Shiraz Western Block 2 2021

This is the prestige release from the team with the fruit, from this wonderful vintage, coming from Block 2 on the Western Block of their McLaren Vale estate. The vineyard was planted in 1998. Fermentation is in open fermenters of varying sizes with fifteen to twenty days on skins. Basket pressing to new and older French oak and then sixteen months maturation, before barrel selection. 30% of the oak was new. Production was less than 150 dozen. 

This is a cracker. An inky black colour with impressions of a vibrant purple. The nose gives us chocolate, mocha, leather, cassis, mulberries, spices, truffles and impressively integrated oak. There is good complexity here and fine balance. A fine boned style of McLaren Vale Shiraz, with good refinement, though full-flavoured. Seamless, with length and silky tannins. Love it. Ten to fifteen years. 96.