Little Giant Barossa Shiraz 2024 (Australia)

Description

Blackberry, Oak, Vanilla

Blackberry and dark chocolate fill the glass with the wine’s maturation in older oak adding licks of vanilla and cedar. The finish is soft and vibrant with fine silky tannins.

The southern hairy-nose wombat is smaller than other wombats but is stocky, robust and the proud state emblem of South Australia. Like the might of the little wombat, Little Giant is crafted from premium regional South Australian fruit from established vineyards that deliver character and interest well above their size and weight.

Hand-crafted and made with minimal additions and preservatives, these are wines made of the vineyard. The grapes are picked at optimal ripeness, minimally handled in the winery and fruit vibrancy is not hidden by non-essential artifact. Seeking first and foremost fruit expression, drinkability and to be a great accompaniment to food. Don’t let the size fool you, these are wines you’ll want to drink.

The 2024 Barossa vintage was earlier than usual, driven by a dry winter and spring with below-average rainfall, leading to early bud burst and some frost damage that reduced yields to 50–90% of normal. A mild, dry summer kept disease pressure low, while a late burst of heat in March brought reds to full flavour and tannin ripeness. Growing season temperatures were right on the long-term average, and dry conditions meant pristine fruit was harvested at ideal ripeness.

Little Giant Shiraz is crafted from fruit sourced from select premium vineyards of both the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Picked in the cool of the morning to retain freshness, the fruit is de-stemming and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine then spent nine months in used large format French and American oak barrels to build structure whilst softening the palate and develop flavour complexity without overt extraction of oak characters.

Food Pairing: Pair with hearty dishes and red meats.