Toolangi Shiraz 2015

Description

Toolangi Vineyard is owned by Gary & Julie Hounsell who have a clear and simple strategy; grow the highest quality Yarra Valley grapes and put them in the hands of the best winemaker for each varietal – Yering Station, Oakridge and Hoddles Creek make their wine.  This has served Toolangi well and today it stands as one of the star wineries of the Yarra Valley – awarded the coveted Halliday 5 red star rating (top 3% of Australia’s premium wineries).

Made from hand-harvested estate fruit (predominantly from Toolangi’s lower lying parcels), the 2015 Shiraz was crafted at Yering Station. Fermented on natural yeasts with a portion of whole bunches, the wine was matured in a mix of new and used French barriques for 11 months. The result is a fragrant, lively wine, with juicy blackberry fruit complexed by lifted floral and spice notes and a tangy close. A fine year for Yarra Valley Shiraz, and another bargain from Toolangi.

94 points, James Halliday “PT23 clone, hand-picked, machine bunch-sorted, destemmed, wild yeast open-fermented, 3 weeks on skins, matured for 11 months in French oak (30% new). Bright crimson-purple; ticks each and every box you can think of, the red fruits (predominantly cherry) of the bouquet effortlessly glide across and along the medium-bodied palate, the texture supple, indeed silky, the balance impeccable.”

“This wine made me think about two things, firstly the consistent quality of Toolangi who produce exceptional wines across all price points, and secondly a reflection on how good the 2015 vintage has been across South Eastern Australia in general.  At $24 you would be hard pressed to find a better Yarra Valley Shiraz, the nose is dripping with peppery plum and charcuterie notes that gets an inflexion of french oak spice. The palate is a complex melange of dark berry fruit that’s wrapped up with liquorice and white pepper. There is elegance to the mid to back palate with dark cherry, earth and spice combining in an almost pinotesque like way. The finish is more sullen and lingers with blackberry and plum whilst enjoying lasting oak spice.”  Patrick Eckell, winereviewer.com.au, July 2017

RRP $26

(Also available as 6 Pack buy … Click here)