Elderton Command Shiraz 2019

The Elderton Command Shiraz has established an enviable reputation since the first vintage in 1984. It is truly one of Australia’s best and most highly regarded icon wines. The 2019 vintage is the 33rd release of this wine since 1984 – the wine was not made in 1989, 1991 and 2011. Fruit comes from the Command block which was planted in 1984 and is one of the most special vineyards in Australia. The Command block and its gnarly vines have been dubbed an ancestor vineyard under the Barossa Old Vine Charter. 

"Rich and commanding as always, with intense dark plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits, fruitcake spice, black strap licorice, high-cocoa dark chocolate, cedar and roasting meats. Full bodied and pure with superb fruit depth, superfine gypsum-like tannins and a concentrated and balanced finish that lingers admirably."  Dave Brookes

The Command Shiraz gained worldwide recognition in the 1990s and early 2000s after receiving an enviable string of accolades. The 1992 vintage was chosen by the influential wine critic Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate as one of the world’s Top 80 wines, the 1995 Command was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and placed in their Top 100 wines, the 1996 won the trophy for the 'Best Shiraz in the World' at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, and the 2000 was awarded 97 points by Wine Spectator and placed 27 in their Top 100.

"Over the four decades that we have farmed this block of 1894-planted Shiraz, we have seen wet and dry seasons, cool and hot years, big winds and hail. But until 2019 we had never experienced catastrophic frost... yields were around 80% lower than what we would normally expect. Whilst not a lot of wine was made in 2019, we are immensely proud of how the vineyard was able to recompose itself and produce such a fine wine from a tough start to the year.

On the nose, lifted spiced plum with hints of roasted coffee bean. The palate has spiced summer pudding brooding with cloves and an undertone of graphite. Silken layers of tannin carry the fruit to a long and seamless finish. Matured in 24 months in new French and American oak puncheons. Drink now or cellar confidently for 15 - 20 years from vintage."  Elderton

Expert reviews

"Beautifully balanced wine with intense roasted chestnut, marzipan, dark chocolate, blackberry aromas and flavours, persistent fine chocholaty tannins, lovely mid-palate volume, a hint of aniseed and well-integrated acidity. Finishes chocolaty firm with a lovely tannin plume, long sweet fruit notes. An exceptionally expressive wine with all the hallmarks of a great Barossa Shiraz. Drink: Now-2040."  Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal - 98 points

"Estate-grown shiraz planted circa 1894, aged for 24 months in new French and American oak puncheons. Rich and commanding as always, with intense dark plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits, fruitcake spice, black strap licorice, high-cocoa dark chocolate, cedar and roasting meats. Full bodied and pure with superb fruit depth, superfine gypsum-like tannins and a concentrated and balanced finish that lingers admirably. Drink by 2038."  Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion - 96 points

"2019 was a warm, low-yielding and dry vintage in Barossa, and you can see that in the compression of the fruit in the mouth. This 2019 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz is hugely concentrated, coiled and long, with strong, ropy tannins that lay out through the finish. The fruit has such intensity that a couple more years isn't going to bother it in the least. By 'a couple more years,' I am of course meaning 10 or 15 plus. Drink: 2022-2037."  Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate – 95 points

"A rich and dense wine but it remains compacted and very polished with plush tannins and a fresh, tangy finish. Orange peel. Tangy undertones. Really attractive now but can age well too. Drink or hold. Screw cap."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 94 points

Command shiraz

The Elderton Command Shiraz has established an enviable reputation since the first vintage in 1984. It is truly one of Australia’s best and most highly regarded icon wines.

The wine gained worldwide recognition in the 1990s and early 2000s after receiving an enviable string of accolades. The 1992 vintage was chosen by the influential wine critic Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate as one of the world’s Top 80 wines, the 1995 Command was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and placed in their Top 100 wines, the 1996 won the trophy for the 'Best Shiraz in the World' at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, and the 2000 was awarded 97 points by Wine Spectator and placed 27 in their Top 100.

The current 2020 vintage is the 34th release of this wine since 1984 – the wine was not made in 1989, 1991 and 2011.

The story of Command began in February 1984 when Lorraine and Neil Ashmead took a huge gamble and decided to promote the excellence of old-vine Barossa Valley Shiraz. They had long admired the old Shiraz vines on the property which were planted in 1894, had remarked on the intensity and colour that the small bunches of fruit produced and had loved the wine that was made from those bunches. They wanted to make a wine that would transcend time and fashion; a wine of place; and a wine that would, in time, become one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and sought after wines. They were seemingly unfazed that many around them were pulling their old Shiraz vines out at the time, and decided to produce and bottle a single vineyard wine from the oldest block on the Elderton Estate. After many a family meeting, they decided to call this wine Command, a word that signified power, richness and intensity, as well as being a word that simply demanded respect.

