2021 Command – An Absolute Classic
by Allister Ashmead
As we sit here in the magnificent Barossa Valley in the middle of an early and warm spring, it really is quite hard to not be absolutely captivated by the beauty of this region that has been growing grapes for nearly 200 years.
Sitting among a lush green carpet of native grasses and clovers, the thick and gnarled trunks of the ‘Ancestor’ 1894 Command Shiraz vines rise from this greenery, looking proud and utterly resplendent whilst waiting for budburst to occur.
Neil and Lorraine Ashmead rescued this vineyard from certain destruction after they purchased the very rundown and dilapidated vineyard in 1979/1980, as other grape growers were taking payment from the government to remove similar vinous treasures from the ground.
There may have been some naivety from the fledgling owners to the reality of the troubles that the Barossa faced through the late 70s and early 80s, but history will showcase how remarkable the foresight was from the first generation of Ashmeads to put the effort into bringing this almost derelict vineyard back to its former glory and beyond.
Today, second generation owners Cameron and Allister are forging ahead in their family’s fifth decade of making top notch wine from this now 130-year-old vineyard. The family are now celebrating the launch of the 35th Command Shiraz, since inception in 1984.
The 2021 Command Shiraz is a remarkable wine, from a remarkable vintage.
A reasonable winter was followed by a wet spring and then a coolish summer. This provided perfect conditions for an immensely high-quality harvest. Think of cracking vintages like 1986, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2018 which have all well and truly performed beautifully over time.
Like the 2020 vintage, Jules and Brock have decreased the amount of time that the 2021 spends in 100% new American and French oak. Consequently, the release of Command is now six months earlier than historically. The winemaking team are confident that they are now releasing a better wine that will still stand the test of time and drink beautifully at any stage in the next twenty plus years. Don’t take our word for it though, as the early press from esteemed Australian wine writers has been more glowing than ever.
Ray Jordan and Ken Gargett, who are two of the stalwarts of wine writing in Australia, are amongst the few people to try vintages back to the inaugural release of Command. They have both awarded the wine 98 points and have alluded to this release likely being the best they have ever tasted. Ken also went on to say the Command Shiraz easily sits among the finest and most prestigious of Barossa Shiraz but would also be the best value!
“My first thought on tasting this wine was simply, wow, this might just be the very best Command Shiraz I can recall, since the very first release from 1984 (and remember, their 1996 won Best Shiraz in the World at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition). If one were to arrange a collection of the elite Barossa Shiraz, the prestige releases, this would sit with the finest and I suspect might well be the best value among them, bar none… This is the essence of Barossa Shiraz.”
– 98 points, Ken Gargett
“I’m not sure I have seen a better example of Command in all the years I have been tasting it… It is balanced on a fulcrum of power and finesse.”
– 98 points, Ray Jordan
2021 COMMAND SHIRAZ AVAILABLE NOW
Available online or in Cellar Door. Throughout September, visit Cellar Door to taste Command and Ashmead (not generally on tasting.)
The 2021 Command Shiraz is also available in magnum (1.5L) and 6L bottles. Contact Cellar Door for more details.
Story from our newsletter, the Elderton Buzz – September 2024 edition
