Region: Yarra Valley Grapes: Shiraz First Glance: Perfumed, Blue Fruit, Spice, Complex Acclaim: 98pts
The Wine: Hand harvested, the bunches pass across a sorting table before processing either as whole bunches or whole berries. 50% of the block is fermented and matured in a 3500L upright oak cask containing 20% whole bunches and topped up for maturation with 100% whole bunch component. The remainder of the fermentation is in the Yarra Yering half-tonne open-fermenters, gently hand-plunged twice daily. Air bag pressed to release the last fermenting juice from the many whole berries that remain. The wine then aged for 12 months; 50% in the 3500L two-year-old cask and 50% to French oak puncheons (500L); 10% new oak.
Perfumed cool climate Shiraz; deliciously medium bodied with a lick of aniseed spice. Vibrant blue and black plum fruits bring a fresh energy to the palate along with some liquorice spice layering in structure and complexity. As always from this block we see some cured meat and a smoke-char interest driving the back palate. Medium weighted and driven by fruit purity, oak just a faint background seasoning and a bite of stalk grip interest.
The Review: James Halliday, Wine Companion - 98pts "A medium–deep and very bright crimson. Lifted and immediately appealing with its aromas of black raspberries and violets alongside a cornucopia of spices including cracked black pepper, anise and fennel seeds. A gorgeous medium-weighted, intensely flavoured and long Yarra Valley shiraz with enough tannin to suggest patience will be rewarded. Great stuff."
