Shiraz Reserve 2018

The ambition for this wine was to make a top quality long lived red that represents the diverse vineyards we enjoy working with, from our home state of Victoria.

There are more than 10 vineyards represented in this wine, with four significant contributors. One a dry grown vineyard in the Pyrenees region of Western Victoria giving the wine structure and the compact tannin helping ageability. Our home vineyard in the cool Strathbogie Ranges adds bright acidity which assists longevity as well as boosting aromatics. Tait Hamilton's vineyard in the Heathcote wine region is unusual in that it grows ripe fruit with remarkably low pH, so an uncommon combination of plush tannin and brightness of flavour. The Gentle Annie vineyard at Dookie is not quite dry grown but is always desperately short of water and gifts us tiny berries with thick skins and the resulting concentration of flavour and tannin which is a boon to high quality and long life.

The components were fermented separately in a range of vessels, including open fermenters, more common static fermenters and also an Italian made fermenter with paddles inside to homogenise the fermenting juice and skins. We ran hotter slightly warmer ferments than normal to help extract the short chain compact tannins I believe contribute to the structure of ageworthy red wine. We left some of the parcels on skins for extended maceration post ferment. Some of the ferments were spontaneous and some inoculated with pure yeast cultures. All of these things add layers of flavour or texture and so complexity. All the wine was matured in oak with the parcels being assembled in early 2020 and prepared for bottling on 4th February 2020. The wine was then laid down for a little over 5 years bottle maturation prior to release.

Region: Victoria 10+ vineyards (Strathbogie Ranges, Heathcote, Goulburn Valley)

Size: 750ml

Alcohol  14.5%

PH 4.51

TA 6.3 g/L

95 Point - Halliday wine companion

' Ten vineyards are represented from Pyrenees, Heathcote, Dookie and Strathbogie Ranges. Fermented separately in a range of vessels, some parcels left on skins for extended maceration; five years' maturation time in bottle. A wine to celebrate the 30-year life-business partnership of Sam Plunkett and Bronwyn Dunwoodie. There's a complex story behind the sourcing of fruit and the winemaking, and it unfolds beautifully, elegantly, with a touch of relaxed, Victorian country style. Rich dark plums, black fruits and spices – licorice, toasty oak, allspice, cinnamon, bay leaf – rule the bouquet. It charges the senses. Impressive density and a solid tannin presence are steeped in earthy, dark overtones. Fine, smooth, even, and still with time on its side."

Jeni Port

Published 09 December 2025

Can be enjoyed now or cellared until 2035

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