John Duval Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2022 (6x 750mL).

'Smooth and velvety wine...'

95 Points

Deep crimson. Intense musky plum, dark cherry aromas with lifted floral notes. Smooth and velvety wine with abundant musky dark plummy, dark cherry fruits, grainy textures and integrated roasted walnut, mocha notes. Lovely density and vigour.

The Vintage Journal, 29 Apr 2024

'Supple and pure with fine gravelly tannins ...'

94 Points

This year's Plexus release sees a blend of shiraz (43%), grenache (41%) and mourvèdre (16%) from across a number of the parishes of the Barossa. Lovely dark plum and boysenberry fruits with hints of cherry clafoutis, dark chocolate, roasting meats, clover blossom, softly spoken cedar and vanillin and earth. Supple and pure with fine gravelly tannins and a minerally cadence showing plum, spice and mocha tones at the tail.

Halliday Wine Companion, 13 May 2024

'...plush and fleshy, with grainy dark chocolate tannin.'

94 Points

Blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa, baking spices, freshly lathed wood, something a little exotic in the mix too with its discreet incense-like perfume. It’s medium to full-bodied, plush and fleshy, with grainy dark chocolate tannin, and a rich plummy finish of excellent length and powdery grip. Balanced with flavour, is how I’d sum it up. Just over the line for 94 points, I reckon.

The Wine Front, 29 Feb 2024

'This is elegance personified...'

93 Points

The delightful 2022 Plexus, a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre, has superb fruit purity. While starting a little shy, it builds momentum with time. Old leather and roasted spices and meats begin before plummy richness builds and offers strong support. This is elegance personified, and it has a lovely lightness of touch throughout, although with solid tannins in support. It will age well in a bottle.

Vinous, 31 Jul 2024

'...the wine is sweetly fruited and brilliantly fresh.'

92 Points

The 2022 Plexus comprises 43% Shiraz, 41% Grenache and 16% Mourvèdre (a.k.a. Mataro). This is the most Grenache that has ever been included in the Plexus, and 2022 was a beautiful season for that variety. "It's always an SGM," says winemaker John Duval. "The Shiraz helps it age in the cellar." On the nose, you get black fruits and exotic spice, layers of forest berries and brine. On the palate, the wine is sweetly fruited and brilliantly fresh. It has an earthy textural bedrock presumably from the Mataro, which grounds the fruit. The tannins are a highlight here. There are some very old vineyards that add to this cuvee, four at over 100 years old, and perhaps these assist with the tannic complexity. A portion of the fruit is from the Hoffmann Vineyard: Shiraz Dallwitz block, Church Block Mataro and 65-year-old dry-grown Grenache. This is a sensational release. Really good.

The Wine Advocate, 21 Jun 2024

'A full-bodied red with structure and freshness that will age well.'

91 Points

Vanilla, roasted plums and a whiff of barbecue char on the nose. Rich and ripe flavours of berry compote and sweet spices saturate the core. Framing tannins provide structure and bring balance to the dense fruit core. A full-bodied red with structure and freshness that will age well.

The Real Review, 31 Jan 2024