accolades
In its short history, Ironcloud has won numerous Australian and International awards and received strong praise from respected Australian wine writers.
James Halliday 2021 Wine Companion
5 STAR RATED WINERY
'Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality'
2018 The Alliance Cabernet Malbec / 96 points
"57% cabernet sauvignon, 29% malbec and 14% petit verdot. Machine-harvested, crushed and destemmed, a mix of wild and cultured yeast, 2-3 weeks on skins, a soft press to barrel (30% new) for 18 months maturation. A full-bodied, complex wine, the fruit singing soprano, tannins the base. An imposing wine by any standards, it does need time."
2018 Rock of Solitude Shiraz / 96 points
"Machine-harvested, crushed and destemmed, wild yeast-open fermented, 2-3 weeks on skins, matured for 12 months in French oak (30% new). Intense black fruits harbour a stream of licorice and multi-spices. There's great length and balance, and you keep returning to the very high quality fruit the vineyard provides. Will live for decades."
2019 Rock of Solitude Chardonnay / 95 points
"Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, wild-fermented in French oak (52% new), matured for 9 months. A very interesting wine, the flavour and texture of the fruit tightly coupled, aided by acidity, the aftertaste with a European feel."
2018 Rock of Solitude Purple Patch GSM / 94 points
"85% grenache, 10% mourvedre, 5% shiraz, open-fermented, 10 days on skins, matured for 10 months in French oak (20% new). No surprise that the mouthfeel and flavours should be different to those of McLaren Vale. It's more precise in terms of its flavour and the grenache is less warm - you might assume from the taste that shiraz is the dominant part. It carries its alcohol extraordinarily well."
2018 Pepperilly Shiraz / 95 points
"Machine-harvested, crushed and destemmed, open-fermented, 2-3 weeks on skins, matured for 10 months in French oak. There's a lot on offer here for a wine at this price. While only medium-bodied, there's depth and complexity to the waves of red and black fruits interwoven with tannins and a burst of spices and black pepper."
2019 Pepperilly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon / 93 points
"An improbable 4% new oak for 6 weeks was specified in the support material, but not the blend percentages. No matter. It's about as enjoyable as an SBS can be, oak or no oak. The fruit flavours merge into each other, the finish lifting the profile further."
2019 Pepperilly Rose / 90 points
"Grenache, tempranillo and shiraz, an unusual blend for a rose. Beats a persistent drum of red fruits on the palate; creates interest without overdoing things."
James Halliday 2020 Wine Companion
5 STAR RATED WINERY
'Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality'
2017 Rock of Solitude Purple Patch GSM / 96 points
- Outstanding + Special Value
"Delicious drinking in the classic 60/30/10% blend of grenache, shiraz and mourvedre. All about fragrant red and raspberry fruit with fruit tannins rather than the clutter of oak. It's crunchy and slightly chalky in texture from the grenache, the shiraz and mourvedre adding weight and spice."
2017 The Alliance Cabernet Malbec / 95 points
"The ante is upped with the Alliance wines. Superior density and concentration to the Rock of Solitude wines. More settled, 30% new oak soaked up effortlessly by ripe black fruit. Again, the flow is uncluttered and seemingly effortless, the balance impeccable."
2018 Rock of Solitude Chardonnay / 95 points
"Quartz-green. Complex nose of flint, white flowers and nectarine leading to a palate with grapefruit, more stone fruit and spicy notes from fermentation in oak. The acidity is just right, neatly tying all the flavours into the seamless texture."
2018 Rock of Solitude Cabernet Malbec / 94 points
"A blend of 60% cabernet and 40% malbec, estate-grown. Dark red with bright hues, vibrant black fruit, hints of bay leaf and nicely judged oak support. But it's the flow across the palate that is key. Expansive, soft of tannin but without losing line or length."
2018 The Alliance Chardonnay / 94 points
"Full straw in colour and full box and dice. Stone fruit, yeast and toasty oak (30% new) complexed by whiff of bunt match complexity. Surprisingly elegant and tight at this stage, with a real twang of acidity. Perhaps reflecting its recent passage to bottle, which would suggest better things in the coming year as the wine fills out, and consumes the oak."
2018 Pepperilly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon / 92 points
- Highly recommended + Special Value
"Classic blend in every sense; pale white in colour, dominated by the herbal spectrum of flavours - cut grass, peas and lettuce, citrus poking its hand up. Bright, breezy, fresh and clean on the palate, with refreshing acidity and length to burn. 60/40% in sauvignon's favour."
2017 Pepperilly Cabernet Shiraz / 90 points
"Dark garnet with red hues and solid ripe fruit. Cabernet dominant at 60%, though this is factual rather than important, as it could be either way, with a similar result. Oak a back seat to the ripe black fruit and crunchy tannins."
James Halliday 2019 Wine Companion
5 STAR RATED WINERY
2016 The Alliance Chardonnay / 95 points - Outstanding
"The complex, slightly funck (in the best sense) bouquet has an alliance with the power of the opening statement."
2016 Rock of Solitude Purple Patch GSM / 95 points - Special Value
"A 60/20/15% blend matured in new and used French oak for 10 months before blending. Bright, clear crimson-purple; as you would expect, largely shaped by its grenache component. A lithe and lacy wine driven by red fruits, cherry, raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb all present to a lesser or greater degree on the fresh, medium-bodied palate, given further context by a pinch of spice and silky tannins."
2017 Pepperilly Rose / 95 points - Special Value
"This blend of 70% grenache and 15% each of shiraz and mourvedre comes as a major surprise. It is jumping out of its skin with vibrant red berry fruits and natural acidity. The fact that there is no obvious trace of fermentation and maturation in new and used French oak is doubly surprising - and admirable."
2016 Pepperilly Cabernet Shiraz / 94 points - Special Value
"A 52/48% blend matured in French and American oak (20% new) for 10 months. The attractive and unusual labels on the Pepperilly range will grasp the imagination and be easily remembered, nor will the wine let you down. Blackcurrant ex the cabernet and blackberry/plum ex the shiraz are equal partners in the wrestling ring, supported by ripe tannins and appropriate new oak."
2014 The Alliance Cabernet Malbec / 93 points - Highly recommended
"The complex, slightly funck (in the best sense) bouquet has an alliance with the power of the opening statement."
2016 Pepperilly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon / 90 points
"A 60/40% blend cool-fermented in stainless steel. The flavours are intense, most falling in a citrus spectrum lemon and lime zest, pith and juice leading the way."