2017 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz

Coonawarra Shiraz can excel in certain vintages, and the 2017 Bin 128 Shiraz is a fine effort, blending notes of dried spices (it was aged in 42% new French oak hogsheads), red plums, black olives and a hint of liquorice. It’s medium to full-bodied, with creamy, supple tannins and a long, silky finish.

The regional stamp of minty and leafy aromas is strong here, as is the stream of redder-toned berry flavors and a fine, long and linear spine of tannin. Drink over the next decade.

100% Shiraz. TA 6.3 g/l, pH 3.66. 12 months French oak hogsheads (25% new, 42% one-year-old, 33% two-year-old). 2017 Coonawarra Cab really suffered but Shiraz came in early enough. Winter and spring rainfall was plentiful in Coonawarra. The growing season began with temperatures slightly below average. The gap between bud-burst and flowering was 87 days, which equated to 18 days more than the long-term average, a reflection of the cooler conditions. Higher minimum temperatures were experienced in the months of September, January, March and April. Late January was particularly warm, which was welcomed by the viticulturalists after a relatively mild start to the summer. Extreme weather events were few, with only 10 days above 35 °C (95 °F) and a maximum of 39 °C (102 °F), recorded on 8 February. Although veraison was delayed, the grapes ripened slowly but evenly with strong varietal character. Harvest in Coonawarra commenced in late March and was completed in early May. The red varietals showed excellent colours and concentrated flavours in this region . Dark crimson. Peppery top note and some truffley notes. Long and very lively and a peacock's tail finish. Quite a bit of tannin on the end. Ambitious. (JR)