Koomilya GT Block Shiraz 2018

A single-block Shiraz from vines aged 30 years old, grafted on 46-year-old roots. The block has a southern exposure and sits at an altitude of 116m. Soils are dark-grey, slaty siltstone thinly laminated with ironstone. Hand harvested on 1st March at yields of 3.9 tonnes/hectare. 100% destemmed fruit underwent spontaneous fermentation and the juice spent 12 days on skins. It was settled over 10 days. It was then moved to new French oak puncheons (20%) and a 2,800-litre vat for malolactic conversion and 20 months' maturation. It was racked once before being bottled without filtration on 11th December 2019. Alcohol 14%; pH 3.75; total acidity 5.9g/L. Total sulphur at bottling 55ppm.

'This is a single block, grafted over 30 years ago onto Gewürztraminer planted in 1974. No whole bunch, 20% new puncheon, and then 2800 litre vats. Dead set, the roots remember their origins here, because the wine shows all sorts of GT like perfume and spice.

Spice, rose, lychee juiciness sitting over chocolate, iodine, dried herbs and red and black fruits. It’s stony and thick in tannin, roast meat, sun-dried tomato, black olives, a bold volume of dark berries, but savoury and distinctly umami in flavour. Tannin rolls on the finish, with a tacky and tactile feel, and the length is top notch. Acidity is bright too, and almost juicy. Fascinating wine. Distinctive.' - 95 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front