2022 Giaconda Beechworth Shiraz

"A wine that unfurls gloriously in slow motion – what a lovely shiraz ride. Aromatic aromas hold your attention long and unwaveringly: dark plum, blackberry, wild bramble, raspberry leaf, aniseed, allspice, pepper, sage. Still a youngster with layer upon layer yet to fully explore. Sapid fine tannins drive the long palate with plenty of herb, spice and flecks of savouriness filling out the breadth of concentrated fruit flavour and beautifully woven oak. Discipline will be needed to cellar it for as long as it deserves."

This is labelled as ‘Beechworth Shiraz’, and comes from the Warner Vineyard and Estate plantings. I reckon I still have a few bottles of the 2004 Estate Shiraz (screwcap I think), and wonder how that’s travelling now. Maybe time to find out! Rich, sweet dark fruit, damp earth and biscuit spice, lots of praline too, all that hazelnut and chocolate is a thing, also some cool mint and floral perfume. Medium to full-bodied, sweet uptake of plum and cherry, and again that hazelnut chocolate theme is repeated on the palate, tannin is fine-grained, and kind of sooty, there’s also clay and petrichor, and the finish is long and packed with choc-mint richness. Love the feel of the tannin, though as a young wine, it’s kind of ebullient in fruit richness. Time should be kind to it." Drink 2026 -2036+

"This new shiraz wine represents an evolution in our wine making for this variety. This is a combination of wine matured in new and older small French oak, large 1600 LT French oak casks and long maceration on skins (10 months) in Spanish terracotta amphorae. This brings much more complexity and, especially, more depth and tannin from the long maceration. Luscious and captivating, with dark plums, cassis and subtle briar notes that demand your attention are backed by a stridently confident palate. The textural nature of this wine and glossy tannins are a work of art. Time will reward those who cellar this most complete Giaconda shiraz for 5-15 years!"