Description
Shadowfax located 30 minutes from Melbourne was established in 1998. Winemaker Alister Timms has a strong focus on regionality with the majority of fruit sourced and hand-harvested from their vineyards in the Macedon Ranges and Werribee as well as small growers in Geelong. Each and every vineyard has its own distinct characteristics and produces grapes of only the highest quality. They have taken tremendous strides in recent times, with the team refining the range and proving their prowess with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their single-vineyard Chardonnays have taken out Best Chardonnay at the Macedon Ranges Wine Exhibition no fewer than five times. Especially noteworthy have been the Little Hampton Vineyard in Macedon’s high-altitude plantings of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Macedon is the chilliest region of Australia’s mainland, perfectly suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and its location south of the Great Dividing Range produces excellent acid retention in grapes. These are the vibrant future of Australia’s cool-climate wine scene.
From the winemaker about this wine … “100% Pinot Noir from the Little Hampton vineyard near Trentham in the Macedon Ranges. Its close planted, the site sits at 730m above sea level and is one of the coolest in the Macedon Ranges. Good spring rains set the season up well. Soil moisture continued through to harvest. The dry summer allowed us to harvest fruit on phenolic and flavour ripeness alone, a rare treat in the Macedon Ranges. Fruit was handpicked in pristine condition and we carefully sorted and destemmed it with 100% whole berries going into small open fermenters. Natural fermentation occurred with daily hand plunging to extract fine tannins and flavour. After two weeks on skins the wine was pressed then racked into second- 4 use French hogsheads and puncheons where it rested and grew. The wine was then blended and filtered prior to bottling. Deep purple with a deep crimson hue.
Floral violets, lavender and rose petal waft from the glass, bolstered by plum and raspberry fruits. Further complexities reveal themselves, such as cardamom, cassis and sarsaparilla. Mineral aspects including gunpowder and graphite provide intrigue. Given time in the glass the Little Hampton’s signature aromatics intensify and seduce.
Raspberry, plum and cherry sap fall immediately onto the palate, along with savoury notes of game, graphite and white pepper. A focused and mineral core has drive, vibrancy and poise. Fine and lacy tannins frame the complex cardamom spice and subtle fruits. The wine has energy and lift that can only been seen in high-altitude, cool-climate Pinot Noir.” – Al Timms, Shadowfax
96 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion “Such a solid performer. It’s wonderfully fragrant; all florals, exotic spices, cherries and cola. Unencumbered by new oak flavour (aged in used French hogsheads and puncheons), it’s all about the purity of fruit and drive across a fuller-bodied palate. It’s laced with velvety tannins and the finish is long as it is fresh.”
95 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “This sees no new oak, and comes from a vineyard that sits 730 metres above sea level. I’m not sure I’d like to be there right now, however. A bit parky.
Forest berries, particularly fresh picked blackberries, briar and rose perfume, mint and spice. It’s lively, a sappy and perky feel, the graphite tannin, undergrowth, almond, and a crisp cranberry finish of precision and length all contribute to its sense of latent potential. It’s a serious, and very very good wine.”
Our Price $69.99 – LAST OF THIS VINTAGE!
(New Vintage also available – click here for Special Buy)
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