2019 The Hedonist Reserve Shiraz Organic

This wine has a deep red colour with some crimson hues. The bouquet is lifted with perfume, with fresh red to dark fruits, dark chocolate and a nutmeg and clove lift. On the palate this wine is generous with complexity and texture. Red to dark berries continue through to the palate enhanced by fine, velvety oak tannins creating a lengthy and moreish finish.

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Viticulture

A very dry winter and spring, coupled with record heat and dry conditions throughout summer led to an early and condensed vintage. Yields were only slightly down on previous years despite the challenges associated with low rainfall in the growing season. January was Australia's warmest on record. McLaren Vale experiences record heat - 46.2°C on the 24th January. The conditions lent themselves to smaller berries with good concentration of flavour.

The fruit for the Hedonist Reserve Shiraz comes from two organic/biodynamic certified vineyards.

One sit is an iconic vineyard in Kangarilla, which produces a slightly cooler climate expression of McLaren Vale fruit due to it's sandy soils and higher altitude. The vines are shoot and bunch thinned, with particular focus on pruning and vertical shoot position trellising.

The second site is our estate vineyard, situated in the Willunga Foothills where warm summer days are cooled by evening sea breezes from St Vincent's Gulf, which lies a close proximity to the West. The soil is rich loam over clay with patches of underlying limestone, adding a richness to the palate.

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Vinification

Fermented with indigenous yeast after harvest. Whole berry ferment was lightly pressed after 21 days on skin in open top fermenters. Élevage took place in a combination of new French hogsheads and a third fill, large format foudre. Minimal sulphur added. No fining.

Oak Treatment:
50% New French Oak
50% Third fill French Oak
Foudre for 24 months