ELIJAH* Eden Valley Shiraz Museum Release

Single Vineyard Eden Valley Shiraz (Fechner Vineyard, Moculta).

ELIJAH 2015, 2016, 2019:

At the tasting on 4th June 2026, this one was a tough battle and both Dan and Huon found it hard to choose a favourite of the three vintages...

the inaugural 2015 vintage was again a revelation, showing freshness and balance, seemingly aging in slow motion...

Huon was struck by the complexity of the 2016 and how time in bottle has taken this vintage next level, now amongst the best.

A super-lifted nose of choc-mint, cedar, eucalypt, and musk leads to a complex and vibrant palate packed with blueberry jam, satsuma plum, blackcurrant, chocolate, roasted chicory root and spice. Perfect drinking now with a medium-rare steak.

The 2019 was again a showstopper, only more time will tell how far this vintage can go and if it will eventually top them all!

12 years ago we began our search for a truly iconic Barossa Shiraz vineyard. The quest lead us to discover the depths of riches of the Fechner Family’s vineyard and our experiment became ELIJAH in vintage 2015. Hailing from the revered Fechner brothers’ Moculta vineyard in the Northern Eden Valley. Elijah is a powerful wine incorporating new French oak from France’s oldest family cooperage, Leroi.

Winemakers: Daniel Chaffey Hartwig + Theo Engela
Varietal: Shiraz
Alc: 14.8%
Region: Eden Valley
pH: 3.59
Acidity: 5.9
Bottle size: 750 mL

2020

GOLD Medal - Syrah du Monde

GOLD Medal, 95pts - Barossa Wine Show

95/100 "Deep colour and a meaty/spicy/toasty and roast meat bouquet that is quite complex already. Some floral and regional dried herb notes, hinting at thyme and oregano. The wine is full bodied and concentrated, with ample firm tannins supplying structure and ageing potential. A serious red with loads of character. (Fechner vineyard, Moculta)" - Huon Hooke, The Real Review

93pts "Displays its Eden Valley strengths straight up; a cool climate, firm, structural component, fine-edged tannins, expressive red and blue fruits and Aussie bush notes. Not sure about the Biblical reference in the name (Elijah is often associated with the prophet) but it’s got a lot going for it. Shows red fruits, spice, eucalyptus, chocolate aromas loaded in lifted spices. Fine, sinewy tannins assist in the clean, brisk flow of flavour across the palate and in the wine’s structure. The growing season in 2020 was noted for its hot, dry conditions that led to reduced yields. The result is some impressive fruit concentration led by red fruits, plum and spice with an added layer of briar and earth. Impressive on a number of levels" - Jeni Port, Winepilot

94pts "Deep, purple-splashed crimson with notes of dark blackberry and ripe dark plums. Hints of baking spices, sage, black pepper, cassis, dark chocolate and graphite. There's a cassis-like richness to the fruit flow, densely packed granitic tannins and a chocolatey tide on the deep, black-fruited finish" - Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

93pts "Full and dark. Plenty of aromatic complexity with vanilla bean paste, incense smoke, white pepper grounds and black peppercorns, dark chocolate, purple flowers, roasted hazelnuts and soaked blood plums. Succulent and full, with layers of dark fruit contained within a package of drying, puckering tannin. Long tail that swirls a little before finding focus and driving long with cleansing acidity. Lingering savoury EV darkness is enjoyable now but will develop neatly for an extra point in the next year." - Regan Drew, Vinonotebook

93pts "Deep crimson. Fresh and complex wine with intense mulberry dark chocolate, mocha aromas. Concentrated mulberry, blackberry jam flavours, fine chocolaty / cedar tannins and layered mocha/ vanilla notes. Finishes grippy firm with very good length." - The Vintage Journal

92pts "A delicious and bright syrah with purple fruits, subtle black pepper and some dried flowers. Medium body. Fine tannins and a medium fruity finish." - James Suckling Reviews

92pts + SILVER - Decanter WWA 2023

SILVER Medal - Global Syrah Masters 2023, The Drinks Business

SILVER Medal - Melbourne International Wine Challenge

2019

95pts "Flagship wine from the higher Eden Valley, Polished and dark, Blackberry, clack cherry, sandalwood, incense smoke with vanila bean paste and mushroom fin earthiness." - Regan Drew, Gold Coast Bulletin

95/100 "Really youthful, deep and dark in the glass. Intense aromatics of blood plum, dark chocolate, vanilla bean, licorice, bouquet garni and Asian spice. The palate is opulently flavoured: really dark, plummy fruits, blackberries, chocolate, and layered. There's some lovely oak that plays it part as well. There's plenty going on in this wine: it is decadently flavoured, but the tannins and acidity do their thing and make sure the fruit behaves" - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review

94 points "It’s the one wine in the Chaffey range that I routinely struggle with but this release is a ripper. It’s big and throaty but it’s creamy smooth too; it has both grain and slip, its inherent, grunty tannin rolling through asphalt, blackberry, gum leaf and toast. It’s both big on flavour and big on quality. This has been pushed to its limits, and has noticeable warm alcohol to show for it, but it remains complete and convincing." - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

93pts + SILVER "An exciting example of the quality Eden can deliver with seductive violet aroma plus blueberries, subtle pepper with a freshness that hides the alcohol." - ICW 2022

92pts "Ripe, intense blackberry fruit, a rich mouthful of ripe tannins and super-concentrated fruit. Spicy oak, very full-bodied with a powerful finish." - ICW 2021

SILVER Medal - London International Wine Competition 2022

SILVER Medal - Melbourne International Wine Challenge

SILVER Medal - Sommeliers Choice Awards

2018

SILVER Medal - Syrah du Monde

2016

GOLD Medal, 95pts "Youthful with smoke and black fruit. Dark, intense, concentrated, velvety tannins. Soft-toned with notes of spice, blackfruit and dark cherry." - International Wine Challenge

94pts "Inky, deep and dark red of blackcurrant fruit, booze-soaked berries, walnut whiffs and sweet spice. Lavish, lush texture, rolls around the palate nicely, lingers for what seems forever and has all that hustle of a big red wrapped in a velvety cloak of goodness. One for the big red lovers, but those who know the tightrope walk of flavour, freshness and winemaking balance" - Mike Bennie

93pts "This takes a bold, dark and rich stance on the nose and palate with chocolate, dark-plum and graphite aromas, leading to a ripe dark-berry core that is framed in long, supple and even tannins. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - James Suckling Reviews

92/100 "Deep, dark red colour with purple and black tinges. The bouquet is high-toned - as in volatile acidity (VA) and/or lifted alcohol, while it's full-bodied and dense, with a lot of tannin and chew and loads of grunt. A big wine. The VA is not a problem except for purists and technocrats and it would respond well to extended cellaring." - Huon Hooke

2015

96/100 "Deep colour and a rich, complex, earthy bouquet which features smoky, char-oak and other savoury nuances. There is terrific flavour here and excellent depth and weight. The wine is balanced and stylish, with savoury and fruit-sweet elements perfectly balanced. Black plums and savoury notes. The finish lingers on and on. A stylish and individual style of shiraz, and a gorgeous drink." - Huon Hooke