Jim Barry - Vineyards, Wine Styles, Best Wine (2024)
What makes Jim Barry wines so unique, and which bottles should you buy in 2024?
The Jim Barry winery is nestled in the luscious Clare Valley of South Australia and is best known for its single-vineyard ‘The Armagh Shiraz’. It has a strong lineage of winemakers who transformed Clare Valley into one of Australia’s premier wine regions.
In this article, let’s explore Jim Barry’s history, the uniqueness of their vineyards, and the Best Jim Barry Wines Of 2024. We’ll also introduce an easy and Cost-Effective Way To Invest In These Wines!
Further reading
- Wondering how to invest in wines to make a fortune? This Wine Investment Guide can help you.
- Yearning for the best drinking experience? Get the Best Champagnes of 2024 and serve them the Perfect Champagne Glass.
The Colorful History of the Jim Barry Winery
The Jim Barry winery makes world-class Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling wine. It was founded in 1959 by the couple Jim and Nancy Barry when they bought a beautiful green piece of land, on the Northern outskirts of the Clare wine region.
Jim Barry studied Oenology from the famous Roseworthy Agricultural College and was the first qualified winemaker of Clare Valley. Before starting the business, he worked for 22 years as a winemaker in Clarevale Co-operative, a prominent winery in South Australia.
Jim was an expert in winemaking and eventually released the first wine in 1974.
In 1985, they handed over the winery management to Nancy and Jim’s son, Peter Barry - who was a promising winemaker from a young age.
Upon becoming the Managing Director of Jim Barry, Peter expanded their business across 25 countries. Today, Peter and his wife, Sue Barry, are the custodians of the vineyards.
They successfully launched Australia’s first Assyrtiko wine in 2016.
Peter’s sons - Tom and Sam - work as Winemaker and Commercial Manager today. The Barry family has three generations of Roseworthy graduates - Jim, Peter, and Tom Barry - all of whom are experts in different areas of wine production.
Jim Barry was awarded ‘The Winery of The Year’ in 2020 by Halliday Wine Companion and is known as the ‘First Wine Family of Australia.’
Today, they produce all their fruit from 320 hectares of vineyard in Clare Valley and another 14 hectares in Coonawarra.
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The Jim Barry Vineyards and Wines Produced
The Barry family vineyards helped shape South Australia’s Clare Valley as the benchmark producer of world-class Riesling wines. Let’s take a closer look.
1. The Armagh Vineyard
The Armagh vineyard produces the grapes for the most famous of all Jim Barry wines - The Armagh Shiraz.
The vineyard was named ‘Armagh’ after the green hills of Clare Valley and the nearby Irish hamlet of Armagh set up by Irish settlers in 1849. The land in Armagh has grey, sandy topsoil and smooth clay subsoil. It receives around 600 milliliters of rain per year which keeps the hills lush.
2. The Florita Vineyard
The Florita vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in Australia and used to produce grapes for the great Leo Buring Rieslings in the 1960s and 1970s.
Peter Barry and his brothers bought the vineyard in 1986 - even though the Australian government started a vine pull program.
Each vine from Florita has 40 buds of hand pruned grapes to give the signature Jim Barry flavor. The Florita Riesling grapes are harvested on cool nights to retain their delicate flavors and natural acidity.
The first Florita Riesling was released in 2004 and it created nothing short of a legacy!
Also read: Looking for a White Wine To Gift? Take a look at the Marvelous Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc wines.
3. The Lodge Hill Vineyard
The Lodge Hill Vineyard in South Australia produces two types of grapes - Shiraz (Syrah) and Riesling. Australia’s first Assyrtiko was also originally planted at this vineyard in 2012.
This Clare Valley vineyard’s Shiraz portion has 40-50 cm of rich, chocolaty loam over hard infertile rock. The vineyard’s Riesling side has brown loam over a clay and slate bedrock layer - perfect for achieving Riesling's vibrant aromatics and intense flavor.
The vineyard produces two outstanding wines - the Lodge Hill Shiraz and the Lodge Hill Riesling.
4. The Old Cricket Ground Vineyard
Before Jim Barry bought it, the Old Cricket Ground vineyard was a cricket field known as Old Penola Cricket ground.
The limestone-rich Terra Rossa soil has high water retention properties and was apt to grow Cabernet Sauvignon. Also, the cooler climate of the region delays the ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and intensifies fruit flavors.
