A stunning effort, the 2002 Shiraz Command exhibits an inky/blue/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of camphor, blueberries, blackberries, acacia flowers, and smoky, toasty oak. Full-bodied, opulent, and viscous, with huge, but sweet tannin, decent acidity, and a muscular, long, 40+ second finish, this is a classic, potentially long-lived, Barossa blockbuster. It’s accessible now, but ideally needs another 2-4 years of bottle age, and should keep for two decades.

Elderton was planted in 1890 and purchased by the Ashmead family in 1979, this vineyard features row upon row of gnarled old vines on deep alluvial soil in the heart of the Barossa. The best sections go into the flagship Command bottling, always a powerful, intense wine.