Winemaker Notes
Shaw + Smith Shiraz is a medium bodied cool-climate Shiraz, in which balance is more important than power. The 2017 vintage was very cool, and Shiraz was picked four weeks later than usual. The wine is particularly fragrant as a result of the season.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A cooler vintage has bent this to a peppery and spicy zone with a very fragrant, sappy delivery of bright raspberries, red plums and blackberries. Oak bolsters the spicy direction of the fruit here. The palate has a succulent and mouthwateringly fresh core of red fruit with sleek and long, polished tannins. Red-cherry and plum finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Shiraz (again, as the others in the vertical also do) leads with the roast meat juices and star anise/clove characters. In the mouth, the fruit is ripe and plump and speaks of mulberry compote and plum flesh. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
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.”
A narrow band of hills and valleys east of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills region is a diverse landscape featuring a variety of microclimates. In general it is moderate with high-altitude areas cooler and wetter compared to its warmer, lower areas.
Piccadilly Valley, the part of Adelaide Hills closest to the city, was first staked out by a grower named Brian Croser, in the 1970s for a cool spot to grow Chardonnay, then uncommon in Australia. Today a good amount of the Chardonnay goes to winemakers outside of the region.
Producers here experiment with other cool-climate loving aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Charming sparkling wine is also possible. On its north side, lower, west-facing slopes make full-bodied Shiraz.