Popular wines like The Cover Drive, Watervale Riesling, and The Barry Bros are made from the grapes from this vineyard.
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You can also count on these Sophisticated Chianti Wines.
Best Bottles of Jim Barry Wines in 2024
Here is a list of what we think are some of the best Jim Barry wines of 2024.
1. 2013 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz
Jim Barry’s The Armagh Shiraz 2013 is one of the finest varietal wines from Australia. This full-bodied red wine has a perfect sweet spice blend, velvety texture, and oak notes. It also has notes of violet florals and almonds.
Price of 2013 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz: $239
2. 2017 Loosen Barry 'Wolta Wolta' Dry Riesling
This Australian table wine is made from the flavorsome Riesling grapes known for their high acid content. It’s a perfect blend of spice and acidity with savory cheese notes.
Price of 2017 Loosen Barry 'Wolta Wolta' Dry Riesling: $76
3. 2012 Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon, Benbournie
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, this full-bodied wine has 11% alcohol. It has a spicy taste and has a smooth leather-like feeling on the palate.
Price of 2012 Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon, Benbournie: $64
4. 1996 Jim Barry Wood Cabernet Malbec, McCrae
Jim Barry Wood Cabernet Malbec has a rich brownish-red color. It has a stewed plum and cedar on the nose and a touch of plum, blackberry, and mint towards the finish.
Price of 1996 Jim Barry Wood Cabernet Malbec, McCrae: $59
5. 2002 Jim Barry Wood Museum Release Shiraz, McRae
This 2002 Jim Barry Wood Museum Release has rich flavors of ripe, rich fruit and several other spices. It also has raspberry and cherry undertones.
Price of 2002 Jim Barry Wood Museum Release Shiraz, McRae: $58
6. 2014 Jim Barry Wood Shiraz, McRae
2014 Jim Barry McRae Wood Shiraz is a very rare wine. It’s a full-bodied, vibrant wine with a plum and berry touch on the nose and palate. This fantastic wine is robust and spicy with a velvety texture and sweet finish.
Price of 2002 Jim Barry Wood Museum Release Shiraz, McRae: $58
7. 2013 Jim Barry First Eleven XI Cabernet
This Australian Cabernet is known for its mint and eucalyptus flavors. Besides having a perfect balance of fruits, acidity, and tannins, it also has a coffee and smokey undertone.
Price of 2013 Jim Barry First Eleven XI Cabernet: $46
8. 2015 Jim Barry 'Clare Red' Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon
Jim Barry’s Clare Red Shiraz is a novel wine of deep purple-black color. It has a full-bodied, well-rounded palate of raspberry, blueberry, and spearmint. You can have this wine with game deer, venison, poultry, beef, and lamb.
Price of 2015 Jim Barry 'Clare Red' Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon: $40Now, let’s see whether these wines make a good long-term investment.
Is Jim Barry a Good Investment Wine?
Jim Barry wines are a prominent part of Clare Valley gourmet and wine cellars of connoisseurs today - thanks to their inspiring history and flavors.
These wines also enjoy great critics’ reviews and scores. For instance, the iconic ‘The Armagh Shiraz 2002’ scored a 99 points from Robert Parker.
As for aging, the Shiraz wines can stay well for 20-30 years, Cabernet Sauvignon for 7-20 years, and Rieslings for 5-30+ years.
Wines like ‘The Armagh Shiraz’ and ‘Loosen Barry Dry Wolta Wolta Riesling’ have also shown notable price increases over time. The 1993 Armagh Shiraz went up by 35% from $193 to $262 from May 2020 to Jan 2021.
So, how do you know which Jim Barry wine is the right one to invest in?
Luckily, you can buy the best wine for investment through Vinovest - easily.
Let’s see how that works.
Invest in Jim Barry And Other Fine Wines Through Vinovest
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The cherry on the cake?
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How Does it Work?
Investing with Vinovest is super-easy, with only four simple steps.
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Add A Fine Aussie Collectible Wine To Your Collection
Undoubtedly, Jim Barry’s name is written in gold in Australian wine history. These flavorsome wines represent class and magnificence and will be a real asset to your cellar as they age beautifully. The easiest way to get hold of them is through Vinovest.Sign Up with Vinovest now and build your online wine portfolio starting with these prestigious wines.
