"A decadent yet persistently fresh shiraz, showing notes of blackberry tart, hot stones, dried herbs, blueberry cake, quartz, resin and baking spices. The palate is very sophisticated in its delivery of chewy, enveloping tannins, which coat the mouth and remain lithe and velvety at the same time. A driven line of acidity runs throughout plums and cassis, and this finishes long and intense. Minerally and tight, too. Drink in 2026" James Suckling,Top 100 Australian Wines of 2018

"The second release from the close planted Estate vineyard planted in '05, 70% whole bunches, 30% whole berries, open-fermented, matured in French puncheons for 14 months, with a further 14 months in bottle before release. This is an exercise in power, bay leaf staring down any attempt to add red fruits, the tannins of the same ilk, ditto oak. Despite the power, the balance and synergy of the components is undeniable" James Halliday, Wine Companion 2019

"This wine has spicy aromatics as well as concentration and power: the two don’t always go together. There are floral notes as well, and the wine is deep and rich, fleshy and supple with refined texture and seamless flow. An outstanding Shiraz" Gourmet Wine Traveller, Sep 2019

A complex, finely-textured Shiraz expressing the conditions of each vintage and the character of a unique vineyard site. The 2015 is typified by concentration and generosity of fruit, along with floral notes and firm, fine tannins. Has the concentration and structure to develop fine tertiary characters in bottle over the next 15 years.

2015 was a remarkable vintage. Above average winter rainfall ensured a good start to the growing season and warm weather in late-December / early-January was moderated by useful rain on the 13th of January. The season concluded with mild, steady conditions and delivered fruit of wonderful quality to the winery.

Shaw + Smith own two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, totalling 55 ha. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. From close-planted (5,500 vines/ha) low yielding vines at Shaw + Smith’s Balhannah Vineyard, planted in 2005. It has a north-facing aspect and the soils are loam over clay, ironstone, quartzite, and shale. This distinctive site had always shown potential for a single site wine, and in 2013 the winemakers made their first release.

Hand picked and fermented as predominantly whole bunches (70%) and the remainder whole berries, in open fermenters, with gentle plunging and minimal working.

Established by winemaker Martin Shaw and Master of Wine Michael Hill Smith in 1989. Winemakers Martin Shaw and Adam Wadewitz's vision was to make exciting, refined wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills that reflect their sites and climate.