Shingleback Davey Estate Shiraz 2015

Vintages over the last few years have tended to be early but 2015 sets a new record for McLaren Vale and South Australia. Good early rainfall from April to July in 2014 replenished the soil profile setting up a strong bud burst. From late July dry warm conditions prevailed and continued through the growing season. Average temperatures for August through November were significantly above average. Not surprisingly bud burst was early and vines grew quickly and strongly, setting up pristinely clean canopies. December and January were 0.8 and 1.7 degrees Celsius cooler than the long term mean, allowing a steady development of bunches and ideal conditions for veraison and the development of the precursors that are the colour, tannin and flavour that make great wine. The only significant rainfall in the growing season was 25 mm on the 13th of January and although this caused some initial apprehension it just freshened the vines and focused their energy on the bunches they were nursing. Less than 1 mm of rain fell thereafter through to March which, combined with warmer temperatures in February, resulted in an organised but rapid harvest.