Shaw + Smith Shiraz 2022

Product Information: The Shaw + Smith Shiraz is a medium-bodied, cool-climate expression of Shiraz, where balance and finesse take precedence over sheer power. It opens with aromas of rose, parfait amour, red cherries, and satsuma plums, interwoven with hints of toasty hazelnuts. The palate is midweight, offering a graceful texture with soft, powdery tannins and a long, attractively spiced finish. The 2022 vintage was influenced by La Niña weather patterns, resulting in a cooler-than-average season. A mild summer allowed for steady ripening, enhancing the fresh acidity, while a warm finish to the season added depth and richness to the fruit. The fruit is sourced from Shaw + Smith’s low-yielding vineyards in Balhannah and exceptional growers across the Adelaide Hills. Grapes are hand-picked and either de-stemmed and fermented as whole berries or fermented as whole bunches with stems. Gentle handling and long fermentations allow for fine tannins and preserve the perfume and vibrancy of cool-climate Shiraz. The wine is matured predominantly in older French oak to maintain elegance. Maker: Shaw + Smith was founded in 1989 by cousins Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw, with a focus on producing wines that reflect the cooler climate of the Adelaide Hills. They specialise in varieties that thrive in the region, including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. The winery owns three vineyards located in Lenswood, Piccadilly, and Balhannah, each carefully managed to yield the best possible fruit. With a commitment to sustainability, Shaw + Smith emphasises vine and soil health while maintaining low yields. This hands-on approach, along with state-of-the-art facilities at their Balhannah winery, ensures complete control over the winemaking process, allowing the team to capture vibrant, modern expressions of their varieties and terroir. Since their first vintage in 1990, Shaw + Smith has grown into one of Australia’s most respected wineries. Their investment in a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room, completed in 2000, has allowed them to continue raising the bar in quality and innovation. The Philosophy: Shaw + Smith’s winemaking philosophy is centred around the meticulous management of their three vineyards in the Adelaide Hills: Balhannah, Lenswood, and Piccadilly Valley. Covering 60 hectares, these vineyards are managed sustainably, with the Balhannah and Lenswood sites achieving organic certification in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Shaw + Smith is also a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, underscoring their commitment to producing high-quality grapes through sustainable practices that prioritise soil and vine health. Nose – Sweet Plums, Smoked Meats, Stalk & Toast Sweet plums, smoked meats, black peppers and an array of cedar, bunchy herbs, stalk and toast characters. Palate – Earth, Red Fruits, Sweeter Spices It delivers on the palate, satiny tannins wrap up more of those fruit and savoury elements, game meat and pepper a strong card but beautifully woven through red fruits and sweeter spices Finish – Powdery Tannins, Lingering Spices, Boysenberried Finish Ribbons of those tannins trail long through the palate; a light dusting of spice lingers. A power of fruit and a power of spices. This is an excellent release. Sweet plums, smoked meats, black peppers and an array of cedar, bunchy herbs, stalk and toast characters. Tannin curls impressively through the back half of the wine; it feels both plush and fresh throughout; and while it’s definitely peppery (and floral) it’s the plummy, boysenberried fruit flavours that drive it. This is bang on excellent. – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 95 Points. Deep, dark red-purple with black tints, the bouquet quite whole-bunchy with humus, spice and root vegetable aromas, the palate intense and concentrated with sustained flavour and finely balanced powdery tannins that run long to an extended finish. A powerful yet elegant shiraz drinking well now but with a long life in front of it. – Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 95 Points. This is delightful. It opens with an expectation: game meat, white pepper, raspberry, tart cherry, some dried herbs and a whiff of truffle. Savouriness and pretty fruit hand in hand. It delivers on the palate, satiny tannins wrap up more of those fruit and savoury elements, game meat and pepper a strong card but beautifully woven through red fruits and sweeter spices. Ribbons of those tannins trail long through the palate; a light dusting of spice lingers. It’s spot-on medium weight, too. So much charm. – Mike Bennie, Wine Companion, 94