Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This shiraz from the Omensetter Vineyard is made by Brad Hickey, a sommelier from New York who worked a harvest in McLaren Vale in 2007 and decided to change careers. Hickey works with open-top fermenters and a basket press, aging the wine in French oak, one-third new. The substantial tannins seem funky at first, with a scent akin to Brett, but that dissipates with air as the tannins turn mineral and crisply defined. Tight, lean and layered in black, this is a good candidate for the cellar.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple, the SHZ Site Specific opens with tar, earth and black licorice with hints of Szechuan pepper, cassis and baked blackberries. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has good concentration and balance, rounded tannins and a finish that is spicy, long and has earthy and savory nuances.
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.