
Wine Specs
Vintage
2016
Varietal
100% Shiraz
Appellation
McLaren Vale
Vineyard Designation
Whites Valley, McLaren Vale
pH
3.66
Residual Sugar
6.6
Alcohol %
14.4
Shingleback D Block Reserve Shiraz 2016
Museum
In Stock
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Deep inky red. Perfumed Shiraz aromas of blackberry and mulberry are highlighted by nuances of white pepper, bay leaf and cigar box like oak. Luscious dark berry fruit, together with notes of spice and mint, fill the finely textured mid-palate and flow into the long, focused finish. A perfectly balanced and seamlessly integrated wine that expresses the essence of the vine, the time, the place and the harsh, black cracking clay over limestone soils that make up this unique corner of the Davey Estate Vineyard.
Vineyard Notes
Winter in 2015 was relatively dry and although totals ended up near normal, there were few heavy soaking rains. Spring was exceptionally dry, resulting in low disease pressure but requiring early irrigation to ensure balanced canopies. October and December were hot and November warm and ideal for flowering and fruit set. Crop levels were the best for several years but generally just a return to more balanced and sustainable levels. An early bud burst and the dry warm conditions always meant vintage was going to be early. Even with bigger crops vintage started around the same time as 2015’s record early start. We picked Semillon from the Davey Estate Vineyard on January 29 and had completed our McLaren Vale Chardonnay by February 8 and Pinot Noir and Shiraz for Rosé on February 10. Timely rain events in early February refreshed the vines, greatly reducing the stresses of the dry season, with no adverse disease effects except for in some tighter bunch Grenache blocks. February days were mild and the nights cool, slowing down sugar accumulation and extending the ripening period greatly, enhancing flavour, structure and colour development. Reds started with Shiraz on February 11 and the last of the Davey Estate Shiraz was picked on March 11. The last of the Cabernet and the Mataro were picked on March 24. The early picked wines show bright and fragrant fruit at balanced alcohol levels. Intensity, weight and depth of colour just kept increasing as the harvest progressed, without any over ripe characters, resulting in simply spectacular wines across all varieties.
Production Notes
*No animal products were used in the crafting of this wine.
Winemaker Notes
Gentle hand working of the skins in small, 5 tonne open fermenters and traditional winemaking practices protect & nurture the unique qualities of the terroir. Very fine grained French (70%) & American (30%) oak hogsheads are used to allow a long, slow maturation of the wine & subtle oak integration. A combination of 1 - 6 year old barrels, crafted by select coopers to our requirements, are used to create nuances & diversity of flavour. When maturation & oak integration are perfect, individual barrels are selected & blended to create the fruit power, complexity & harmonious balance that is Shingleback D Block Reserve Shiraz.
Other Notes
The region has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters, dry summers and plenty of sunshine.
The proximity to St Vincent Gulf, coincidentally named after the patron saint of winemakers,
benefits fruit quality with warmer spring and autumn conditions and cooler summers.
McLaren Vale is renowned as a premium wine region of great beauty that consistently produces
high quality, richly flavoured wines.