Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2009 Shiraz Friends displays warm blackberry, cinnamon and spice box aromas with a medium-full body, nice backbone of acid and medium level of chewy tannins to support the generous fruit through the long finish. Delicious now, it should keep through 2014. Although the property was purchased by their grandfather, brothers Al and Cameron Ashmead are really the second generation of Ashmeads at the Elderton helm since it was their parents Neil and Lorraine that rose to the challenge of developing this into one of the Barossa’s top wineries. The first Ashmead vintage was in 1982. The jewel here is the 8 acre estate vineyard planted in 1894 by Samuel Elderton Tolley (one of the largest 100+ year old vineyards on the planet) that produces the Command Shiraz, with the 66 year old Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard also giving exceptional fruit. Since 2003 they’ve had their own winery and now produce around 40-50000 cases per year with winemaker Richard Langford adeptly forging a range of predominately red wines from the good value end right up to the sought-after collectibles.Importer: John Larchet, The Australian Premium Wine Collection; www.tapwc.com.au