John Duval Plexus Red 2019
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Winemaker Notes
A classic Barossa blend crafted from John Duval's resource of old vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
The aim of Plexus is to express a wide spectrum of fruit flavors, whilst ensuring seamless integration of the contrasting characters of the three varietals. Shiraz provides rich dark fruits and mid palate weight, whilst Grenache delivers a bright flavor spectrum of red fruits and spiced notes. Old vine Mourvèdre is integral to the blend, ensuring a good firm backbone of savory tannin and a long finish.
Blend: 45% Shiraz, 32% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Whether it's the extra year in bottle or the different conditions experienced in 2019 compared to 2020, this 2019 Plexus is slightly more savory, more seamless and softer. This really has it all... the dark chocolate, black cherry, raspberry pip, tobacco char and hung deli meat in each and every mouthful. Very nicely done. Best After 2022
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Wine Enthusiast
This offers the distinctive savory spiced, highly herbal bouquet typical to Duval's South Aussie red blends. Showing a touch of bottle age already, this drinks well now, offering heady aromas of ground white and black pepper, graphite, chocolate, red-currant jam, and preserved plums. The palate is powerful but fresh. Tannins are chalky and chunky, with garrigue-like herbs lingering on the long finish.
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Wine Spectator
Perfumed, with elegant notes of plumeria and violet that add an aromatic lift to the core of savory toasted herb, tobacco, loam and cola notes. This has appealing velvety tannins and plenty of harmony on the finish. Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
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James Suckling
This has a red-plum and blackberry mix on the nose and palate with a gently herbal edge and orange peel. Medium body, plenty of rich red-fruit flavor and a smooth, pastry-like tannin texture. A blend of 45% shiraz, 32% grenache and 23% mourvedre.
Other Vintages
2020-
Australian Wine
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Wine &
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John Duval is one of Australia's most highly regarded winemakers. Raised on a South Australian farm with three generations of grape growers before him, his vinous path was fated. However, it was during his 28-year tenure with Penfolds that his passion for the famed Barossa Valley flourished. As Chief Winemaker and custodian of Australia's most famous wine, Grange, he was instrumental in establishing Penfolds as one of the world's great wineries. His accolades include being named UK Wine and Spirit Competition's International Winemaker of the Year, Red Winemaker of the Year (twice) and receiving Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year award. In 2003, John embarked on his own label, John Duval Wines, inspired by the best of the Barossa Valley's low-yielding, old vine vineyards. With a deft touch he crafts intense wines that are as complex and distinctive as the diverse terroir of his treasured Barossa Valley.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.