Sourced from two blocks of Shiraz on the western side of our Rayner Vineyard, where the soils are clay on limestone. Plantings date back to 1950. Fermented using 100% whole bunches and wild yeast, inspired by our time in the Northern Rhone. 90 dozen bottles made.
97 points Halliday Wine Companion
" From a '60-planted block on the Rayner vineyard. Naturally open canopies, along with some carefully curated exposure, result in lignified stalks, so this saw 80% whole bunch. Élevage was in older French oak for 15 months. It’s always tempting to call a wine like this Rhône-like. It’s not untrue, but the comparison irks when this is not imitative, rather singular, and of place. It’s spicy and tarry, suffused with dark Asian spices, meat-curing woodsmoke, cracked pepper, salted licorice, coal dust, dried violet, clove, pumpernickel, dried olive, black cherry, dried rosemary and lavender. Absent a sweet spot, but intensely fruitful in a savoury way, this is linear, elegant and framed with insistent, natural tannins. It’s another exceptional release." - Marcus Ellis
