Vineyard:

Our 2021 Reserve Shiraz is meticulously crafted from grapes cultivated on block 2 of the Western Block, a longstanding premium area within the Lloyd Brothers McLaren Vale Estate. This block has consistently delivered exceptional quality over the past few decades, having been planted with Shiraz clone 1654 in 1998, totaling 2898 vines.

Geology of the Lloyd Brothers McLaren Vale Estate Vineyard:

Situated on the Blanche Point Formation in the Eocene group, with an age spanning 56 to 34 million years, our vineyard boasts glauconitic, fossiliferous calcareous siltstone complemented by the presence of Tortachilla Limestone at its base.

Winemaking:

The Western Block 2 grapes, harvested with precision on the 3rd of March 2021, underwent fermentation in 1 and 2-tonne open fermenters. The process spanned an ideal 15 to 20 days on skins before being delicately basket pressed into new and seasoned French oak. Following 16 months of careful maturation, the Reserve Shiraz was curated from the finest barrels and bottled on the 6th of September 2022. Notably, this wine is unfined and proudly vegan-friendly.

Oak Maturation:

The Reserve Shiraz matured gracefully for 16 months in a blend of new and seasoned French oak barriques and hogsheads. Our cooperage selection included barrels from renowned artisans such as Taransaud, Saury, Sylvain, and Francois Freres, with a notable 30% of the new oak component sourced from Taransaud.