First Drop Mothers Milk Shiraz Barossa 2021 (750ml)

 

Rated 94 Points by James Halliday

 

A wonderful, plushly fruited Barossa shiraz packed full of vibrant satsuma plum and juicy blueberry characters, underscored by hints of maraschino cherry, Asian spice, violets, turned earth, roasting meats and a nuance of softly spoken oak.  There's depth of fruit and intensity here, but also a sense of sapid juiciness with ripe, fine, sandy chocolatey tannins adding ample support.  The wine fans out with a plume of spiced plum fruits on the finish.  Wonderful value. *Silver* (DB) 

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

Aromas of black fruit, pepper, dark licorice and overturned earth.  Medium-to-full-bodied with creamy texture and fine tannins.  It has a savory fruit character with some salinity to it.

 

Rated 92 Points by Wine Spectator

 

A compelling, fun red on a juicy, fresh frame, with smooth, polished tannins and fresh pomegranate and maraschino cherry flavors at the core, plus details of milk chocolate, nutmeg, white peppercorn and an appealing hint of toasted herbs and fresh earth.  Reveals tannins that firm up on the finish, which packs a spicy kick.

 

Ranked #38 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023

 

Garnet red with purple hues.  A complex nose of dark cherry and blackberry aromas with a hint of forest floor and spice.  On the palate, vibrant dark cherry and blackberry with a hint of 'wombat rolled in allspice' balanced with soft, supple tannins.

 

Rated 91 Points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2021 was a lovely vintage in Barossa - cool, long and with a return to moderate yields after two years of aggressively low yields and warm conditions.  So here, the 2021 Mother's Milk Shiraz is fine and detailed, with loads of plush, voluminous fruit, in keeping with the style of the wine, but it is imbued with a little extra focus and precision, courtesy of the vintage.  Nicely done.

 

First Drop Mothers Milk Shiraz Barossa 2021

 

The wine is what it says it is – Mother’s Milk. 

 

A soft, slurpy, textured Barossa Shiraz.  Drink up!

 

Winery:  First Drop Wines

 

Country:  Australia

 

Region:  Barossa Valley

 

Varietal:  Shiraz

 

Alcohol:  14.5%

 

Winemaker Notes

 

Not a sledgehammer style, our iconic Mother’s Milk Barossa Shiraz is made for drinking!  A wonderful, plushy fruited Shiraz packed full of bold flavours where the acidity is carefully balanced to refresh the palate and make you go back for another glass.  The wine is matured sur lie for twelve months in three and four year old French oak hogsheads.  Drink up!

 

Notes

 

This is a great follow up to the highly touted 2020 Mother’s Milk Shiraz, which last year was awarded a Wine Spectator Top 100 (#26).  First Drop Mother’s Milk Shiraz is no fluke and the newly released 2021 keeps its amazing streak alive with its 5th consecutive year of receiving a 92 Point Wine Spectator score.  What sets this apart from many of the traditional styled Barossa Shiraz that many associate with the Barossa Valley is the wine’s vibrancy and freshness.  This is an intriguing take on  a Barossa Shiraz and will bring you back for a second or even, a third glass.  There’s always a place at the table for an over delivering and very polished Shiraz and the 2021 Mother’s Milk Shiraz is a gorgeous engaging drop that has the makeup to show well now but the structure to hold for a number of years.  Not bad for a wine that sells for way south of $20.

 

The Wine

 

“A sensibility for tradition with a passion for innovation.” 

 

 Under our minimal intervention winemaking philosophy, we ensure that each drop is relevant, incredibly drinkable and most importantly – the best expression of the varietal and regional character.  To achieve this, we work with a network of growers all year round to ensure the appropriate care and consideration has gone into vineyard management.  The distinguished regions we source from combine rich soils, ranging altitudes and ample sunlight to produce fruits with great depth and intense flavour.  Through our sustainable and purposeful blending, the quality of the fruit is then translated into your glass. 

 

Barossa Valley Wine

 

Shiraz from Barossa Valley tends to deliver some of the most powerful, flavorful wines not just in Australia, but world-wide.  The typical Barossa Valley Shiraz profile centers around powerfully ripe (confected) blackberry, dried currant and mocha aromas along with a healthy punch of tobacco and an earthiness similar to smelling a wet red clay pot.  Often these wines have significant meaty (beef broth, beef jerky) and black pepper aromas as well.  The fruit flavors are big.  Tannins are generally grippy, but fine-grained and powdery, rather than chapping or harsh.  Alcohol levels are naturally quite high, due to the love provided by the Aussie sunshine, starting 14%–15% ABV and continuing upwards.  Despite the intense fruitiness to these wines, the highest quality wines from Barossa Valley are known to develop positively for a decades.  While Shiraz is the mainstay of this region, you’ll discover that GSM blends and Shiraz-Cabernet blends are quite popular and generally high in quality.  Wineries frequently produce blends to tease out even more complexity in their finished wines by combining various flavor profiles.

 

 

The First Drop Story

 

“Where two decades of winemaking passion and creativity come to life.” 

 

Born in 2004 with a thirst for creating wines meant to be enjoyed, not just admired.  First Drop Wines is known for crafting deliciously exciting wines that not only stand the test of time but continue to push the boundaries of innovation. 

 

The First Drop heritage traces back through generations of agriculturalists, winemakers and wine lovers.  With a strong connection to land and a dedication to hard work, John Retsas and the First Drop family lead with quality, sustainability and purity at the forefront.  We source only the finest fruit from the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley to achieve diversity, complexity and flavour.  

 

Our ‘Home of the Brave’ Winery is nestled in the heart of the Barossa Valley.  Here, at the hands of our artisan winemakers, we remain dedicated to producing wines that are vibrant, modern expressions of their varieties, their sites and the season. 

 

Join us in raising a glass to 20 years of blending tradition with a splash of the unconventional.

 

 

Rated 92 Points by Wine Spectator

 

A compelling, fun red on a juicy, fresh frame, with smooth, polished tannins and fresh pomegranate and maraschino cherry flavors at the core, plus details of milk chocolate, nutmeg, white peppercorn and an appealing hint of toasted herbs and fresh earth.  Reveals tannins that firm up on the finish, which packs a spicy kick.

 

Ranked #38 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023

 

Garnet red with purple hues.  A complex nose of dark cherry and blackberry aromas with a hint of forest floor and spice.  On the palate, vibrant dark cherry and blackberry with a hint of 'wombat rolled in allspice' balanced with soft, supple tannins.