Past Vintages

Technical Details

"Bright, full crimson-purple; a selection from French and American oak barrels; the sense of place and varietal expression combine synergistically, the oak absorbed by the power of the fruit, the tannins ripe and balanced. Drink by 2042. 96 pts."

Reprinted with permission from the 2016 James Halliday Wine Companion.

"About as rich as shiraz can ever be, this dark plush plum and blackberry shiraz has a huge fleshy heart, tannins are soft and supple, this is custom made for the old school crooners. 92 pts."

Nick Stock, for James Suckling, February 2016

Winemaking:
In a small niche of the Davey Estate Vineyard the soil, climate & Shiraz combine to create something special - the fruit that is ultimately hand crafted to become D Block Reserve Shiraz. Gentle hand working of the skins in small, 5 tonne open fermenters and traditional winemaking practices protect & nurture the unique qualities of the terroir. Very fine grained French & American oak hogsheads are used to allow a long, slow maturation of the wine & subtle oak integration. A combination of 1 - 6 year old hogsheads, crafted by select coopers to our requirements, are used to create nuances & diversity of flavour. When maturation & oak integration are perfect, individual barrels are selected & blended to create the fruit power, complexity & harmonious balance that is Shingleback D Block Reserve Shiraz.

Tasting note:
Deep red. Pretty strawberry, blackberry and rose petal primary aromas harmonise with hints of white pepper and fine cedar. The dark berry palate is tightly interwoven with threads of fine tannin, toasted French oak and an earthy minerality. A perfectly balanced and seamlessly integrated wine that expresses the essence of the vine, the time, the place and the harsh, black cracking clay over limestone soils that make up this unique corner of the Davey Estate Vineyard.

Awards:

• Gold medal - 2014 Berlin Wine Trophy, Germany
• Gold medal - 2016 Sydney International Wine Competition
• Gold medal - 2014 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards, Germany
• Gold medal - 2014 China Wine & Spirit Best Value Awards
• Gold medal - 2015 NZ International Wine Show, class 18a
• Silver medal - 2015 Syrah du Monde, France
• Silver medal - 2014 & 2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition, UK
• Silver medal - 2014 Selections Mondiales des Vins, Canada
• Silver medal - 2015 Spiegelau International Wine Competition, NZ
• Silver medal - 2014 NZ International Wine Show, class 18a
• Silver medal - 2014 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, class 91
• Silver medal - 2014 McLaren Vale Wine Show, class 10
• Silver medal - 2014 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• 96 pts - James Halliday Wine Companion 2016