Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2012

Langmeil Winery is home to The Freedom 1843 Shiraz, believed to be planted in 1843 by vigneron Christian Auricht. Escaping war and persecution in Prussia, Auricht travelled to his new homeland, finding freedom in the Barossa Valley. The original plantings still survive and are some of the oldest and rarest vines in the world.

Great winter rains in 2011 saw vines flourish leading into the season ahead. A reasonably mild summer with only a couple of heat spikes meant vintage kicked off to a normal start in the third week of February. Early ripening Shiraz parcels, early picked Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon for Bella Rouge showed the true potential of the vintage. A timely rain at the end of February brought with it a very mild and dry autumn, with lovely cool nights and a more gentle pace for ripening which allowed vintage to run smoothly, ending mid-April with beautifully ripened Eden Valley Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mataro. Overall, quality excelled with all varieties, making classification difficult yet exemplary. Just the way I like it. I’m excited! - Paul Lindner, Chief Winemaker