-
96
/ 100
James Halliday's Wine Companion -
96
/ 100
Ned Goodwin MW
Red
Classification
Shiraz
Variety
2021
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, McLaren Vale
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
10-15 Years
Cellaring
Scores
96 / 100"Fermented with 25% whole bunches; matured in French puncheons for seven months (35% new), then transferred to Austrian and French foudre for 12 months. The sandy ironstone soil is the key driver here, with a lilting fragrance combined with rocky ferrous notes, blackberry, blueberry, tar, tapenade, anise, iodine and a briary herbal complexity. Oak is well integrated, though more time is needed to cohere in general, as this is fashioned to age, and it will do so impressively."
- James Halliday's Wine Companion
96 / 100
"This wine has a fuller body and more obvious extract than its elegant King's Wood sibling. Firmer tannins, too. There are heady aromas of violets, licorice, charcuterie and boysenberries. There is a hint of reduction and barrel-ferment smokiness marking the mid-palate, but this is a classy, polished shiraz with immense flavors and personality. It is clearly built for the mid-term cellar. In '22 this shiraz may well be the superior variety from this site. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2027."
- Ned Goodwin MW
Tasting Notes
VINTAGE SUMMARY A favourable growing season, with good winter rains, a mild flowering and fruit set period and continued spring rainfall. Vines showed good balance of shoot vigour and moderate berry size. The ripening period that began late January was very cool, with some welcome rainfall in mid-February. The cold nights and mild sunny days in March slowed sugar accumulation, resulting in excellent fruit ripeness and intensity. WINEMAKING Hand-picked (24th March), 25% whole bunches, and the remainder destemmed, mechanically berry sorted, and crushed. Open fermenters and on skins for approximately 21 days. A gentle maceration principle of wetting the cap and only draining and returning when reductive. Wild yeast ferment. No pressings are used in this wine. Matured in French oak for a total of 19 months. Kept on lees for 7 months in French oak puncheons (35% new) and then blended to a 2 year old Austrian and French oak foudre and further matured for 12 months. Bottled November 2022. Certified Organic/Biodynamic.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity