2024 Kiss Shiraz Magnum
2024 Kiss Shiraz Magnum
Our flagship single vineyard Shiraz has become a modern benchmark for the Hunter Valley.
This wine clearly demonstrates that Hunter Shiraz can achieve amazing intensity and concentration, all within a medium weight frame.
In heartbreaking and devastating news, this iconic 57 year old block of Shiraz has fallen victim to developers, with over 90% of the vines being bulldozed to make way for a housing estate.
This genuinely world class Shiraz will be the last vintage of Kiss as we know it....
97+ Points - Toni Paterson MW
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Winemaking Overview
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In the Vineyard
A warm and dry growing season resulted in an early, fast and furious harvest period in 2024, with significantly lower yields than last year.
Kiss Shiraz is a cheeky name for a serious wine - it is an individual vineyard Hunter Valley Shiraz, grown on the tough clay/loam soils of the Pokolbin Estate vineyard (planted 1969). These naturally low-cropping vines consistently produce fruit with exceptional depth and concentration.
In heartbreaking and devastating news, this iconic 57 year old block of Shiraz has fallen victim to developers, with over 90% of the vines being bulldozed to make way for a housing development. This will be the very last vintage of Kiss Shiraz as we know it.... -
In the Winery
This is the flagship Shiraz for Thomas Wines, expressing the very best qualities of each vintage. The very first vintage of Kiss Shiraz was in 2001, and since that time, this label has received countless wine show awards and accolades, and has become a modern benchmark for Hunter Valley Shiraz
This vintage was hand-picked on the 2nd of February, cold-soaked for 24 hours, and then fermented on skins for a further nine days. The wine was then matured for 16 months exclusively in premium French oak (300L) hogsheads, 20% of which were new barrels, the balance being one and two-year-old oak.
After bottling, the wine was rested in our climate-controlled cellar for 11 months before the official release on the 16th of May 2026.
Whilst this wine is certainly enjoyable in its youth, it is destined to be regarded as a classic in years to come.14.0% ABV
97+ Points - Toni Paterson MW (winecompanion.com.au)
"This is the last vintage of Kiss shiraz from the 1969-planted Pokolbin Estate vineyard, bulldozed to make way for a housing estate. It feels profoundly wrong that buildings can be heritage listed, but not vineyards. Thankfully, cuttings were taken, so the genetic material can live on. But what a wine to close this chapter! It has a wafting berry perfume, and a dark, intense, memorable palate that marries power with energy and finesse. It feels like a mandala in a glass, reminding us that nothing is permanent and that beauty deserves our full attention while it is here. The only redemption is that this vineyard helped make Andrew Thomas the extraordinary winemaker that he is today, a truth no piece of heavy machinery can ever erase"
Tasting Notes
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Appearance & Aroma
A brilliant purple ruby.
The nose offers elaborate dark berries and fruits alongside Espresso, cracked pepper, violets and Middle Eastern spice from time in deluxe oak.
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Palate & Finish
There's a seamless and flirtatious texture that draws you into the palate, with fresh blackberry, dark cherry, açai and blueberry fruit with notes of Valrhona chocolate, pink peppercorn, hazelnut and graphite. It’s powerfully varietal and yet elegant with a refreshing and long finish.
WHEN TO DRINK
The very nature of the tight and intensely inward-focused structural core of this wine lends itself to long-term cellaring.
However, it's already so damn delicious even as a youngster you're going to need some willpower to hold.....
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