Knappstein Mayor's Vineyard Clare Valley Shiraz 2019 (Australia)

Description

• French oak
• Blueberries
• Full of flavour
• Tight tannins

"Another strong class with the 19's offering more consistency and the older wines mixed. The best was Knappstein 2019 The Mayors Vineyards Clare Valley Shiraz. Great to see this famous name being revived to its former glory" World's Greatest Shiraz/Syrah XVI Wine Show, Winestate Magazine, Aug 2021

"This is terrific; the perfumed bouquet shows black/blueberry, floral, vanilla, cedar and fragrant spice aromas, leading to a powerful palate displaying outstanding concentration and depth. It's plush and velvety with layers of delicious flavours. At its best: 2023 to 2039" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2021

"From a Clare Valley vineyard planted in 1969. Fruit-filled and fruit-forward. Luscious plum, blackberry, coffee-cream and mint flavours. Bold of body and of intent. There’s a reasonable kick of tannin here too, lending it shape, but the fruit sweeps straight on through it. Full marks for volume" Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, Jun 2021

Aromas of blue berry, perfume and spice concentrate the nose, with elegant floral undertones providing lift. The palate is long and full of flavour, with a tight tannin profile and framework for the fruit to extend. Excellent tension and precise use of oak will see this wine age amongst the best in its class.

Situated at just over 500m in altitude, the vines of The Mayors Vineyard, in the North East of the Clare Valley provide the fruit for this single vineyard wine. The 52 year old vines were hand harvested and individual blocks kept separate through vinification. The vineyards soils of red loam are dotted with slate and have long produced Shiraz displaying a wonderful balance between savoury aspects and fruit purity.

2019 Vintage produced fabulous wines with generous flavours, good mid palate fruit weight, lovely natural acidity and considerable depth and complexity

Fermented in open fermenters and had plunged to assist preserving flavour and gentle extraction of tannins adding texture. Individual block ferments were kept separate and left on skins until the perfect extraction levels were achieved. The individual parcels were then basket pressed and transferred to selected French oak for 14 months. Careful blending of individual barrels occurred 2 months before bottling.  This wine is only made in years when quality is exceptional, with only a limited quantity of bottles released.