Shaw And Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz 2017
SKU
SSBS201710 UCAU
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From close-planted (5,500 vines/ha) low yielding vines at Shaw + Smith's Balhannah Vineyard
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98 Points Decanter Magazine
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94 Point Ned Goodwin
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1 or more bottles$74.99
Editors notes
From close-planted (5,500 vines/ha) low yielding vines at Shaw + Smith's Balhannah Vineyard, planted in 2005. It has a north-facing aspect and the soils are loam over clay, ironstone, quartzite, and shale. 2015 was a remarkable vintage. Above average winter rainfall ensured a good start to the growing season and warm weather in late-December / early-January was moderated by useful rain on the 13th of January. The season concluded with mild, steady conditions and delivered fruit of wonderful quality to the winery. Hand picked and fermented as predominantly whole bunches (70%) and the remainder whole berries, in open fermenters, with gentle plunging and minimal working.
A complex, finely-textured Shiraz expressing the conditions of each vintage and the character of a unique vineyard site.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Bottle Size
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Pepper
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Palate
- Blackberry
- Fruit Cake
- Tobacco
Food Pairings
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Pork -
Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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Decanter
98"Sharp-edged and serious, this raises a very different banner for what Australian Shiraz can be, from a cool, more elevated site. With its snappy bite of stalk and cherry, it suggests the slender refinement of Pinot Noir, but then the mid-palate rounds out with lush red berries and sprinkling of pepper in the tail. The nervy tension of this wine ensures the flavour keeps quivering in your mouth long after the last drop is drained."
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James Suckling
97"A very complex nose with intense red berries, cherries and plums, swathed in complex spice aromas and strong, whole-bunch and oak influence, which combine to drive this to ever more complex heights. The palate has rich, ripe berries, smooth tannins and dark-chocolate flavors in abundance. The smooth tannins are so well crafted. Super fresh and articulate finish. Drink or hold."
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Ned Goodwin MW
94"A mid-weighted shiraz of considerable perfume and class oozing across its ferrous tannic line. Think iodine, blueberry, mace, lilac and a whiplash of peppery acidity sweeping it all long. The mescaline and dill pepper aromas, a legacy of ample whole-bunch, will be absorbed with patience. For now, give an aggressive decant."
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Campbell Mattinson
95"The shiraz vineyard at Balhannah was planted in 2005 and sits at 380 metres asl. It grows outstanding grapes. It has whole bunch, pepper, meat and mescal characters splashed all over it. If that’s your thing, rejoice. If not, steer clear. In that style-context this is a terrific wine, full of flare and fruit, threaded intricately with tannin, lengthy, characterful and sophisticated. Hazelnuts and chocolate soaked into black cherry, blueberry and plum. Top shelf quality."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
Current auction
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Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
South Australia
If you like Australian wine, then you probably like South Australia wine. The rich reds produced there put Australia on the wine-making map of the world. With over 40% of the country's vineyards, South Australia can rightfully call itself the wine state.
Wines are produced in several regions throughout the state, though many are naturally grouped together, like Barossa and Eden Valleys, only 15 minutes apart. They include such regions as Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, The Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully to name but a few!
Barossa Valley boasts some of the oldest vines in Australia dating back to 1843 and produces some of the world's finest Shiraz, whilst the 'terra rossa' soils of Coonawarra is most suited to producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons. If you're a fan of Riesling, Clare Valley is a great place to explore and for a Maritime climate not dissimilar to parts of the Italian coastline, seek out the wines from McLaren Vale.
Adelaide Hills
Famous for their Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir, the viticulture of this region was re-established in 1979 but grapes were planted locally as early as 1839. During the last three decades, Adelaide Hills has emerged as one of Australia’s most exciting cool climate wine region, being known to produce elegant, distinct, sophisticated wines. Located in the Mount Lofty Ranges and only a 30 minute drive from Adelaide, this region is home not only to over 90 wine labels and 48 cellar doors, but also to multiple forests, beef and dairy farms, apple and pear orchards.
Known to be one of the largest geographical wine regions in Australia, the Adelaide Hills are made up of two registered sub regions: Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley. These narrow band of hills stretch across to be approximately 70 km long and 30 km wide and border Barossa and Eden Valleys to the North and McLaren Vale to the South.
The climate of this region is considerably cooler compared to other wine regions in the summer, due to the altitudes of the vineyards being 400-700 meters high. The cooler drier climate produces grapes with ideal fruit composition, creating the perfect balance of flavour and acidity.
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Pairs Well With
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About the brand Shaw and Smith
Shaw + Smith was established in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith MW after having a long held dream of making wine together. It was identified as a leading producer of Sauvignon Blanc by the time they acquired a 42ha property at Woodside, in the Adelaide Hills region. In 1999, Martin and Michael bought a 36ha property in Balhannah, building the attractive winery in 2000 and planting more Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Riesling.
Shaw + Smith's winery is considered as the benchmark for winery improvements in Adelaide Hills. In 2002, a new bottling line was set up, guaranteeing full control of every aspect of production - from grape berry to bottle.
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