Sevenhill Inigo Clare Valley Shiraz 2018 (Australia)

Description

• French & American oak
• Dark chocolate
• Red currants
• Silky tannins

Aromas of red currants, sarsaparilla, dark chocolate and sweet spice lead to a palate of vibrant fruit and silky tannins. A moderate maturation in French oak hogsheads has maintained freshness whilst adding complexity and grace.

Here is a generous Shiraz made with fruit from vineyards more than forty years old, namely the Brother Lenz dry-grown block and Brother Dan block. These older vines, combined with more recently planted blocks, provide fruit of great depth and diversity.

The 2018 vintage started at Sevenhill on February 27 and finished on April 10. Although spring and summer were very dry, rain at critical times during the growing and ripening season ensured sound development of the fruit. Warm days and cool nights leading into vintage and during the harvest allowed gentle development of the crop, which meant the fruit could be picked at optimum ripeness. Reds are considered to be the standout varieties of this vintage.

Sevenhill have several open-top fermenting vats. Made from large slate slabs quarried from the nearby town of Mintaro, the size of these oldworld vats is perfect for Shiraz. A large surface area of wine in contact with the fermenting skins gives the best extraction of colour and flavour. Each fermentation is plunged by hand, with careful consideration of the fermentation's rate, temperature and flavour extraction. The wine was basket-pressed and matured in new French barrels (15%) and older French and American oak (up to four years).