McWilliam’s Appellation Hilltops Shiraz 2014
VARIETAL: Shiraz
VINTAGE: 2014
SIZE: 750 mL
AWARDS & ACCOLADES:
Description
McWilliam's has for many years crafted wines with fruit sourced from the cooler, high altitude sites situated along the New South Wales Great Dividing Range. This Shiraz from Hilltops has produced an aromatic floral and spicy wine showing lifted dark berry fruits, violets and black peper with a toasty oak to give you a balanced medium-bodied Shiraz.
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| Region | Hilltops, NSW |
|---|---|
| Winemaker | Andrew Higgins |
| Colour | Vibrant red purple |
| Aroma | Black cherries, violets, pepper and toasty oak. |
| Palate | An elegant medium bodied wine with juicy red fruits and spicy oak. The supple tannins gently steer the wine showcasing the balance & poise of this medium bodied style. |
| Growing Conditions | An excellent vintage with warm days and cool nights. Spring frosts wiped out blocks on lower sites with poor cold air drainage. This resulted in a lower regional crush but quality was high due to it only being from the most suitable sites. A hot and dry growing season resulted in balanced canopies with low yields and concentrated fruit. Some rainfall occurred during February & March which was a positive as it refreshed the vines and gave them sufficient water to get through to harvest with minimal stress. There was no disease pressure due to the great canopies and low yields. |
| Vinification/Maturation | Harvested in the cool of the morning to preserve fruit integrity, the fruit upon arrival at the winery was transferred into open top fermenters with an average of 15% whole bunches included. Following a gentle 3 day pre-fermentation cold soak the wines were inoculated with cultured yeast. Extraction was achieved through a combination of plunging and pump overs for a period of 12 days then gently pressed prior to being racked to barrel. The barrels were all French oak puncheons and hogsheads with 20% new, 40% one year old and 40% two year old. Maturation in barrel for 9 months prior to carefully blending and lightly fined in preparation for bottling. |
| Alcohol/Vol | 13.5% |
| pH | 3.56pH |
| Acidity (TA) | 6.09 g/L |
| Bottles per Case | 6 |
| Last Tasted Date | 06-01-1970 |
| Peak Drinking | Drinking well now but will reward medium term cellaring. |
| Recommended Food Pairing | Osso Bucco |
Very deep, dark red/purple colour and a vividly ripe, black plum and juicy blueberry aroma. It's a fruit-driven style like the '14 Canberra Syrah, but there the similarity ends. Full-bodied, deep and plush, not a blockbuster but certainly flavour-packed. Oak is not noticeable. Lush, plush flavour and texture. Medium to full-bodied, sweet fruit: a superb wine and great value. (available from mid-2016)
Hand-picked early morning, open-fermented, 15% whole bunches, 3 days cold soak, cultured yeast, hand-plunged/pumped over, 12 days on skins, matured for 9 months in French puncheons (20% new). Has more depth and structure than expected to its red cherry and black pepper fruit, fine, savoury tannins tugging at the taste buds and not giving up. Gold medal Canberra District Wine Show '15.
McWilliam’s has for many years crafted wines with fruit sourced from the cooler, high altitude sites situated along the New South Wales Great Dividing Range. This Shiraz from Hilltops has produced an aromatic floral and spicy wine showing lifted dark berry fruits, violets and black peper with a toasty oak to give you a balanced medium-bodied Shiraz.
| Weight | 8 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 27 x 18 x 35 cm |
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