Description
Shaw & Smith’s first vintage was in 1990, and have over 30 years of winemaking experience in the Adelaide Hills. Founded by cousins Michael Hill-Smith MW and Martin Shaw who are now supported by a formidable team of wine professionals. Making modern expressions of cool-climate wines that reflect site and climate. Own and farm vineyards in Lenswood, Balhannah, Piccadilly and most recently Lobethal. Committed to growing the best grapes possible and managing the vineyards in a sustainable fashion with an uncompromising pursuit of quality – all wines are fermented, aged and bottled onsite at Balhannah.
About this wine from the winemakers: “From low yielding vines in Balhannah and the central Adelaide Hills. The vintage threw up a number of challenges but the weather during the ripening period was extremely kind. February saw perfectly even ripening and resulted in grapes that were small, packed with flavour, and with higher than normal acidity.
“Aged for 10 months in 500 to 600 litre French oak barrels, 20% new, followed by a further 16 months in bottle.
“Shaw + Smith Shiraz is a medium bodied cool-climate Shiraz, in which balance is more important than power. A wine with freshness and lift, and some luscious fruit as well. There’s a combination of red and blue fruits, a touch of white pepper, and good grippy tannins framing the midweight palate. From a cool La Niña season, this Shiraz delivers brightness and vibrancy with ripe fruit and structure that makes it very complete and delicious cool climate Shiraz.”
95 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front “A power of fruit and a power of spices. This is an excellent release. Sweet plums, smoked meats, black peppers and an array of cedar, bunchy herbs, stalk and toast characters. Tannin curls impressively through the back half of the wine; it feels both plush and fresh throughout; and while it’s definitely peppery (and floral) it’s the plummy, boysenberried fruit flavours that drive it. This is bang on excellent.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion “This is delightful. It opens with an expectation: game meat, white pepper, raspberry, tart cherry, some dried herbs and a whiff of truffle. Savouriness and pretty fruit hand in hand. It delivers on the palate, satiny tannins wrap up more of those fruit and savoury elements, game meat and pepper a strong card but beautifully woven through red fruits and sweeter spices. Ribbons of those tannins trail long through the palate; a light dusting of spice lingers. It’s spot-on medium weight, too. So much charm.”
95 points Huon Hooke The Real Review “Deep, dark red-purple with black tints, the bouquet quite whole-bunchy with humus, spice and root vegetable aromas, the palate intense and concentrated with sustained flavour and finely balanced powdery tannins that run long to an extended finish. A powerful yet elegant shiraz drinking well now but with a long life in front of it.”
RRP $68 Our Special Price $49.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine
