Winemaker Notes
Jim Jim was Hugh's faithful Labrador/Kelpie at Hugh Hamilton’s estate in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Every vintage Jim Jim would eat Shiraz grapes only when they were ripe for the picking, so with viticultural skills like that Hugh decided he should get his own brand. A plummy, vibrant, red color. As loaded with character as Jim-Jim himself and just as eager to please. Toasty red-fruit lift. Plums, strawberry shortcake, violets, and light baked spices. A soft and rich palate. Bright with crunchy fruit and lip smacking blue fruited vibrancy.
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.