2023 VINTAGE
PRE - VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Winter (consistent) | Spring (above average).
TEMPERATURE: Mild Spring and early Summer | No extreme heat.
UPSHOT: Consistent flowering and fruit set | Healthy canopy.
VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Summer (below average) | Autumn (light).
TEMPERATURE: Days (mild - average) | Nights (cool).
UPSHOT: Delayed ripening conditions | Gradual & extended flavour accumulation | Great natural acidity.
2023 THE BEAUTY SHIRAZ
SEPPELTSFIELD VINEYARD
B-BLOCK: Deep red clay loam | Eastern bank of Greenock Creek | Low topographical position | Shaded mornings | North-South oriented rows.
UPSHOT: Ripe yet elegant fruit | Soft tannins | Lifted aromatics.
HARVEST: 20 March – 04 April
2023 THE BEAST SHIRAZ
SEPPELTSFIELD VINEYARD BLOCK:D Block
VINEYARD: Very shallow red clay loam overlying shattered limestone | North-south oriented rows | Elevated Eastern aspect | Long, even sunlight.
UPSHOT: Reduced natural vine vigour
2023 THE BEAUTY SHIRAZ
FERMENTATION: De-stemmed | Combined with wet Viognier skins (3%) | 1/3 fermented off skins in oak | Basket pressed
CELLARING: Drink now to 2034+
2023 THE BEAST SHIRAZ
De-stemmed | 10-12 days on skins | Open pump-overs | Basket pressed | French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) Natural malolactic fermentation | 22 months maturation.
2023 THE BEAUTY SHIRAZ
PROFILE: Blueberry | White florals | White pepper | Sage.
TEXTURE: Soft & subtle | Lovely fruit drive | Soft tannin | Seamlessly integrated oak.
2023 THE BEAST SHIRAZ
PROFILE: Mulberry | Cedar | Blackberry | Vanilla bean.
TEXTURE: Fine grained tannin | Well-structured | Integrated oak.
2023 THE BEAUTY SHIRAZ
96 POINTS, THE VINTAGE JOURNAL
Deep crimson. Fresh blackberry, hint stone fruit aromas with mocha, hint shellac notes. Richly concentrated with ample blackberry, dark chocolate flavours, firm chocolaty textures and underlying wax polish, roasted chestnut notes. Finsishes Claret-firm and tight, Sculptured and high tensile with superb definition and torque. A stallion rather than a show pony. Drink 2028–2042.
96 POINTS, WINEPILOT
The mirror image to their Beast? This stunning Barossa gem has seen Shiraz from the coolest part of the estate vineyards, co-fermented with a dash of Viognier (3%). This is all in the search for elegance and refinement.
The colour here is a vibrant purple/bruised plum. The nose exhibits notes of chocolate, raspberries, cassis, cocoa powder, tobacco leaves, truffles and blackberries. This is beautifully structured and, in Barossa terms, elegance personified. There is immaculate balance, a seamless, sleek and supple texture with a fine line of acidity, silky tannins and impressive length. Youthful, but it really does possess such promise. Twelve to twenty years.
2023 THE BEAST SHIRAZ
97 POINTS, THE VINTAGE JOURNAL
Deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate cedar, black berry aromas with hits of wax polish. Beautifully balanced wine with pure blackberry pastille fruits, velvety form tannins and underlying roasted chestnut, cedar notes. Finishes Claret-firm with minerally notes. A beastly good Barossa Shiraz with very good ageing potential. Drink 2028–2042.
Andrew Caillard MW, Ken Gargett
