Past Vintages

Technical Details

RELEASED MAY 1, 2014 - Only available for purchase from Cellar Door, each bottle is individually numbered and superbly gift boxed.

"Deep, dense crimson-purple; the trio of Shingleback Shirazs (12 Unedited, 12 D Block & 12 Davey Estate) form an utterly convincing pyramid of quality and price; here lush and velvety blackberry and licorice flavours on the full-bodied palate are given shape and textural complexity by immaculately balanced tannins and quality oak, bitter chocolate a great farewell. Drink by 2052. 97 pts."

Reprinted with permission from the 2015 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

"The nose delivers everything a young McLaren Vale Shiraz should. This is a vibrant, powerful wine that definitely needs time. The acidity shows a little too obviously on the finish, but that shouldn't be a problem in the long term. Highly recommended."

Lester Jesberg, Winewise, June 2014

" Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 Unedited Shiraz is redolent of cassis, wild blueberries and lavender with hints of dried Provencal herbs, garrigue and Szechuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied with a great concentration of tightly knit black fruit and pepper flavors, it has a solid backbone of firm, fine-grained tannins and crisp acid to support through the finish with excellent length. Drink now to 2022+."

Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate #211, February 2014

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 17 wineries make up the 2012 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 2014.

Geology Note

Block J Shiraz, adjacent to the historic 1860’s barn on the Davey Estate, has for years provided a valuable and unique component of the Shingleback reserve wines. The block sits astride the boundary of two geologies; the southern third on the alluvial fan clay, sand and gravel (Christies Beach Formation) that is washed from the Willunga escarpment, and the northern two thirds on grey and red calcrete mottled alluvial clay (Ngaltinga Formation). The soil transitions from red clay at the south to grey, self mulching clay in the north of the block. These unusually well drained, heavy clays produce full bodied, textured, and richly flavoured Shiraz. From this superior block a small section is selected for subtle (“unedited”) crafting and maturation that pays homage to the fruit and the soil from which it comes.

Tasting Note

Brilliant deep magenta. Primary aromas of dark cherry and mulberry, with nuances of savoury spice, summer earth and jaffa milk chocolate. The fresh blackberry mid-palate is restrained by structured tannins and lingers with a balanced acidity. This single block, full-bodied, estate Shiraz from the exceptional 2012 vintage is, on release on May 1st 2014, still but a talented teenager, anticipated to realise its full potential in 5 – 15 years.

 Awards:

• Double Gold medal - 2014 China Wine & Spirits Awards, Hong Kong
• Gold medal - 2014 Selections Mondiales des Vins, Canada
• Gold medal - 2014 Mundus Vini Great International Wine Awards, Germany
• Gold medal - 2014 McLaren Vale Wine Show, class 10
• 97 pts - 2015 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
• 93+ pts - The Wine Advocate #211, February 2014
• Silver medal - 2014 Syrah du Monde, France
• Silver medal - 2014 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• Silver medal - 2014 IWSC UK
• Silver medal - 2014 International Wine & Spirit Competition, Hong Kong