Past Vintages

Technical Details

"Deep purple-black in color, the 2010 Shingleback Unedited Shiraz has a vibrant, youthful nose of freshly crushed blackberries, blackcurrants and mulberries over nuances of cedar, violets, cinnamon toast and nutmeg. The palate reveals a huge, very full bodied wine packed with rich, ripe black berry flavors and toasty cedar supported with a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and crisp acidity. The finish is very long and primary. This wine should drink best 2014 to 2022+. 94+ pts."

Lisa Perotti-Brown, eRobertParker.com, #199, February 2012

"Immediately an other-worldly kind of feel - has volcanic soot and earthy aromas, graphite minerality - and this echoes through the palate. Warm spice, ripe fruits and a potent concentration follow, then there are chocolatey tannins with some green pucker to close. Seriously interesting, bigger framed wine. 93 pts."

Mike Bennie, Wine Business Magazine, September 2012

"Deep, dense, purple/red colour. Herbal and slightly sweaty aromas, blood plum and anise:seems more fruit accented than most in the Scarce Earth group. Still compact and rich and licoricey with a hint of jam. Some walnutty, dry spicy aspects. Oak is underplayed, but it's ultra-ripe and almost jammy. Lots of licorice. It's quite fruit driven. Good style for sure, and different! 92 pts."

Reprinted with permission from Huon Hooke, huonhooke.com, tasted 8th August 2012

 "Impenetrable colour and a whopping 15.5% alcohol on the label, this is McLaren Vale in its concentrated form, expressing sweet black fruits, mocha, chocolate and fruitcake; rich and unctuous, with hedonistic levels of fruit and a long and surprisingly even and fragrant finish, considering the concentration on display. 94 points"

Reprinted with permission from the 2013 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion.

 "This is seriously pongy to begin with (in a deliberate, complex way) but opens up to reveal coal dust, gunpowder and liquorice. Has graphite, coal-dusty stuff on the tongue, with forest pips (not the flesh) and dried figs. It's quite alcoholic tasting, but......primal. If only other big reds were as much fun. 95/100."

Tim White, Australian Financial Review, May 25th 2012

Scarce Earth
“McLaren Vale Scarce Earth” is a regional initiative, launched in 2011 with wines from the 2009 vintage, involving the release of selected single block McLaren Vale Shiraz which highlight the distinctive sites of the region. After facing 3 separate tasting panels, wines from 23 wineries make up the 2010 selection - the grapes come from a single block, rather than single vineyard, the vines must be at least 10 years old & the winemaking style is one of minimal intervention to highlight the site expression.
The wines will be available exclusively from the individual Cellar Doors for the months of May, June & July 2012.

Tasting note:
Deep, velvety black cherry in colour. Brooding dark mulberry aromas are spiked with sprigs of orange blossom, star anise and a “wet slate” minerality. A compote of dark berries and the rich, chewy fruit tannins that come from the perfectly ripe Shiraz skins and seeds flood the palate, tantalize the senses and linger enticingly. Minimal winemaker input and maturation in 6 year old oak barrels ensure that this wine is a powerful, full-bodied representation of the rich clay soils in which the vines are grown.

Awards:

• 94 pts - 2013 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
• 94+ pts - eRobertParker.com, #199 February 2012
• Gold medal - 16. Berlin Wine Trophy 2012, Germany
• Gold medal - 2012 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• Silver medal - 2012 Visy Great Australian Shiraz Challenge
• Silver medal - 2012 Mundus Vini Great International Wine Awards, Germany
• Silver medal - 2012 International Wine & Spirit Competition, UK