We had a wet winter on KI, which recharged soils with moisture in time for the growing season. November was quite windy, which can impact fruit set, but it turns out that this vintage we had a very even crop. Summer was mild without any big heat spikes which are perfect conditions for a long, slow ripening period. As a consequence, grapes from vintage 2022 have terrific fruit intensity and lovely acidity. 

Terre Napoléon comprises Joch’s favourite barrels of Shiraz from our Springs Road vineyards. This wine is from our Dam Block Shiraz, which is harvested and brought back to our Willunga Battle of Bosworth winery, where it is crushed and fermented in small open 2 tonne vessels. We pump the fermenting juice over the skins (more flavour and texture) and allow the wine to finish fermenting in barrel. The Terre Napoléon spends about 16 months in a brand new French barrique, as well as a couple of two-year old barrels.

• 2025 Halliday Wine Companion

  This wine has come from vines that have been growing on Kangaroo Island for 25–30 years. It's a rich shiraz with plenty of oak sauce, though it has to be said that the oak here is complementary. The fruit is up to it. The flavour profile is all sweet plum, peppercorn, smoked cream and toast, the palate generous and the finish taut. It's a mouthful, in a good way, and it has many years ahead of it.

  95 points

  Campbell Mattinson

• The Wine Front

  This is peppery and clove spicy, meaty reduction, black fruit, bancha (Kukicha) twig tea, hazelnut and mint. It’s a lavish affair, packed with black fruit flavour, blueberry, XMAS pudding, and savoury nuance, creamy too, with thick ripe powdery tannin, tobacco and allspice perfume, grainy and firm to close on an intense finish of excellent length. Quite the statement on what Kangaroo Island can achieve.

  Gary Walsh

  95 points

• 2022
• 2021
• 2017