Penny's Hill Cracking Black McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023 (Australia)

Description

Mocha, Oak, Spice

"Upfront and generously expressed, the inviting bouquet shows black and blueberry intensity with toasted spice, game, and elegant oak nuances. The palate displays excellent weight, fleshy texture, and finely polished tannins, finishing persistent and velvety. At its best: now to 2035" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Feb 2026

Ripe plum, dark chocolate, olive and tar notes introduce this rich McLaren Vale Shiraz, with aromatics that carry an enticing savoury edge. The palate follows with brooding layers of dark plum flesh, olive tapenade, briary red fruits and a touch of sweetness from French oak. There is a regal feel throughout, with plush fruit and midpalate depth that reflect the cracking black vineyard soils surrounding the Penny’s Hill Estate.

The historic 'Ingleburne' homestead marks the spot for Penny's Hill Estate located at the heart of McLaren Vale. Since 1988, the family owned winery has sourced fruit from its estate-grown vineyards and is renowned for producing exceptional wines from premium vineyards.

Our Malpas Road Vineyard, established in 1991 on land known as the 'Bay of Biscay' , produces high-quality Shiraz with the help of our careful vineyard management. The grey-black soil, prone to cracking, improves grape quality by reducing superfluous roots and naturally controlling vigour. We also source fruit from the more elevated Penny's Hill Vineyard at McMurtrie Road East, producing exceptional Shiraz with more fragrance and a finer tannin profile.

To highlight the diverse terroir across our vineyard sites, we harvest, ferment and mature each parcel of Shiraz separately. Each parcel was cold-soaked for 48 hours and then fermented on skins for ten days. The wines were then filled into French oak barriques and matured separately for 16 months before being blended and ready for bottling.

Food Pairing: Balanced savoury tannins and juicy, mouth-watering acidity complete the wine, making it a perfect match for slow-cooked Sri Lankan beef curry or eggplant caponata on toasted sourdough.