2018 Shirvington Wine Notes
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Notes:
Block 4, from our Redwind vineyard, was picked just as the grapes reached peak maturity. Our aim was to harvest just as the green, herbaceous characters dissolved and the seeds turned brown and crunchy. We like to make an elegant style of Cabernet that is fruit driven and representative of its terroir. The grapes were fermented in open fermenters and hand plunged, racked and returned and pumped over. The wine was then pressed to 100% French oak with 30% of it new and the remainder being 2 to 6 years older. It developed in oak for 20 months before it was bottled. No fining or filtration was used in order to capture as much of the wines natural beauty as possible.
2018 provided optimal conditions for crafting a well-developed Cabernet. The wine exhibits a deep, dark red hue accompanied by enticing scents of ripe blackcurrant, complemented by the alluring notes of savoury cedar oak and hints of black pepper and bay leaf. Rich flavours of fleshy black cherry and mulberry intertwine with undertones of licorice and dried herbs on the palate. The fruit's vibrancy is beautifully counterbalanced by sturdy acidity and refined tannins, with intricate nuances of vanillin oak and spice on the finish.
2018 The Redwind Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Notes:
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2018 Shiraz
Wine Notes:
Shiraz grapes sourced from Block 6 and Block 9 in our Redwind vineyard were carefully harvested at optimal ripeness and fermented separately in 5 tonne opens. The wines were hand plunged, pumped over and racked and returned before being basket pressed. The wines were transferred to French oak, comprising 40% new and the remainder being 2 and 5 year old barrels. Each parcel was meticulously kept separate during the 20 months of maturation before being blended and bottled. The decision to refrain from fining or filtration was made to preserve the natural beauty and authenticity of the wines.
Ideal conditions during vintage resulted in a lavish and concentrated Shiraz, showcasing intense aromas of ripe dark berry fruits, licorice, and black pepper on the nose. While the fragrance is profoundly concentrated, the palate offers a pleasantly restrained experience with notes of mulberry, dark cherries, mocha, and savoury flavours. The integration of spicy oak and the presence of long, fine tannins contribute to a refined structure, extending and enhancing the finish.
2018 The Redwind Shiraz
Wine Notes:
The Redwind Shiraz comes from Block 9 where the underlying limestone produces berries that are smaller and the fruit is more concentrated. It was vinified in open fermenters with hand plunging, rack and returns and pump overs. The wine was split into 3 parcels – free run, overnight drainings and pressings. The overnight drainings are held in the press and allowed to gently press overnight to extract the wine that is concentrated in flavour and has wonderful tannin structure. This parcel, which makes the majority of the blend, is transferred to new French oak where it underwent 20 months of maturation. New oak is needed to match the depth and intensity of the fruit. The overnight drainings as well as 3 of the best barrels from Block 9 were selected to make a 500 litre blend. No fining or filtration was used in order to capture as much of the wine natural beauty as possible.
Rich, intoxicating aromas of blackberry and plum fruit mingle with coffee bean, dark chocolate and vanillin oak. There is much to unpack here, and the nose just keeps evolving! On the palate the wine has beautiful upfront fruit sweetness of blackberry and mulberry fruit that transcends into savoury allspice, pepper and long, luxurious fine tannins. This wine is exceptionally balanced and well integrated from start to finish.
Vintage Notes
It was back to nearly "normal" for the 2018 vintage, with rainfall during the growing season much below average and harvest a month earlier than 2017. With sub-soil moisture still high from the very wet conditions of 2016 and above average winter rainfall, good canopy growth was expected. Spring rainfall was low and warmer than average temperatures throughout the season helped speed up vine growth. Summer rainfall was much below average resulting in significantly more irrigation than usual.Temperatures were above average, with readings above 30 degrees for a period of 13 days from mid-January. These conditions, combined with lower yields, meant harvest began a month earlier than in 2017. Quality of fruit was excellent with a generally good balance of flavours, sugar and acid.