Penny's Hill Cracking Black Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia

Details

Oozing with cherry and dark berry fruits, this McLaren Vale Shiraz is layered with milk chocolate, licorice and finely integrated oak. Showing great depth and generosity, the palate is elegant and well defined. The tannins delicately wrap the fruit and guide it along the palate, resulting in a wine of exceptional length and character. It's vegan too.

Sourced from our estate Malpas Road Vineyard, planted in 1991 on land which was originally referred to as ‘Bay of Biscay’. This is an obvious reference to the relatively infertile cracking, grey-black soil upon which our hand-tended Shiraz patch does its work. The fissures which occur as the black soil cracks apart, sever surplus root structure; a process which naturally lessens vigour and enhances ultimate grape quality. Other fruit parcels were sourced from the slightly higher elevated vines of the Penny’s Hill Vineyard. Detailed canopy management, judicious irrigation and passionate viticultural practices in both these high class vineyards contribute to this outstanding Shiraz.

Winemaking
To best reflect the variation in terroir across our vineyard sites, each Shiraz parcel was harvested, fermented and matured separately. Harvest commenced on the 20th February and the last parcel was picked on the 14th March. After 7- 10 days on skins in open or static fermenters, wines were pressed and filled immediately to the finest French oak barrels. Each parcel was matured for 16 months prior to barrel selection and blending. The final blend consisted of 15% new French oak barrels and wine was bottled in December 2019.


James Halliday Wine Companion = 94 points
This offers exceptional value. 7-10 days on skins before quality French oak for 16 months, a smidgeon [15%] new. This is a plump rich red. The usual cavalcade of black fruits and spice, sure, but what makes this a joy to drink is the effortless mouth feel. A gentle sash of tannins. Floral scents. A trickle of acidity rather than a forcefield. The wine just sits there, buoyant, mellow and juicy.
Reviewed Ned Goodwin. Published August 1st 2020.

Wine Orbit, Sam Kim = 94 points
This is filled with delicious flavours, showing blackberry, sweet cherry, fragrant spice and roasted nut characters, combined with fleshy texture and plush mouthfeel within a solid frame of fine-grained tannins. Upfront and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2033.

James Suckling = 91 points
This is a bold, rich, raspberry, red-plum and chocolate-scented shiraz that has a very plush, fresh and flavourful palate. Velvety red-berry, plum and chocolate flavours. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Real Review, Nick Butler = 91 points
Dark purple colour from centre to the rim. Tapenade, graphite, blackberries and toasty oak - brooding and rich. It’s flavour packed; hard-working vines producing black-berried fruit with ironstone tannins, all held compact by firm oak. Had to double-check the price. Exceptional value.