Oliverhill Jimmy Section McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019

Bottled un-fined and unfiltered, the single vineyard 2019 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz hails from a tiny 5-acre block of 49-year-old vines from the most hallowed terroir of McLaren Vale. Oliverhill’s 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz highlights McLaren Vale’s unique terroir, yielding a wine with a saturated purple color, a flamboyant bouquet, voluptuous flavors, and exceptional length. Rich, racy, and utterly seductive, the 2019 Oliverhill Jimmy Section McLaren Vale Shiraz exudes savory scents and flavors of crushed blackberry, mulberry, exotic spices, sandalwood, violets, and much more. Boldly flavored, yet elegant and beautifully textured, Oliverhill’s basket pressed 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz is smooth and impeccably balanced, revealing layers of interesting flavors with each and every sip. Just beginning to hit its stride with four years of aging under its cap, the recently released 2019 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz will continue to improve in bottle, becoming more luscious with each additional year in bottle for the remainder of the decade. However, there is no need to wait: the 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz had us at the first sip. Taste and see! Vinous awarded it 93 Points, which now appears stingy given this wine’s propensity to blossom further with age. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest affording Oliverhill’s polished 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz at least 20-30 minutes of aeration before imbibing. And, like most full-bodied red wines, the 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz shines brightest when served at cool room temperatures (60°-65° F). Anticipated maturity: 2023-2030. Enjoy!

The 2019 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz provides the ideal companion to the finest of foods. Consider a prime pork roast stuffed with a delightful mixture of olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and thyme, all topped with thin slices of pancetta. Lamb, Australia’s perennial choice, merits equal attention with this splendid Shiraz. Consequently, roast leg of lamb or grilled loin lamb chops served with a cucumber garlic sauce and a sprinkling of feta cheese also warrant two thumbs up. Equally delicious is pan seared beef tenderloin, served with crispy eggplant and mixed organic greens with a sriracha tinged queso sauce. Gnocchi with vegetables and gorgonzola cheese provides another tasty accompaniment to Oliverhill’s 2019 Jimmy Section Shiraz. Grilled Ahi tuna on focaccia with a healthy dab of Provencal aioli or herb mayonnaise also makes a worthy companion. Although the 2019 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz can hold court with the finest of fare, it’s no snob. A good chicken and avocado wrap, brick oven pizza, double cheeseburger, or nearly any flavorful accompaniment provides good companionship. And, if you still have a hankering for a good burger, why not make it a Kobe beef burger with a fried pickle and mustard fusion? Bon Appétit!

South Australia’s McLaren Vale is a virtual treasure trove of small boutique wineries and special terroirs from which so many of Australia’s most precious viticultural gems are mined. However, the difficulty for miners as well as wine lovers has always been to find the true gems and distinguish real gold from fool’s gold. As a wise old prospector once said, “there are plenty of gems in them there hills, ya just gotta look for em.” So, we took the prospector’s advice and went looking. And, sure enough, we found several real jewels at Oliverhill, of which the brightest and most beautiful of those gems is Oliverhill’s Jimmy Section Shiraz. In mining terms, we hit pay dirt with Oliverhill’s Jimmy Section Shiraz.

Oliverhill Winery is a small boutique family affair founded in 1973. It is presided over by Linda and Stuart Miller who fashion a half dozen amazing wines with a total production of less than 3,000 cases. The winery is located near the spectacular Onkaparinga Gorge National Park. Oliverhill draws its name from an actual strip of land located along Seaview Road in McLaren Vale. This illustrious piece of land with its unique terroir is also home to d’Arenberg and Maxwell’s, two of South Australia’s other iconic wineries. Grapes that are grown at the base of the hill also make their way into Penfolds Grange and Rosemount’s Balmoral, two of Australia’s most renowned Shiraz wines. Not surprisingly then, the calling card of the diminutive Oliverhill winery is none other than outstanding Shiraz, handcrafted and basket pressed from single vineyard blocks. Small quantities of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Petite Sirah (Durif) are also produced, and each is another true gem. Eureka!