Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2020

Langmeil Winery has a rich history dating back to 1842, when Christian Auricht established one of the Barossa's first trading villages on the banks of the North Para River and named it Langmeil. Auricht had migrated from Prussia in 1838 seeking religious freedom for his family in the new world. He established a smithy and began tending a mixed farm and in 1843 he planted one acre of Shiraz vines on the estate, which is still producing fruit today. The vineyard is believed to be the oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world and is now the source of Langmeil's icon wine, The Freedom 1843 Shiraz. The winery changed hands several times over the years and in 1996, three local mates collaborated to purchase and restore the property. They revived the old vineyard and named it The Freedom and Langmeil's first harvest from the vineyard was in 1997. Today, Langmeil is family-owned and internationally recognized as one of the Barossa's premium wine producers. The winery attracts visitors from all over the world to its cellar door and the restored village grounds. Langmeil's commitment to making wines that express and embrace the unique characteristics of the Barossa high country is evident in its custodianship of the historic Eden Valley vineyard, which is home to the Pure Eden Shiraz vineyard and the single vineyard old vine Wattle Brae Riesling and High Road Chardonnay. 

The Freedom 1843 Shiraz from Langmeil is considered to have been planted in 1843 by a wine grower named Christian Auricht. Auricht, who was seeking refuge from war and persecution in Prussia, migrated to the Barossa Valley and found freedom there. The original plantings still exist and are among the world's oldest and rarest vines. The Freedom 1843 Shiraz has been lauded by wine critics and was re-classified in the prestigious Langton's Classification VII honour roll in the 'Outstanding' category, which describes "The best of Australian winemaking practices, vineyard provenance and regional voice." The Freedom Cellar, which was originally the Cobbler's shop in the historic trading village, has been restored and is now the ultimate location to sample Langmeil's Old Vine Garden wines as part of an intimately hosted winery and historic vineyard experience.

The 2020 vintage was one of the smallest in fifty years, as a result of an extremely dry growing season. Spring frosts, followed by hot and windy conditions during flowering, further exacerbated the situation. The heat persisted in December and January, while a cooler-than-average February caused the reduced crop to ripen quickly. Despite the challenges, the vintage produced juice of exceptional quality, characterized by great concentration, flavour and colour. As a result, the year is considered ideal for producing rich and full-bodied wines. The 2020 vintage of Langmeil's The Freedom 1843 Shiraz boasts a deep crimson colour and a powerful aroma of ripe Satsuma plum, mocha, vanilla and savoury notes, with subtle hints of cedar and sweet spices. The wine's palate is characterized by rich, sweet fruit that is beautifully balanced with briary and sweet spices, as well as silky tannins. This full-bodied, textural wine displays great complexity with notes of cedar and allspice flowing through to the lengthy, brambly fruit finish. Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2020 pairs well with Kangaroo steak with plum sauce, lamb shanks, grilled or roast beef and hard matured cheese.

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa, South Australia
Vintage - 20
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 15%