2015 Catapult The Weekend Australian, James Halliday s Top 100 - NOV 2016 95 POINTS This shiraz is from the big boys school, armed to the teeth with black fruits, bitter chocolate and tannins, lined up with military precision. It is medium to full-bodied, and a dead-set red for prolonged cellaring, its balance ensuring it ll hit the target far into the future. 2016 McLaren Vale Wine Show - OCT 2016 2016 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards - OCT 2016
2014 Catapult James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2017 - AUG 2016 93 POINTS Good depth and hue; regional character remains the foundation for its bouquet and palate from start to finish, juicy blackberry and plum fruit with a veneer of dark chocolate; fine, savoury tannins are also pacemakers. Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Jo Czerwinski - OCT 2015 Representative of the solid values that may be found from Australia for about $20, this medium to full-bodied offers a blend of cherry and plum flavours, with savoury elements of mocha and roasted meat. It s slightly dusty on the finish, making it foodfriendly, ending with hints of cocoa and coffee. 2015 Great Australian Challenge 2015 Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2016 China Wine & Spirits Awards - Best Value DOUBLE
2012 Catapult James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2015 - JUL 2014 93 POINTS This medium-bodied, brightly coloured wine is precisely what you expect from Wirra Wirra, the variety, the region and the vintage: a perfectly proportioned wine with a thin coat of dark chocolate wrapped around the fruit and of savoury, but fine, tannins. Australian Wine Review, Andrew Graham - JUL 2014 The junior member of the Wirra family. Includes 1% Viognier (which im not sure it needs in a warm, ripe vintage). A bright maroon red coloured, this has a much lighter complexion of red fruits in this blend compared to other Wirra less black and inky, more approachable and softly chocolatey. Round and gently, meaty by bright, there is just a hint of peachiness here which gives everything a slightly slippery edge. Good drinking and still quite substantial, though just a little slick and fruity for higher points. Will have broad appeal regardless. The Advertiser, Tony Love - JUN 2014 The Wirra Wirra Catapult takes a tiny 1 per cent addition of the white variety viognier, though in past years that percentage has been greater. The style of the wine is much lighter and brighter than what you would usually expect out of a traditional McLaren Vale shiraz, the Catapult leaning to red fruits with a delicately fragrant nose, medium weight on the palate and an ease and dexterity in the drinking. 2014 Spiegelau International Wine Competition
2011 Catapult 100 Best Australian Wines 2013/2014, Matthew Jukes - 2013 2011 Catapult is every bit as delicious as the lusty 2010 but with a little more guile and definition. The 2010 is a spaniel bounding up to you full of enthusiasm good boy. The 2011 is a Jack Russell, who knows that you have just come in the front door but he will finish what he s doing and then saunter over in due course for a casual high five cooler and a little more interesting! Either way you ll love both wines for what they are and hopefully marvel at just how professional and accurate the Wirra team is at getting the vintage into the bottle without losing any of its charm. Oh, a quick shout out to the 2010 RSW this is a Great Dan on Steroids taking you for a walk. Cuisine Magazine New Zealand, Ralph Kyte-Powell - JUL 2013 4.5 STARS, TOP TEN OZ SHIRAZ Wirra Wirra s McLaren Vale headquarters has a huge medieval-style catapult that get occasional work launching watermelons down the winery driveway. Despite this, they re a friendly mob and so are wines like Catapult. Built on jammy berry and dark chocolate characters, it s layered and fleshy with lovely flow in the mouth, good depth and grippy supporting tannins.
2010 Catapult James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2013 - JUL 2012 Strong crimson-purple; full of personality and life, characters that the late Greg Trott possessed in abundance. There are layers of plum, blackberry and dark chocolate fruit, with oak just a little more obvious than I would prefer at this stage, but holds no terrors for the future. Wine Spectator, Harvey Steiman - AUG 2013 Smooth and inviting, this lithe style lets the blackberry, licorice, smoke and cream flavors cascade into a long and deftly balanced finish. Drink now through 2017. Winefront.com, Campbell Mattinson - FEB 2012 It s not hard to like. It s fleshy and bright, all loaded up with spice notes and prickly plums. It s not heavy or syrupy, it s just a burst of fresh red and black-berried flavour, no skimping. Oz Wine Review, Andrew Graham - SEP 2012 It is not hard to love these 2010 McLaren Vale reds. Rich, even, balanced, intense - so much to enjoy. Wirra is on a roll of late too, so no surprises that this looks good. It s a toasty sort of this year, the oak quite prominent on the nose, but supported by big rich fruit. Plush, smooth, classically proportioned palate of warm berries and cocoa oak with a certain black fruit seam that is very attractive. All plum fruit and wonderfully rounded this is easy Vale red, wanting only a little more definition to be a superstar. Much to like for the dollars regardless. HuonHooke.com.au, Huon Hooke - MAR 2012 91 POINTS Deep red/purple colour. Developed savoury, earthy, meaty bouquet; a trace of soy sauce. Very dry, savoury palate with ample drying tannins. Full-bodied, rich and sweet-fruited, lots of flavour and guts, lots of flesh and alcohol. Nice, generous, cuddly style of shiraz. Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, Huon Hooke - JUN/JUL 2012 BEST BUY WINES $30 AND UNDER Wirra Wirra has an impressive range of shiraz, from the flagship RSW down to quite cheap fare. All are good. This is a nice, cuddly, ample style of soft shiraz designed to drink now and over the next 10 years or so. It s deep purple-red and smells of meaty, earthy and soy sauce aromas, which translate neatly into the mouth where it s full bodied, fruit-sweet and rich, finishing with savoury flourishes. It s fleshy and smooth, with the generosity and warmth you d expect of a 14.5 per cent alcohol McLaren Vale red. The Adelaide Review Hot 100 Wines - 2012 Smoky, meaty, herbal and savoury, snug fitting fruit held by firm, ripe tannins and a chewy chalky palate.