OUR
STORY
Golden Amrita, a small estate vineyard situated in Barossa Valley, famed wine-producing region northeast of Adelaide, South Australia acquired in 2017 by The Liu family renowned for making the finest aged Pu’er Tea in Yunnan Province, and subsequently set about to lavish the same care to the viticulture of the vineyard as they give to their precious ancient tea trees in Yunnan.
Amrita is an ancient Indian word meaning "Nectar of the Gods”.
15 hectares of Shiraz grapes were planted in 1998 on red-brown loam over red clay and layers of limestone. This soil profile means the roots have had to work hard to penetrate the clay layer in the early years and some 20 years on, it is yielding low crops of dark, concentrated Shiraz grapes.
Expertly managed by a sixth-generation family of Barossa vignerons, the gently sloping vineyard has an altitude of 320-340 meters above sea level. Using Rod and Spur pruning, all the viticultural work is aimed at producing a low crop of the highest possible quality of grapes.
OUR
VINEYARD
2019 Golden Amrita
Estate Reserve Shiraz
A special selection of vines at the bottom of the gently sloping vineyard, where a deeper red soil over a layer of limestone provides excellent drainage to the soil. These amazingly concentrated and powerfully flavoured Shiraz grapes are ideal for the production of the Estate Reserve.
Tasting Notes
Deep in colour. Rich, complex aromas of ripe mulberry and blackberry fruit combine with cedar and spice notes. The palate is multi layered, with ripe dark fruit flavours, liquorice, sweet cedar and spice character in a rich, round and incredibly smooth palate. Firm ripe tannins give the wine a lingering finish and provide the backbone to a wine that will cellar well for the long term. A powerful, complex and harmonious expression of this special vineyard site.
2019 Golden Amrita
Single Estate Shiraz
This single estate wine is blended from a number of different parcels that were harvested and fermented individually at optimum ripeness, then aged separately for 18 months in new and one-year old American oak barrels prior to final barrel selection and blending. This wine is a true reflection of the excellent terroir of this special vineyard site to produce classic, richly flavoured Barossa Valley Shiraz.
Tasting Notes
Deep in colour, full bodied and richly textured Shiraz, with vibrant blackberry fruit characters combining with sweet oak characters in a smooth palate and finishing with ripe, lingering soft tannins. Whilst drinking well as a young wine, this classic Single estate Shiraz will reward careful long-term cellaring.
2020 Golden Amrita
Single Estate Shiraz
The 2020 season was an excellent season in the Barossa valley with more moderate temperatures across the growing season than 2019 giving wines of excellent fruit character and body. The introduction of a small amount of whole bunch fermentation, the introduction of French oak and less new oak has produced a wine with outstanding fruit character, body and structure. A wine that will reward cellaring for many years to come.
Tasting Notes
Deep in colour. Vibrant blackberry and mulberry fruit characters combine with sweet cedar and spice in a rich, ripe, full bodied yet smooth and well structured palate that finishes with lingering soft tannins.
2020 Golden Amrita
Lùmenval Moppa Shiraz
Our Lùmenval vineyard (Lù- deer, Men – human, Val – valley) is based on the site of an old deer farm. The 26 year old vines grow in a sandy loam soil with ironstone overlaying a rich orange clay, which produces low yields of small berried bunches of highly flavoured Shiraz grapes. A small component of whole bunches are included in the batch fermentations to lift fruit aromas. This wine is a selection of the best parcels from this vineyard aged in a combination of a ceramic egg, a large format vat and fine grained French oak barrels (new and 1-2 year old) for 18 months, then bottle aged for 12 months prior to release.
Tasting Notes
Bright lifted aromas of blueberry fruit and some violet and lavender notes typical of Moppa Shiraz integrate with sweet cedar and savoury aromas. A rich, complex and savoury medium bodied palate with sweet cedar spice and dark blueberry fruit lead to a firm, fine grained tannin structure and great length typical of Moppa Shiraz.
