The McRae Wood Shiraz 2014

This wine has a dark, inky red hue.  It shows notes of blood plum, cherry and dark berried fruits. Black olive, spice and charry oak also play a supporting role.  The palate is restrained in its youth, whilst having the concentration and depth the McRae Wood is famous for. Maraschino cherry and blackberry fruit complements the tar and aniseed savouriness. While showing fantastic drive and power, the soft integrated tannins add a lengthy finish. Made using the ‘Jim Barry’ method and as such can be enjoyed upon release, but would equally benefit from cellaring to allow the wine to show some mature characteristics that come with age.

Loam over rock, 450m, Continental Climate, North East.

The vines are trained to a permanent single cordon with rod and spur to promote even canopy growth along the cordon for shading and to avoid clumping or crowding of fruit to reduce disease. Foliage wires are utilised to partially lift the canopy to prevent the canopy collapsing and and exposing the fruit to sunburn.

The grapes were destemmed and crushed before being fermented in stainless steel fermenters with heading down boards, which submerged the skins in the fermenting must. This moderated the temperature of the 'cap' while gently extracting colour, flavour and tannins. Pump-overs were conducted twice a day with a rack and return once per day. Fermentation lasted for between 7 to 10 days before being pressed. Malolactic fermentation took place in tank before the wine was racked to French oak where it was matured for 12 months.

12 Months in French Oak