Michael Hall Stonewell Road Shiraz 2022

Michael Hall Stonewell Road Shiraz 2022

This Stonewell Road vineyard sits at 255m elevation on red loam over clay peppered with ironstone. It has a gentle westerly aspect and is pruned to grow low yielding, early ripening and intensely flavoured fruit. The 2022 vintage, following the celebrated 2021 harvest, is marked by notably lower rainfall while maintaining cool temperatures. As a result, the canopies were smaller, and both the bunches and berries were reduced in size. This led to a high concentration of fruit and an elevated skin-to-pulp ratio, creating a remarkable balance between fruit weight and structure. The inclusion of a relatively high proportion of whole clusters during fermentation has further contributed to an exceptional level of freshness, energy, and vibrant fruit expression. Handpicked on the 3^rd of March, 50% destemmed, 50% whole bunch, wild fermented in open fermenter, pressed to French oak, matured for 20 months in barrel (15% new, Saint Martin Reserve). 

“Wow. An especially exciting, vibrant nose of sharply defined raspberry, plum, redcurrant and deeper tones of blackberry. Fruit purity also shapes the front palate, which is clean, lean and beautifully poised; a string quartet bowing a long, exquisite harmonic line. This shapes a new definition of Barossa intensity, its fruit being nimble and dextrous atop a serious, studied bedrock. It will be fascinating to see how this develops.” –  98 Points David Sly, Decanter