Good winter and early spring rains were followed by a generally dry and mild growing season. After the leaner vintages of 2019 and 2020 it was nice to see a return to long term average crop levels. We had a slow and steady ripening period without any excessive heat spikes which has resulted in super varietal fruit intensity and balanced natural acidity.

2021 was a Mary Poppins kind of vintage; practically perfect! Joch is always loathe to comment favourably about vintage quality, for fear of jinxing things – he can be superstitious like that, but by the end of harvest, the word ‘exceptional’ was heard to come out of his mouth.

Best of Vintage is as the name suggests, the very best (red) wine from the vintage, which gets to spend extra time in the best oak barrels. The process begins when Joch tastes every barrel of current red wine when it is time to start bottling them all. Every barrel is tasted and assessed. Any outstanding barrels are set aside for Best of Vintage.

2021 sees the emergence of Malbec into the Best of Vintage frame. Previously all of our Malbec was sold as grapes to a larger winery, but this vintage Joch decided to keep some back for our own purposes. Malbec is a lesser-known variety in our region (and in Bordeaux where it comes from). It's a super blending wine, bringing deep colour and tannins to the mix.

Each parcel of grapes is open fermented on their skins in small 2 tonne vessels, are pumped over twice daily (to extract colour flavour and tannin from the grapes and skins) and finish ferment in fine oak barrels (French oak generally). Maturation continues in barrel. The 2021 Best of Vintage wine spent about 12 months in oak before blending and bottling.

• The Real Review

   

  Ink black from core to rim. Mulberry compote, vanilla and bitter chocolate aromatics. The palate follows though with a richness that the colour and nose suggested. Lashings of dark fruit and sweet spice complexities all bound with astute tannins that ensure all that weight stays in the right place. Great carry to a long and drying finish.

  95 points Stuart Knox

  #2 out of 20 2021 McLaren Vale Shiraz blends

• 2021
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