Vineyard Region: Coonawarra, SA

Grape Variety: Shiraz

Vineyard Conditions: Following a dry winter, early spring rains resulted in excellent budburst, good vine health and fruit development, with the vines showing little effect from the previous year’s frost. Most reds were picked between mid March and early April producing intense wines with great colour, rich, ripe flavours and fine tannins.

Vinification & Maturation: The wine was fermented on skins and pumped over twice daily to ensure maximum extraction of colour and flavour. The wine was then pressed off skins and pumped to new and used French, American and Hungarian oak barrels to complete primary and malolactic fermentation. On completion of primary and malolactic fermentation the wine was racked off its lees and pumped back into the original oak for a further 18 months of barrel maturation. A final racking during this period aided in wine development and clarity. The wood mix for the 2008 Shiraz was 25 per cent new oak – 60 per cent French and 40 per cent American – with the balance made up of second and third use French, American and Hungarian oak, consisting of a mix of puncheons (500L), hogsheads (300L) and barriques (225L).

Colour: Deep crimson red

Aroma: Deep, rich blood plum and spice fruit with toasty vanilla oak

Palate: A rich, round and well structured palate showing ripe plum and mulberry fruit with cinnamon and nutmeg spices, accompanied by fine vanilla and mocha notes from barrel fermentation and maturation. The wine has a long, fine grained tannin finish of lingering fruit flavours.

Chef Peter Howard’s Food Suggestions: Chargrilled point of rump, red wine dark chocolate jus, potato mash and fava beans

Peak Drinking: Drinking well now however should age well with careful cellaring for up to eight or 10 years from vintage date Show