Red Knot Classified McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019 (Australia)

Description

• Blackberries
• Orange
• Chocolate
• Tight tannins

Medium / deep purple-red. Pretty aromas of summer blackberries and raspberries are highlighted with notes of orange oil and chocolate earth. Tightly woven fruit and oak tannins give structure and focus to the compote of dark berry flavours. Although hard to resist in its youth, careful cellaring will further soften and enhance this medium to full-bodied McLaren Vale Shiraz.

The region has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters, dry summers and plenty of sunshine. The proximity to St Vincent Gulf, coincidentally named after the patron saint of winemakers, benefits fruit quality with warmer spring and autumn conditions and cooler summers. McLaren Vale is renowned as a premium wine region of great beauty that consistently produces high quality, richly flavoured wines.

A dry winter required early strategic supplementary irrigation on the Davey Estate to assist with bud burst and early canopy growth. Flowering and berry set were good and crops appeared slightly above average. A hail event and strong winds on the 21st of November damaged newly formed bunches particularly on the western side of vines. Damaged bunches shriveled off and vines recovered but crop levels were reduced. Warm dry weather continued through the season resulting in low disease pressure. Summer was generally hot with a record high of 46.6°C occurring. Vines weathered this surprisingly well with minimal damage to fruit. Although on average yields ended up down, quality was good with strong varietal flavours and structural elements. Gentle working of the skins in the winery tempered the naturally high fruit tannins of the vintage. Harvest commenced in the second week of February with Pinot Noir for Rosé and by the end of the month the Tempranillo and early Shiraz for red was fermenting. Picking finished on the 29th of March with a young Touriga Nacional block.