The Elderton Command vineyard was planted in 1984 and is one of the most special vineyards in Australia. The Command block and its gnarly vines have been dubbed an ancestor vineyard under the Barossa Old Vine Charter. Planted on the banks of the North Para River to assure its long term survival, in alluvial river flat soils over red and brown clay based earths, the vineyard today is surrounded by the township of Nuriootpa. The vineyard is worth considerably more as a residential or commercial development, but remains as a testament to the Ashmead family’s commitment to continue handcrafting one of the world’s great wines, instead of searching for a fast return on investment. 

Most things in this world have changed in the past decades, however the values that drove Neil and Lorraine still drive their sons Allister and Cameron. The 1894 Command block is always the standout Shiraz fruit on the 72 acre Elderton Vineyard and will always be the fruit source for this single vineyard, terroir driven wine, and the Ashmeads will continue to make the wine in a manner that respects its origins and history.

Today, the vineyard is farmed organically. Yields are obviously small due to the ancient nature of these vines, generally sitting at around 1 -2 tonnes per acre. The grapes are handpicked on three to four occasions to ensure optimal ripeness, then put through traditional open topped concrete fermenters which is back breaking work - but they believe the results are better than using modern technology. Generally, ferments are quite fast, and the amazing colour is picked up in the wine almost instantly. After gentle pressing, Command goes into 100% new American (65%) and French (35%) oak puncheons where it will rest, develop and evolve for three years. Finally the wine is bottled using minimal filtering and it rests for 12 months before release.

About the winery

The original Elderton vineyard on the banks of the North Para River in Nuriootpa was first planted in 1894 to shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and merlot by early German settlers, the Scholz family. The vineyard was purchased in 1916 by Samuel Elderton Tolley, who named the estate "Elderton". He built himself a sprawling homestead on the estate and sold the fruit to his family’s winery. It was run successfully for many years but became derelict in the late 1970s. At that time, winemaking was not profitable and vineyards were being replaced with other crops. The South Australian Government introduced a Vine Pull Scheme, paying growers to remove unproductive vines and exit the industry.  Sadly, over half of the vineyards in the Barossa Valley were removed.

In 1980, Neil and Lorraine Ashmead returned to Australia after a stint in Saudi Arabia. They were looking for a place to raise their children and it was suggested they look at the beautiful old home on the Elderton estate. The sellers of the homestead told the Ashmeads that if they bought the house, they would give them the surrounding 72 acres of old vine Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon for free.

Neil and Lorraine purchased the house and surrounding vineyard and thankfully worked tirelessly to restore the neglected vineyard. Although the Ashmeads had no training in viticulture (Neil was a civil engineer and Lorraine was a midwife), they made the first wine under the Elderton label in 1982.

Lorraine and Neil took a huge gamble in 1984 and decided to promote the excellence of old-vine Barossa Valley Shiraz. They had long admired the old Shiraz vines on the property which were planted in 1894, had remarked on the intensity and colour that the small bunches of fruit produced and had loved the wine that was made from those bunches. They wanted to make a wine that would transcend time and fashion; a wine of place; and a wine that would, in time, become one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and sought after wines. They were seemingly unfazed that many around them were pulling their old Shiraz vines out at the time, and decided to produce and bottle a single vineyard wine from the oldest block on the Elderton Estate. They decided to call their flagship wine Command, a word that signified power, richness and intensity, as well as a word that simply demanded respect.

In 1993 Elderton shot to national prominence by winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy for their 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon. International acclaim closely followed when the Command Shiraz received an enviable string of accolades. The 1992 vintage was chosen by the influential wine critic Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate as one of the world’s Top 80 wines, the 1995 Command was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and placed in their Top 100 wines, the 1996 won the trophy for the 'Best Shiraz in the World' at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, and the 2000 was awarded 97 points by Wine Spectator and placed 27 in their Top 100.

Neil Ashmead sadly passed away in 1997. Second generation brothers, Allister and Cameron Ashmead, took over the reins of the business in 2003. Their mother, Lorraine, remains on the board of directors and is very active at the cellar door. The brothers have embarked on the purchase of new vineyards in other sub-appellations of the Barossa. They purchased the Craneford vineyard (Eden Valley) in 1993, the Greenock vineyard (Western Ranges) in 2010 and the Mengler Hill vineyard in 203.

In 2017 the original homestead was converted into the Cellar Door. This provides a beautiful space for visitors to enjoy Elderton wines, with a main tasting room and rooms for private tastings. Nestled in the middle of the Nuriootpa vineyard, the Barossa Cellar Door provides unforgettable experiences for visitors and has deservedly won numerous awards.

While Elderton has grown and added new vineyards beyond the immediate family estate, and successfully tapped international markets, it clearly remains committed to family values and their Barossa heritage. The values that drove Neil and Lorraine still drive their sons and the Ashmeads will continue to make the wine in a manner that respects its origins and history.