Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz 2017
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Robert
Parker -
Wine &
Spirits -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
This wine is deep garnet in color. Perfumed aromas of musk, blackberry, dried herbs and clove are supported by underlying notes of wood smoke. The palate is loaded with generous fruit, spice and balanced by fine savory tannins on the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted out of new Heinrich oak, the 2017 Hillside Shiraz comes across as a bit floral and confectionary, with bold cherry and blueberry flavors. It's medium to full-bodied, with hints of toasted popcorn on the long finish.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Wine & Spirits
Gamey and rich, this is a fully oaked shiraz with staying power. The blueberry flavors feel a little loose and soft, but the tannins keep it in a clean, tight and spicy line that benefits from several days of air. Cellar this for a year or two before decanting with grilled lamb kabobs.
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James Suckling
Aromas of red-plum compote and creamy baking spices abound here. The oak is assertive, but the fruit laps it up on the palate with a smooth, spicy-plum core.
Other Vintages
2020-
Australian Wine
Companion -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker -
Wine &
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Wine
Enthusiast
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine &
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
Established in 1890 by Australian born brothers Herbert and Frederick Kay, it is the oldest McLaren Vale
winery still in the hands of the founding family, with Herbert’s grandson Colin Kay continuing the family
winemaking tradition. Bordering St. Vincent’s Gulf, 24 miles south of Adelaide, the Kay Brothers
McLaren Vale vineyards grace the rolling foothills of the Southern Mt. Lofty Ranges. The winery is
located at the top of a hill three miles from the McLaren Vale Township and the cellar door, which is part
of the original winery complex, boasts some stunning panoramic views of the surrounding picturesque
valleys and hillsides.
The Kays are specialists of traditional grape growing and winemaking, utilizing grapes from their own 54
acre vineyards to produce their wines. The main grape variety grown is Shiraz (including the 1892
planted Block 6) followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mataro (Mourvedre) and Muscat
Blanc. Colin’s winemaking philosophy is to make rich full-bodied fruit-driven wines (using the original
open fermenters and basket press) with a minimum of 18 months aging in small American oak casks.
The Block 6 Shiraz & Hillside Shiraz spend up to two and a half years maturing in a combination of
American, Eastern European and French oak barrels.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.