Winemaker's Comments

A Hunter Valley Shiraz, hailing from an individual vineyard located at Sweetwater Ridge in the northern (Belford) end of the Lower Hunter Valley. Planted in 1998, the red/brown loamy soils over limestone are what give this wine its distinctive floral lift and character. The vineyard was relatively vigorous in the early days but has settled into a well-balanced crop level of around 3-5 tonnes per hectare now the vines are getting some age, which ensures even ripening and produces wonderfully concentrated fruit.

This was our first Shiraz vineyard pick for the 2021 vintage on the 2nd of February, attaining full phenological ripeness due to the relatively low crop level this year. Machine harvested during the cool hours of the night. Destemmed, but not crushed, the whole berry fermentation commenced after a two-day cold soak. After 10 days on skins, the wine was pressed off into a selection of new, one, two and three-year-old premium French oak 300L Hogsheads.

The wine spent 15 months in oak before our final blending decisions, with only the very best barrels going to this wine (and a few to our '21 Elenay Shiraz). Bottled in June 2022 and rested for 11 months prior to release in May 2023.

This label is definitely a crowd favourite at our cellar door....

Trophy - 2023 Hunter Valley Wine Show (Best Two-Year-old Shiraz)
Gold Medal - 2023 Hunter Valley Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2023 Winewise Championship
Gold Medal - 2022 NSW Small Winemakers Show

Tasting Notes

Deep bright purple colour with a ruby hue. The nose is bold and provocative with classic black fruit, pepper and violet notes alongside whispers of potpourri, gunpowder tea, cassia and red licorice.

Flavours of ripe mulberry, black raspberry and dark plum are immediate on the medium/full-bodied palate. There are savory hints of blackberry bramble and warm fresh herbs alongside cocoa, coffee and woodsmoke whispers from the well-judged (and sexy) premium French oak. The wine has superb palate length and the ripe, rounded tannins create a tantalizing velvety texture. Complex and moreish.

Delicious drinking now, but will reward some medium-term cellaring
Drink 2023 - 2030+

Bottled - 22nd June 2022
Released - 13th May 2023
Production - 815 dozen
ABV - 14.2%