The Bengalee left Hamburg with German settlers on 10th July 1838 and arrived in Adelaide on the 19th November, 1838. It is likely a few of these arrivals later found their way to the Barossa Valley becoming part of the fabulous Barossa wine story. We picked up that story in 2008 when we released our first Bengalee Shiraz.
When I have the privilege of tasting a vertical sequence of quality Barossa reds two things stand out. The remarkable quality making them a delight to drink and secondly how the great vintages do shine through, so mature wines like 1998 and 1996 retain better colour and have a taste edge over the others. It takes time to tell us which are the great wines though the beauty of the Barossa comes from the seasonal warmth, so all vintages deliver a high-quality drink.
Smart Australian buyers are well aware of the appeal of Barossa wines, yet global appeal is limited so they are the great wine bargains of all time. A mean basic drink from Bordeaux will cost you more than this Bengalee.
