OLeary Walker The Claire Reserve Shiraz 2016

O'Leary Walker The Claire Reserve Shiraz 2016

Fruit is sourced from dry grown Shiraz vines approximately 130 years old at Martin and Joan Smith’s vineyard in the Polish Hill River. Grey loam acid soils over sandstone and slate make up the profile with much of the topsoil littered with rock, hinting at just how tough the vines need to be to sustain growth and produce quality fruit. Despite growing these vines organically since their planting in the 1880s, 2012 marked the first year of NASAA Organic Certification for these vineyards.
Handmade in a two tonne fermenter, the fruit is de-stemmed and fermented using natural yeast. Hand plunged up to four times daily to control temperature and maximise flavour and tannin extraction. Left on skins post fermentation for fifteen days, then lightly pressed and transferred to French oak barriques for thirty months. One hundred percent new French oak for twelve months and eighteen months in five-year-old French oak.

Concentrated black fruits with spice, chocolate and cedar aroma. The palate shows a powerful Clare Valley Shiraz. Black olive and dark juicy fruits with long, fine grain tannins.