A Tasting through Two Decades of Clare Valley with Jane Ferrari
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Venue: The Taste of Legacy, 1637 Manitoba Street, Vancouver
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
RSVP required – Space is limited!
Meet Jane Ferrari: The Soul of Australian Wine
Winemaker Jane Ferrari is not your typical public figure. She’s a realist, she is your down-to-earth guide to a world of flavor. Dressed in jeans and boots, she’s as passionate about travel, music, and storytelling as she is about wine. With her vibrant personality and straight-talking charm, Jane will make you feel like you’ve known her forever. She’s here to challenge the myth that Australian reds don’t age well and will show you just how wrong that notion is with an exclusive tasting of back vintages of The Armagh from Jim Barry Wines, one of Australia’s most celebrated Shiraz.
Established in 1959 by Jim and Nancy Barry, Jim Barry Wines is a family owned winery located in the Clare Valley of South Australia. Over the last 60 years the family has worked to establish a mosaic of sites - 17 vineyards covering 320 hectares in the Clare Valley and two vineyards covering 35 hectares in the Coonawarra. Each unique in soil profile, climate, aspect and elevation.
THE ARMAGH VINEYARD
Located on a north-west facing slope at an elevation of 367 metres and bisected by the Armagh Creek, the western half of the vineyard is an alluvial flat, while the eastern half gently slopes towards the creek. The 70-acre property was previously owned by Duncan McRae Wood and used to graze dairy cows before being purchased by Jim and Nancy Barry in 1964. Located two kilometres northwest of Clare on the opposite side of the hill on which the Jim Barry Winery is located, it is home to the famed The Armagh, The Benbournie Cabernet Sauvignon, and The McRae Wood Shiraz. The vineyard derives its name from a nearby hamlet of Armagh, established by Irish settlers in 1849 and named after the lush, rolling hills of their homeland. In 1964, Jim Barry first plated 900 Malbec and 2500 Cabernet Sauvignon vines, followed by a further eight acres of Shiraz vines in 1968
Soil Profile
The area where the Armagh vineyard is found contains the region's oldest rock from the Rhynie Sandstone Formation, dating back more than 800 million years. The Armagh vineyard is characterised by a light brown, sandy clay topsoil with a pebbly alluvial layer overlaying a mottled clay subsoil.
The Fruit
Planted with shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec, the 50-year-old Shiraz vines follow the contours of the north-west-facing slopes to prevent soil erosion and ensure winter rains soak in. The combination of low-fertility soil and good exposure aids the natural devigoration of the vines, producing small-berried and intensely flavoured bunches. Receiving an average rainfall of 580mm per year, the vineyard requires minimal intervention to maintain yields of below 1.5 tonnes per acre, producing rich and concentrated fruit of the rare quality required to create exceptional wines with ageing potential.
Wines in the seminar:
The McRae Wood Shiraz 2019
The McRae Wood Shiraz 2020
The Armagh Shiraz 2008
The Armagh Shiraz 2009
The Armagh Shiraz 2013
The Armagh Shiraz 2014
The Armagh Shiraz 2019
Don’t miss your chance to experience these extraordinary wines and the stories behind them. Secure your spot today for a seminar of exceptional flavors and engaging conversations!
