2018 Sandalford Estate Reserve Shiraz
Black cherry, raspberry, star anise, and hints of exotic spice and black pepper overlay subtle toasted vanilla and chocolate box aromas
Winemaker comments
Winemaker Notes
Picked in late March, these Shiraz grapes were crushed before being inoculated with selected yeast strains and fermented in open fermenters. The must was treated by pumping over twice daily to extract flavour, colour and tannin. The ferment was pressed once the perfect balance of colour, flavour and tannin extraction was achieved. After the completion of primary ferment, the wine was inoculated for Malolactic Fermentation (MLF), before being transferred to 100% French oak barriques (30% new, balanced seasoned) for maturation. The wine then spent 14 months in barrel prior to blending and bottling in November 2019
Meet the maker
By the time I turned 18, I had become fascinated with wine. I was keen to learn as much about wine as I could and I received some great advice: to work in the industry before committing to any tertiary study....
Continue Reading > I was lucky enough to get my start at the cellars at Houghton Wines, here in the Swan Valley. I loved it, and it was the beginning of a career which was to eventually see me spend 20 years with Houghton’s. But first, I wanted to discover what traditional winemaking was like in the northern hemisphere. I took myself off to Burgundy, France, where I worked several vintages learning as much as I could about the craft of winemaking from some the best in the business. Returning to Australia I continued my career, picking up a few awards in the process of learning more and more about winemaking and achieving Bachelor of Applied Science and Oenology at Charles Sturt University, NSW. I was awarded the inaugural Gourmet Traveler Young Winemaker of the Year 2001, James Halliday’s Winemaker of the year in 2009, Winemaker of the Year in Ray Jordan's 2017 Annual West Australian Wine Guide, and I’ve judged extensively at capital city and regional wine shows. Australia makes some amazing world class wines! I’ve been fortunate to be Senior Winemaker at Sandalford Wines since March 2021 and I’m delighted every day by our estates’ old vines, the passion of the viticulture team here, and the outcomes we are able to achieve each vintage.
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Continue Reading > I was lucky enough to get my start at the cellars at Houghton Wines, here in the Swan Valley. I loved it, and it was the beginning of a career which was to eventually see me spend 20 years with Houghton’s. But first, I wanted to discover what traditional winemaking was like in the northern hemisphere. I took myself off to Burgundy, France, where I worked several vintages learning as much as I could about the craft of winemaking from some the best in the business. Returning to Australia I continued my career, picking up a few awards in the process of learning more and more about winemaking and achieving Bachelor of Applied Science and Oenology at Charles Sturt University, NSW. I was awarded the inaugural Gourmet Traveler Young Winemaker of the Year 2001, James Halliday’s Winemaker of the year in 2009, Winemaker of the Year in Ray Jordan's 2017 Annual West Australian Wine Guide, and I’ve judged extensively at capital city and regional wine shows. Australia makes some amazing world class wines! I’ve been fortunate to be Senior Winemaker at Sandalford Wines since March 2021 and I’m delighted every day by our estates’ old vines, the passion of the viticulture team here, and the outcomes we are able to achieve each vintage.
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Tasting notes
Varietals
Varietal
Shiraz
Colour
Other Notes
Deep, dark cherry red.
Nose
Production
Black cherry, raspberry, star anise, and hints of exotic spice and black pepper overlay subtle toasted vanilla and chocolate box aromas
Palate
Tasting Note
The dark berry fruit flavours intertwine with the savoury spice and vanillin oak characteristics. The palate is beautifully structured with ripe, sweet, fleshy tannin supporting the rich and lingering flavours. A wine that will age gracefully for at least another 10 to 15 years and beyond if cellared in appropriate conditions.
Vintage Conditions
Vineyard Notes
The 2018 vintage was a return to the fantastic growing conditions that Margaret River is renowned for. The wet winter preceding the growing season provided ample soil moisture for the healthy vines to ripen over the summer months. An extended dry and warm period through to the end of picking in mid-April presented ideal conditions for the ripening of fruit. All fruit this season is of exceptional quality and showing great varietal characteristics. 2018 will be long regarded as one of the great vintages of the decade for Margaret River.
