St John’s Road review

This Barossa winery assembles an A-team with experience all over the world.

St John's Road brings together an assortment of talent and wisdom gained either directly over a lifetime in the wine world or circuitously, yet rapidly.

Take fresh-faced senior winemaker Phil Lehmann, youngest son of Barossa giants, the late Peter Lehmann and wife Margaret. What does he do on leaving school? Despite his family name, he gains an honours degree in electrical engineering at Adelaide University. Plan A was smartly followed by Plan B as he set off on a two-year wine odyssey through the Napa Valley, Stellenbosch and Burgundy. Returning to Australia, he gained a graduate diploma in oenology at Adelaide University, followed by 10 years of winemaking with Yalumba, Peter Lehmann and Teusner, ultimately joining St John's Road as senior winemaker in July 2013.

Assistant winemaker Charlie Ormsby studied history and English, obtaining his BA from Adelaide University in the mid-1990s. After several years as a librarian he realised the career opportunities weren't great, so in 1998 he arrived at Peter Lehmann Wines as cellar hand and worked alongside Phil Lehmann for five of the next 12 years. He took wings to work in California, but returned to the Barossa to work for Kym Teusner, the move to St John's Road in 2014 inevitable.

Brian Walsh (retired from Yalumba after decades in the senior management team) is a consultant of the highest calibre. He is of similar experience and age as gravel-voiced, visionary chairman Robert Hesketh, with 50 years of trailblazing experience in every facet of growing, making and marketing wine across the world. Son Jonathon Hesketh is the "proprietor and principal debt holder", who puts his skills into running the business "to feed two dogs, four children, two cats, four chickens and an ever-so-patient wife, Trish", the "chief task juggler and binding agent".

2015 St John's Road Prayer Garden Selection Resurrection Vineyard Barossa Valley Grenache

Aromatic lively red fruits, with some red jube nuances. Grenache as it should be; doesn't go soft on repeated tastes; as much dark as red fruit, its length and balance as pleasurable today as it will be in five-plus years. 14.5% alc; screwcap.

94 points; drink to 2023; $28

2015 St John's Road Block 8 Maywald Clone Resurrection Vineyard Barossa Valley Shiraz

Full crimson-purple. Pure, intense, its characters border on minerality; great vitality and length. The reason? Its alcohol, more than 1% lower than the Barossa Valley average. 13.4% alc; screwcap.

96 points; drink to 2035; $38

2014 St John's Road The Evangelist Barossa Shiraz

Strong colour; exceptional mouthfeel ex tannins; much more savoury, but not at the expense of dark black fruits, anise; from three old-vine vineyards in Eden and Barossa Valleys; very good tannins. Matured 12 months in French hogsheads (50% new), blended and matured for a further six months in older French oak. 14.5% alc; screwcap.

96 points; drink to 2039; $50