2019 DJL Shiraz

Shiraz (100%)

2019

Margaret River

The growing season began with a late budburst after a relatively cold winter with reasonable rainfall. The cool spring which followed resulted in some uneven flowering and fruit set, and generally lower than average yields. We experienced a significant (and unusual) rain event mid-January which was timely due to the later season, and this was followed by some fine, mild weather to get vintage underway. There was a complete lack of Marri blossom leading up to and during harvest which meant that bird pressure was extreme! Bird-netting was absolutely vital this season. There was a minor rain event coupled with high humidity mid-March which presented some challenges requiring careful fruit selection with some white varieties; however, this gave way to some beautiful weather right through until late April. Fruit for this blend was entirely estate grown on our Stevens Road vineyard in the Wallcliffe sub-region of Margaret River.

Deep red with purple hues

Ripe raspberries, forest fruits and fragrant floral notes laced with hints of peppercorn and mocha chocolate characters, derived from barrel ferment.

A full-bodied, generous wine with plenty of inky fruits; blackberries, redcurrants and spice. The jubey fruits and approachable tannins combine to produce a moreish wine, supple in structure with a wonderful persistence of flavour.

14.0%

750ml

3.49

The fruit was destemmed and then crushed with open rollers to introduce whole berries into the ferment which was carried out in static fermenters at 25oC for 6 days. There were three core components to the blend, each made using quite different winemaking tech; a third of the blend was pressed early and barrel fermented in entirely new French oak barriques, before maturation in large format, older oak after MLF. A third was fermented with 30% whole bunches included in the ferment (this was also matured in large format older oak). The final third was matured in French oak barriques after pressing. While nearly 40% of the wine enjoyed time in new oak, the majority of this was only for about a month, whereas the total maturation time in oak for all wines was 14 months.