Notes - Johann is the flagship of the Jacob’s Creek range and is a blend based on Barossa Shiraz that is sourced in part from renowned vineyards on the banks of Jacob’s Creek. Structure and elegance is achieved by carefully marrying Shiraz with selected parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon, each fermented separately to give greater complexity to the blend. Johann represents the pinnacle of Jacob's Creek winemaking expertise and is available in extremely limited quantities. Once harvested, individual parcels of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon fruit were kept separate in a range of fermenters and were inoculated with a neutral strain of yeast. The parcels were pressed separately and transferred into a range of oak hogsheads for maturation. After 18 months in oak, selected parcels of wine were carefully blended to ensure that the end product showed intense Shiraz and Cabernet varietal fruit characters, which are typical of the Jacob’s Creek Johann wine. The wine shows the delicate integration of spices and black pepper with luscious juicy cassis and red berry, which was achieved through carefully blending only the best Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon parcels. There are developed aniseed and licorice notes along with integrated savoury oak give this wine complexity and richness. This wine shows enormous depth of fruit, with concentrated ripe blackcurrant and juicy blueberry flavours seamlessly integrated with savoury, charry oak. Well structured tannins give this wine elegance and finesse while still providing a balance with the wine’s intense ripe fruit characters. The 2001 Jacob’s Creek Johann Shiraz Cabernet has been bottle matured at the winery, so it is still fresh yet well integrated, and will delight consumers who choose to drink it now. On theother hand, carefully cellaring this wine for the next 5-10 years will enable further development and integration of the ripe and intense fruit flavours. 92 Points, Wine Spectator, March 2008.