about this product

A spectacularly individual wine, Wendouree Shiraz typically possesses a core of blackberry/ black olive aromas with complex iodine, wet bitumen, animal hide characters. The low-yielding beautifully formed old Shiraz vines, tortured and serpentine (many from the original plantings), are unique, producing small berries with thick skins and a very high seed content. The fruit is vinified in stainless steel lined open fermenters. Maturation takes place in roughly 20% new oak for around a year. Although there is clarity and buoyancy of fruit on the palate, the tannins are rusty and vice-like. It has been described as "an iron fist in velvet glove" type wine. Bottled under screw cap from the 2009 vintage.

Region Clare Valley

The Clare Valley

The Clare Valley is located two hours north of Adelaide in the Mount Lofty ranges. The region was settled by John Horrocks who encouraged his servant James Green to plant the first vines in 1842. Climate in the Clare Valley is continental with hot summers, cold winters and low rainfall that necessitates supplementary irrigation. Soils in the valley are predominantly red brown loams over shale, permitting excellent drainage. Many of the best vineyards are located at higher elevations of 400-500m on sites that take advantage of the cool breezes that funnel up the corrugation of hills from the south. The Clare Valley is renowned for its zesty fruit-pure Rieslings particularly from the sub-regions of Polish Hill and Watervale. The region also produces intense age-worthy sturdy reds from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.