2024 Elenay Shiraz
2024 Elenay Shiraz
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A barrel-selected blend from the Sweetwater Ridge and Pokolbin Estate (Kiss) vineyards. Satiny texture and blue fruited, but with an underlying grunt of concentrated fruit and 'sexy' premium French oak.
This label was first created by what we now describe as a "beautiful accident" in 2011, when a few barrels that were designated to be the famous Kiss Shiraz and Sweetwater vineyard Shiraz didn’t quite match their respective styles. With tongue in cheek, we affectionately referred to these ‘left-over’ barrels as the “Lips and Arseholes” and blended them together to create quite an exceptional Hunter Valley Shiraz. The wine was extremely well received, and since then we have continued the label in subsequent vintages by making an actual "best barrel" selection for the blend.
96 Points - Toni Paterson MW
Gold medal and Trophy - Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Show 2024
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Winemaking Overview
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In the Vineyard
The vineyard composition of this blend will change each vintage depending on how the personalities of each block mesh together on our tasting bench.
The 2024 Elenay blend is a selection of newer barrels from the Sweetwater Ridge (62%) and Kiss (38%) parcels.
Kiss and Sweetwater have been included in every vintage of Elenay since its inception, and the blend this year is almost identical to the inaugural 2011 vintage -
In the Winery
This label was first created from what we now describe as a "beautiful accident" in 2011, when a few barrels that were designated to be the famous Kiss Shiraz and a few barrels of Sweetwater vineyard Shiraz didn't match their respective styles. With tongue in cheek, we affectionately referred to these ‘left-over’ barrels as the “Lips and Arseholes” and blended them together to create quite an exceptional Hunter Valley Shiraz.
Since then, we have worked hard each vintage to create what could be described as a 'best barrel' blend between our various single-site parcels.
Stylistically, the sexy premium French oak can definitely be a feature of this label, particularly as a youngster, but will 'fold in' with the fruit given some time in the cellar.
Bottled 25th June 2025 with 282 dozen bottles produced, and then rested for 11 months before its official release on 16th May 202614.2% ABV
96 Points - Toni Paterson MW (winecompanion.com.au)
"A classic dry red with immense character and charm, rock solid in its integrity and honesty. Red and black fruit are at the fore, with a compelling spice baseline. Excellent concentration and depth. The price is extremely fair for this high level of quality."
Tasting Notes
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Appearance & Aroma
Vivid ruby purple colour.
A complex nose of ripe blue and black fruits. A dusting of deluxe French oak adds volume to an otherwise deliciously meduim bodied frame
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Palate & Finish
The palate is deep and fleshy with ripe, fine tannin around a core of generous dark cherry, red cherry and boysenberry fruit. Notes of sandalwood, cassia, pink peppercorn and licorice strap adding to the complexity. The texture is voluptuous and seductive. This is a layered and bold wine that opens in the glass with a long and generous finish. Drinking well now and will continue to develop complexities for years or decades to come.
WHEN TO DRINK
This wine is drinking deliciously now, but you'll find that sexy oak will become more beautifully integrated with time in the cellar.
Drink anywhere from 2027 to 2037 and beyond.
Trophy
2025 Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Show
Gold Medal
2025 Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Show
The Vineyards
Whilst I have always applied a no compromise, attention to detail approach to my winemaking, I truly believe that 90% of the quality lies in the vineyard. The key to great wine is ‘keeping it simple’ to preserve that potential quality from the vine through to the bottle - Andrew Thomas