2023 Ministry of Clouds Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Shiraz
14%
.
.
but geology will never hurt me...
Born of one of the most ancient and geologically diverse wine regions in the world, McLaren Vale, this wine is made from Australia’s most ubiquitous grape – Shiraz. With the aim that this Shiraz reflects our view of the region, we combine fruit from a Blewitt Springs deep sandy vineyard, and a younger more structured and fragrant parcel from the shallow old bedrock of our own Onkaparinga Rocks vineyard in the hope of a more modern, slender and youthful expression.
Creation
2023 was the third in a series of relatively cool La Niña vintages allowing for gradual development of flavour. We combined two separate picks from our own Onkaparinga Rocks vineyard, and three separate picks from a trio of sandy dry grown Blewitt Springs sites. Whole-bunch inclusion ranged from 0% up to 60%, with approximately 18% whole bunches retained in the total blend, the rest gently de-stemmed to preserve whole berries for purity. Of the 12 separate ferments all were fermented wild, and either hand plunged or pumped over twice daily. Maceration on skins was largely 4-5 weeks, but was extended to 25 weeks for a single parcel to build complexity and tannin line. After pressing, the wine was matured for 7 months in a combination of French oak hogsheads, puncheons, demi muids, foudres, and a concrete egg.
Composition
An exercise in slender power, bringing early picked McLaren Vale Shiraz characters exhibited by cool blue and red fruit with layers of coal dust and earth to entice, supported by a gentle oak creaminess, which progresses to the palate exhibiting a deep fruit weight kept bright, nervy, and fleshy and filed down nicely by a fine and mineral tannin line.
Consumption
Ideal serving temperature is 16 °C... God forbid a Shiraz that won’t dominate all food placed before it. Try with spicy Catalan Fish Stew with grilled rye and aioli. Cool cellaring between 5 years to 8 years will be rewarded.