• French oak
• Dark cherry & plum
• Black pepper
• Chew tannins

This Estate release is defined by traditional red wine making techniques delivering a wine of noted dark cherry and plum fruits that sit most satisfyingly alongside savoury, spice and black pepper notes. Earthy, chewy tannins will support cellaring out to 2028/2032.

Tahbilk Shiraz is sourced from nearly 30 hectares of vines planted at various times from the 1930s through the early 2000s. Crafted with a commitment to traditional wine making values, fermentation takes place in original open vats over 155 years old, with maturation then in similarly aged large French oak prior to bottling. Smaller predominantly French oak barrels are also used, with the wine from these blended back during the final filtering and bottling. The resultant releases are noted as being fruit-driven wines of much flavour and substance, proven over the years to develop added character when cellared.

Vintage 2016 started dry with only two thirds of the average rainfall for winter recorded, followed by half the usual for September and budburst and then none measurable at all in October. The vineyard managers were watering two weeks before budburst and through to January when a massive thunderstorm dumped 86 mm of rain in just two hours with some parts of the Old Tahbilk vineyards also hit by hail storm damage. Fortunately cool windy days followed with no mould or other diseases evident. The harvest itself was 'compressed' with many of the red blocks going through veraison at the same time as the whites, leading to the same amount of grapes being taken in but in a shorter period of time. Despite the early and quick vintage, the flavours were good with crisp and delicate whites and most reds picked at optimum ripeness showing juicy and bright fruit. Overall a good to very good vintage in terms of quality and quantity.