Adelina Shiraz Mataro 2022

Description

“What I love about the wines is that Jennie Gardner and Colin McBryde can pour just as much passion into producing serious wines with serious labels and serious sense of terroir (Adelina) as they do producing a range of fun, everyday drinking wines with gloriously garish pulp fiction labels …” Max Allen, The Future Makers

The Adelina vineyards are situated in Spring Farm Valley, just south of the township of Clare in SA. Their neighbours include the vineyards of Wendouree, Aberfeldy and Sevenhill Cellars. The small Adelina plantings were originally established around 1910; mostly Shiraz and Grenache with small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The vineyard is right next door to Birk’s Wendouree so we know the terroir is good! The Gardner family has owned the Spring Farm Estate, which is the site of both the Adelina winery and vineyards, since 1986. Prior to the inception of Adelina Wines in 2000, the property was managed by Will and Elaine Gardner, and the fruit was sold to Tim Adams. In 2002, Col McBryde and Jen Gardner, Will and Elaine’s daughter, took over responsibility for the vineyards and launched Adelina wines which are made exclusively from the Estate vineyards. The pair has been involved in winemaking and research since the mid-90s.

Certified organic. The 2022 is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Mataro. The lion’s share of the Shiraz is drawn from a historic vineyard, owned by Jim McDowell and Anne Brown since 1987, but originally part of Wendouree and right next door to Adelina’s Old Block Shiraz. Specifically, the fruit is from the ‘Old 14’ and ‘Experimental’ blocks, both plated circa 1904. There’s also a swig of Shiraz drawn from Adelina’s Block 7, planted in 2013. The Mataro, from Adelina’s dry-grown bush vines, grows on slightly leaner soils of red sands with clay. Both ferments are whole berry (all in concrete) and on skins for nine and 12 days respectively. The grapes were co-fermented in concrete, followed by eleven months in 700-litre seasoned French foudre.

It’s immediately perfumed and highly aromatic with a backdrop of vibrant dark fruits and earthy complexity. There’s a fabulous, mouthcoating structure with assertive acidity and taut, linear tannins. As could be expected from the combination of great vineyards and the savoir-faire of the growers, it packs an incredible punch in the flavour department, the powerful fruit is countered by an earthy grip and spicy depth. Don’t hesitate.

94 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front  “75% Shiraz from 1902 (Aberfeldy) plantings, and 25% Mataro from 2012 plantings (Adelina). Raspberry, blueberry, dried roses, a little mint, some charcuterie, and liquorice. It’s fleshy and ripe, plenty of almost freeze dried small red and blue fruits, almond, rich silty and ferrous tannin, dried herb and orange peel, and while it’s quite a thick and dense wine, it also has freshness and vitality, with a meaty/nutty/saline finish of excellent length. Excellent.

94 Points, Mike Bennie for Halliday Wine Companion “Quite a bit of blue fruit character in this wine, plums, mulberry, blueberry, though it’s tempered with cranberry crunch and bolstered with game meat, anise and some eucalyptus lift. The palate and bouquet match with similar descriptions. The wine is set to medium weight with some grunty earthiness to tannin, salted licorice flavours make an appearance, and a bit of amaro character in the mix. Packed with character, very persistent, serious red wine here.”

94 points, James Suckling “Perhaps my favorite wine of the suite. Compelling aromas of iodine, blueberry, anise, smoked charcuterie and clove, aloft and singing above all else. The tannins, as is the hallmark of the address, refined and lithe and compact and taut. Far more refined than the domestic norm. The finish, tobacco leaf, graphite, menthol and saddle leather. Sumptuous gear. A wine for those after savory structure over obvious fruit. Drink or hold.”

RRP $45   Our Special Price $37.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine