Epsilon Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Established: 1994
Appellations: GI Barossa valley, SA
Proprietor: Aaron & Julie Southern
Winemaker: Aaron Southern
Wine Making Overview: hand harvest, minimum intervention
Average Production: 3000 Dozens
Vineyard Area: 7 ha
Viticulture: Sustainable
Vegan Friendly: yes
Vineyards: estate vineyard located in Greenock
Vine Density: 3000 / ha
Aaron and Julie Southern (née Kalleske) bought their 8ha site in the famed Barossa sub-region of Greenock, back in 1994. Back then they were merely dreaming of keeping 5 generations of grape-growing alive, but in 2000 a chance meeting with Jaysen Collins of Massena would change everything.
From the 2004 vintage Aaron and Julie created Epsilon Shiraz, crafted from the intensely flavoured fruit produced by the gnarled old vines that they had been carefully tending for a decade. Epsilon, the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet and the fifth star of the Southern Cross, represents the fifth generation of the Kalleske family.
Another decade or two on and Epsilon Shiraz has prompted much critical acclaim from wine critics and much pleasure from those lucky enough to have enjoyed a bottle.
2021 Shiraz
100% Shiraz, fermented in small batches picked across a 6 week period. The fruit is de-stemmed but not crushed and cold-soaked for 3 days. After a slow ferment at controlled temperatures (~25°C), the wine is basket-pressed to seasoned French oak and matured on lees for 12 months.
‘Western Barossa shiraz from the Greenock subregion; matured in new and seasoned French and American oak. Deep crimson with purple flashes in the glass. Jam-packed with juicy blood plum and macerated summer berry fruits with hints of licorice, dark chocolate, fruitcake spices, earth, purple florals, iodine and vanillin oak. There's plenty of depth to the fruit, pure and true to its Greenock roots, the tannins are fine and sandy and the finish is awash with spicy, plummy vitality. Super value. Drink 2023-2029.’ 93 points and Red Star for Value, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion, May 2023.
2016 Shiraz - SOLD OUT
'The label is fairly new but the owners are fifth-generation grape growers. this is astounding value from a very small outfit. Plummy fruit-driven aromas, coupled with subtle spices and smoky oak, the palate deep, rich and full-bodied, with drive and power. Drink now to 12+ years.' 95 points, Huon Hooke, Good Food, February 2018.