DRINKING WINDOW: 5-10 years
PRE-VINTAGE
Leading up to the 2016 vintage, a dry winter and early spring was relieved by 60mm of rain in the first week of November. Consistently warm conditions through late spring and early summer provided ideal ripening conditions with no disease pressure, also bringing expected harvest dates forward. Warmth through December and most of January was followed by a 60mm rain event in the last week of January. This, along with a long spell of mild temperatures provided the vines with some relief.
VINTAGE
The result was a slowing of sugar ripening and thus providing increased flavour development. Harvest dates mostly returned to normality with a good balance of seed and flavour ripeness.
SEPPELTSFIELD VINEYARD
D-BLOCK: Very shallow red clay loam overlying shattered limestone | North-south oriented rows | Elevated Eastern aspect | Long, even sunlight.
HARVEST: 25th Feb - 1st March
WINEMAKING
The fruit was de-stemmed & left on skins in open top fermenters for 8-10 days. After an early heat spike, a slow fermentation was achieved with temperatures ranging from 15-18C. 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 (60%) and 2nd use French barrels, where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation. The wine spent a total of 22 months maturation in oak. No fining or filtration were used in the production of this wine.
PROFILE: Layers of dark fruit and satsuma plum are framed by rich dark chocolate, with white pepper and sweet paprika adding warmth and spice.
BEST WINE OF SHOW - Marananga Wine Show 2016
95 POINTS, THE REAL REVIEW
"Deep red colour with a good tint of purple, the bouquet chocolaty and rich, with overtones of cocoa powder and vanillan oak aplenty. It's big and dense on the tongue, with abundant chewy tannins, ameliorated by a core of fruit sweetness. Mocha, cocoa and coffee flavours. Amazing length. A very big, dense, rich and concentrated wine, which also has loads of allure. It will age long-term." - Huon Hooke
96 POINTS, THE WINE ADVOCATE
"The hulking 2016 Shiraz The Beast is a fine, fine specimen. Cola, mocha and cedar accents give extra depth and dimension to the rich raspberry and plum fruit on the nose, while supple tannins add the impression of feline grace to this full-bodied Shiraz. It’s a big, rich wine, but beautifully proportioned, with a long, velvety finish. To borrow a line from Austin Powers, this is one sexy beast!" - Joe Czerwinski