2021 Golden Amrita
Sunshine Hill Shiraz
The Sunshine Hill Shiraz is a blend of our Greenock and Moppa vineyards. Both vineyards have vines a little over 25 years of age. The name comes from the town of Greenock (meaning Sunny Hill in Gealic) which is situated between these two vineyard sites. When the Liu family first visited the Barossa Valley they were enamoured with the brightness of the sunshine and the luminescent moonlit nights, hence naming this wine to reflect that.
The individual batches of these vineyards are aged separately in predominantly 1-3 year old French and American oak, plus a small percentage of new oak, for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.
Tasting Notes
Deep rich colour. Aromas of ripe blackberry and plum combine with sweet cedar oak notes and a hint of aniseed. The palate is richly flavoured with ripe fruits and dark chocolate characters followed by a long, firmly structured finish. A wine that can be enjoyed young for its plushness and vitality but also will age well for 10 years or more if cellared well.
AWARDS
2020 Golden Amrita Single Estate Shiraz
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International Wine Challenge (IWC), London – Trophy for the Best Barossa Valley Shiraz of Show, Gold medal, 95 pts
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Winestate Magazine, Australia – World Shiraz Competition - 98pts and Equal Top of Category.
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The Drinks Business Magazine (UK) Global Syrah Masters Competition – Gold Medal
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The Drinks Business Asia – Asian Syrah Masters Competition – “Master”. The “Master” award is the highest possible in the competition - only a very small number of wines are awarded this accolade.
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The Drinks Business Asia 2022 Winter Tasting – “Master”
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Melbourne International Wine Competition – Gold Medal, 95 pts
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2022 Mundus Vini, Germany – Gold Medal
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2022 Hong Kong Int Wine & Spirit Comp (HKIWSC) – Gold Medal
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2023 Hong Kong International Wine Competition (HKIWSC) – Gold Medal
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2023 Syrah du Monde Wine Competition (France) – Gold Medal
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2023 The Drinks Business (UK) Global Syrah Masters – Gold Medal
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2023 The Drinks Business Asian Syrah Masters (Hong Kong) – Gold medal
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2024 International Wine Challenge (UK) Gold Medal
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Rob Geddes MW - 95pts
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2024 Wine Showcase Magazine - Gold Medal
AWARDS
2019 Golden Amrita Single Estate Shiraz
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2021 & 2022 Mundus Vini, Germany – Gold medal
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Winestate Magazine, Australia – World Shiraz Competition – 97 pts.
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The Drinks Business Asia – Asian Syrah Masters Competition – “Master”. The “Master” award is the highest possible in the competition.
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Andrea Pritzker MW – 95 pts. Andrea’s tasting notes were “Deep inky ruby colour. Opens with an attractive medley of fresh blueberry, blackberry & mulberry. The palate is rich, full-bodied & well-structured with plentiful ripe tannins & a long finish. A generous wine showing ample concentration and beautiful balance.”
AWARDS
2020 Golden Amrita Lùmenval Moppa
Shiraz
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The Wine Journal – 95 points, Andrew Caillard MW
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2023 The Drinks Business Asian Syrah Masters (Hong Kong) – Gold medal
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2024 Wine Showcase Magazine - Gold Medal
AWARDS
2021 Golden Amrita Sunshine Hill Shiraz
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Gold Medal, Sakura Women's Wine Awards - Japan
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Gold Medal. Melbourne International Wine Competition
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2023 The Drinks Business Asian Syrah Masters (Hong Kong) – Gold medal
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2023 Hong Kong International Wine Competition (HKIWSC) – Gold medal
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2024 International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) - Gold Medal
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2024 Wine Showcase Magazine - Gold Medal
OUR
WINE-MAKER
Kym Milne MW. Kym is a winemaker with over 40 years of experience. In 2013 Kym was listed in the Top 10 Most Influential Winemaking Consultants worldwide by The Drinks Business Magazine (UK). Some recent awards include Winestate Magazines Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2014 & 2015, and the 2019 Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London.
For the Golden Amrita wines, different sections of the vineyard are selected and each batch fermented separately in small open fermenters. The wine is then basket pressed and aged in the finest predominantly new American and French oak barrels for maturation.