Two Hands Fields of Joy Clare Valley Shiraz 2023 (Australia)

Description

Cherry, Oak, Spice

Brilliant, bright violet/purple. Expressive bouquets of spice, cracked pepper. menthol, plum, ink, cherry and rose oil. This medium-bodied Shiraz has a dense, round palate with a velvety coating that wraps around your tongue. With flavours of spice, plum, and inky black fruit, complemented by a touch of eucalypt and black pepper. Clare Valley’s hallmark poise and elegance shines through, with tannins that are soft and caressing. As the purple fruits deepen, they carry through to a mouth-puckering finish that lingers with persistent intensity. The wine is creamy and strikingly delicious now, yet it promises to age beautifully for many years to come.

The 2023 vintage was marked by challenges from the outset, with a wet, humid winter creating high disease pressure. A cold, wet November stalled vine growth for weeks, delaying ripening. Once warmer weather arrived, vine growth surged, requiring careful canopy management. A cooler, slower ripening season followed, with yields reduced to match the conditions. Harvest began in late March in McLaren Vale and early April in the Barossa Valley, with picking decisions critical due to uneven ripening. Despite frustrations, the vintage ended on May 2—Two Hands’ latest ever. The resulting wines are of high, consistent quality, reflecting expert management and winemaking.

Crushed and fermented in three and five tonne open top fermenters with regular pump overs; three daily during peak fermentation. Following an average of 12 days of maceration, the dry free run was drained to tank. The skins were then pressed and the pressings combined with the free run, the wine was then racked to barrel. Minimal fining and non-filtered. 12 months in a mix of French oak hogsheads and puncheons with 10-15% new oak.