Winemaker Notes
Block 6 Shiraz 2015 is the 31st release of this unique singlevineyard wine. The original Shiraz vines were planted byHerbert and Frederick in 1892. In 1984 Cuthbert and ColinKay decided to vinify the Block 6 Shiraz fruit separately, andsince this vintage, it has become the winery’s signature wine.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 1892, the 2015 Shiraz Block 6 is a dense, concentrated example. Mulberry and cherry fruit is compressed into tight layers of fruit that need time to relax and express themselves. In the meantime, it delivers hints of dark chocolate, dried currants and coffee, and even a bit of asphalt. This has the firm structure and crisp acids to age for a couple of decades, so give it some time in a decanter if you're inclined to try it in the next few years.
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Wine Enthusiast
The 2015 vintage of this historic winery's top wine still feels relatively young and primary. It's on the verge of revealing those characteristic complex and exotic savory spices but still keep them hidden away. Right now it shows pleasing aromas of cedar, plum, raspberry and licorice. The palate is where this wine hints at its ability to stand the test of time, as baking spices and plums fold neatly into stony, earthy tannins, creating a wine of power and grace.
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Wine & Spirits
Herbert and Frederick Kay planted these vines in 1891 on a hillside their family continues to farm today, making the wine in the original open-top fermenters. Intriguingly, Block 6 maintains the rustic nature of a farmer’s wine, even as it presents that earthy briskness of tannins with fresh blueberry notes that give the wine energy and lift. There’s fineness to its mineral power, a depth of flavor to serve with a meat-laced eggplant parmigiana.
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.