Spinifex Dominion Shiraz

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Located near Vine Vale, the Dominion vineyard covers four hectares, with the Shiraz drawn from 0.8-hectares of ancient vines planted in 1918, along with two additional parcels planted between 1993 and 1997. Vintage wise, 2019 was marked by low winter rains and a dry growing season, resulting in miniscule yields of tiny, concentrated berries laden with tannin.

The final haul weighed in at less than than 15 hectolitres per hectare (only slightly healthier than the Dominion’s Grenache yield of 10hl/ha from the same year)! Hand-harvested in late February, the bunches were chilled overnight prior to fermenting wild—30% as whole clusters with the remainder uncrushed berries. Fermentation lasted 12 days and extraction was kept to a minimum due to the innate concentration of the fruit. The wine was pressed to a pair of 500-litre French oak puncheons (one new) before maturation on light lees for 18 months. Bottled without filtration.

First vintage or otherwise, the wine itself is something special. Opening with black plums and cherries, dark chocolate, a little graphite, and a touch of new leather, there’s tremendous sense of delicacy and detail despite the obvious power. The palate revels in the purity and intensity that results from well-farmed, incredibly old vines. A sliver of classy oak sits discreetly in the background and, while the tannins are there, they are silken and barely perceptible. It’s so damn drinkable now but this will still be looking great in 10, if not 20 years from now.