96 POINTS GOLD - James Halliday
“Barossa Shiraz of brooding presence and effortless confidence. Black and red fruits of all kinds, polished and lush. Layers of spice. French oak rises to the challenge yet sits obediently behind the fruit, flanked by high-cocoa dark chocolate and roast nuts. Finely crafted tannins and vibrant acidity coax out a magnificent finish. One of the greatest yet.” - TYSON STELZER
The 2018 vintage saw below-average summer rainfall and light autumn showers. Cool days and nights created mild and even ripening conditions. This favorable climate led to gradual and dense flavor development, resulting in wines with high natural acidity and complex profiles.
Planted on G-Block the grapes thrive in shallow red clay loam overlying shattered limestone. Rows are meticulously oriented north to south, maximising sun exposure with our elevated eastern aspect.
The fruit was crushed, de-stemmed and left on skins in open-top fermenters for 8-10 days, fostering a gradual fermentation at temperatures between 15-18°C. Cap management included a combination of open pump-overs and hand plunging. Once fermentation was completed, the wine was basket pressed to a combination of new (55%) and old French barrels, where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation. The wine spent a total of 22 months of maturation in oak.
Tech Analysis: Alcohol: 14.8% | pH: 3.52 | Acid: 6.8g/L | RS: <1.0g/L
