives flow and texture and is in no way cloying. Supple, dense plum is layered with spice and milk chocolate like richness whilst still maintaining a subtle savoury disposition. 
- Patrick Eckel 

93 Points
Wine Advocate

At 16% alcohol, this 2019 Tango Shiraz Viognier is no shrinking violet, yet it achieves a robust, muscular balance in the mouth. The alcohol, the tannin and the fruit are as one and fortify each other as they progress over the tongue and through into the finish. The Viognier inflection serves to provide gloss and drive to the Shiraz fruit, which, thanks to the area (Flaxman Valley, in the Eden Valley), is imbued with a dark mineral freshness. These components—the region and the varieties—each bring out the best in each other, so if you can handle the high-octane alcohol, you may witness a nimble-footed behemoth in motion. 
- Erin Larkin