The Pioneer
Shiraz 2013
This pinnacle release Shiraz is crafted from the very finest fruit selection and is entirely estate grown and bottled on the Taylor family estate in the Clare Valley, South Australia.
| Previous Vintages | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Region | Clare Valley |
| Colour | At release the wine is a deep crimson red with a vibrant purple hue. |
| Nose | Fragrant spice, dark cherry, plum, dark chocolate, freshly roasted coffee beans & charry oak characters. |
| Palate | This is a commanding wine with multiple layers of intense, lush dark berry fruit followed by spicy fruitcake & seductive mocha. The palate is full and generous but with precision to the structure and an appealing texture with velvety, mouth-coating tannins mingling harmoniously with fruit & spice. Elegant acids and light, long tannins carry the palate to a persistently rewarding finish. |
| Vintage Conditions | Growing conditions leading up to vintage 2013 were benign, apart from a frost event in mid-October. It was a dry growing season with few rainfall events. Early December saw 30mm rain which was a season changer. Harvest conditions were excellent starting early February. Our winemakers reported excellent acid balance & flavour development. |
| Oak Maturation | Post MLF, the wine was matured in a selection of fine-grained American oak barrels. 40% in new oak & the balance in 1- 3 year old barrels. A barrel selection assessment took place after a year to identify parcels deemed 'exceptional' to return to barrel for 8 months maturation prior to bottling. |
| Cellaring Notes | Immediately approachable but will cellar well in ideal conditions for up to 20 years from vintage date. |