Martins Vineyard Limited McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016

Special Price $100.00 Regular Price

You could call this the Back to the Future Shiraz. It is relatively low alcohol and features American oak yet has stunning intensity of blue and black fruits with absolutely no overripe characters. It is neither the heaving, jammy and over oaked behemoth of old, nor the modern, perfumed pretty which is in favour at the mo. On paper it could be a trainwreck but somehow it pulls together a bit like that old tune which still pops up from time to time … something old, something new, one to follow, fruited blue. And maybe black too.

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Martins Vineyard Limited McLaren Vale Shiraz

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Wine Specs

Region

McLaren Vale, SA

Vintage

2016

Winery

Curtis Family Vineyards

Winemaker

Mark Curtis

Bling

97pts Sam Kim, 95pts James Halliday, 94pts Patrick Eckel, 94pts Tony Love

Alcohol %

Size

750 mL

Drawing on Shiraz plantings from the 1950s this is a small batch wine (release is about 600 dozen) made to honour some of Australia's older Shiraz traditions bowing only slightly to modern trends. It is neither an over oaked jammy bruiser nor a modern midweight perfumed delicacy … rather it endeavours well to combine the best bits of both oeuvres. From the 1970s and 80s comes relatively low alcohol … at 14% this is low by Aussie standards where most Shiraz sit between 14.5 and 15.5% alcohol. This gives the wine a tightness, refinement and ageability and a freshness of fruit rather than jam. Next, American oak … French is pretty much all the rage these days, so it is unusual to find vanilla notes floating around … but the oak here is very high quality, the grain is tight and the toast gentle, so the vanilla becomes a complexing component rather than the headline act. Finally, old vines and low yield … this is an extremely concentrated wine with vibrant blue and black fruits, a silkiness and smoothness that reflects its price tag and a level of tannin and acidity which speaks to its long life ahead.

Region

McLaren Vale, SA

Less than 40km south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is another one of South Australia's renowne ...

Less than 40km south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is another one of South Australia's renowned Shiraz producers, accounting for roughly 50% of grapes crushed annually. The climate is markedly different from the Barossa, being much more Mediterranean with four clear seasons and higher rainfalls. McLaren Vale reds reflect this, showing deep Read Full Article

Variety

Shiraz

Shiraz (which is essentially Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and ...

Shiraz (which is essentially Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well Read Full Article

Winery

Curtis Family Vineyards

Curtis have been making wine in McLaren Vale since 1973. The family history in winemaking ...

Curtis have been making wine in McLaren Vale since 1973. The family history in winemaking stretches back to Italy, where in 1499 Paolo Curtis was charged by the Cardinal de Medici with looking after the papal lands around Cervaro, including the establishment of vineyards and olive groves. The family still farms in the area today. Part of the family moved to Australia and began making wine in McLaren Vale in the 1970’s. They draw on some serious old vine resources, with Shiraz plantings 60 years of age and Grenache vines a century old in the mix and forming the backbone of the wines we stock from them. We’re definitely overdue a featu ... Read Full Article