“It’s the old dog for the hard road and the puppy dog for the footpath”
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Barossa Valley
Alc/Vol: 14%
Winemaker: John Harris
Colour: Deep dark core with opaque magenta edge.
Bouquet: Lifted aromatics with plums, spice, chocolate, black fruits with olive and aniseed notes.
Palate: Concentrated palate which is defined by exceptional depth and weight, wonderfully framed with some velvety texture and fine-grained tannins. Plum, blackberry and spice all play roles with opulent fruit driving the wine with the complexity being derived from some chocolate, tobacco, aniseed and well-integrated oak having the deftest influence. We release this wine to ensure the drinkability upon release as well as longevity although do suggest allowing this exceptional Shiraz to breathe and allow the tannin to melt away to truly reflect perfectly who we are and where we are in terms of fruit source and sub regional character from another great Barossa Valley vintage, which celebrates our commitment to the region, traditional winemaking, and hands-off approach.
Winemaking: Sourced from two vineyards in Greenock in the western Barossa Valley, the Shiraz grapes were individually picked out in the vineyard for their exceptional quality hence we allow the use of multiple sites to ensure optimum flavour profile. The grapes are picked and delivered to the winery and gently worked through the de-stemmer before being transferred to small open fermenters. The juice is pumped over twice a day for seven days before draining and loading the basket press. The skins are then gently pressed for approximately 20 hours to retrieve more of the essence of the grape. After the wine has completed its malolactic ferment, it is then aged in older 2–4-year-old French oak barrels for 12 months prior to bottling with minimal fining and filtration.
Cellaring: Drinking exceptionally now upon release and I expect it will continue to evolve and drink well for the next 5-7 years at a minimum.