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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2025 and 2034 (based on 208 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 1 note) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by wcf1946 on 3/23/2023 & rated 90 points: WTSO buy @$37; a fair price for quality, but this will improve in several years and garner a higher score. I opened too early. Pop n'pour in a Riedel Veritas Shiraz glass. Closed 1st 2 hours, then began to open. Kept improving over 6 hours. I saved half the bottle for next day. Nose a little muted; not the distinct Aussie rich peppery nose. Flavors are typical for Aussie Shiraz, but a less peppery and more fruit driven. Medium tannins have not fully integrated with fruit since it's too young. Therefore, less smoooth. Decent but not long finish. I would not buy again, but it's a good pour anyway. (498 views) |
| By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (8/8/2022)
(Kay Brothers Shiraz McLaren Vale Hillside, Australia) Subscribe to see review text. | By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (3/1/2022)
(Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Hillside Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Halliday
Halliday Wine Companion (2/24/2022)
(Kay Brothers Hillside McLaren Vale Shiraz McLaren Vale) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, South Australia, Victoria and a Bit Beyond (Sep 2022)
(Kay Brothers Amery Shiraz Hillside Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JamesSuckling.com and The WINEFRONT and Halliday Wine Companion and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Kay Brothers Producer Website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
This artisanal producer in McLaren Vale has an ancient vineyard sitting right in front of the winery. The splendid Shiraz vines are over 100 years of age. The winery itself produced between 6,500 and 10,000 cases of wine, almost all of it Shiraz, with small quantities of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are no white wines, although a small quantity of spectacular fortified Muscat is produced. Most of the reds spend 18 months in a combination of 50% new and 50% old American oak, but the Block 6, as well as the Hillside Shiraz, are aged in 100% American oak for 24 months. The production ranges from a low of 400 cases (in 1999 and 2000) to just over 1,000 cases from the 100+ year old vineyard that is usually cropped between 1.5-2 tons per acre.
Grateful Palate Imports website: The new Hillside vineyard had its beginnings in 1992 when cuttings taken from the 100 year old gnarled vines of Block 6 were planted on the eastern hillside of the Amery Vineyard. Further plantings of the Block 6 clone took place in 1993, 1997, 1998 and 1999. These plantings have been an outstanding success consistently producing superb quality grapes for the winemaking team to turn into equally superb wine.
2019 Kay Brothers Shiraz Hillside Amery VineyardsUnlike Block 6, the Hillside Shiraz allows Kay Brothers to pick various parcels of fruit so as to assemble the best blend possible. Block 11, located at the top of the hill, has shallow sandy loam soil over limestone and sandstone. These vines are very exposed to the wind and sun. As a consequence, the vines mature earlier in most years and tend to be low yielding, with intense fruit concentration and powerful tannins. The rest of the Hillside Shiraz is located farther down the hill, in New Block 6, where dark chocolate loam and clay soil dispersed with quartz and ironstone over silty limestone. The New Block 6 component provides the finesse and elegance to the overall blend with savoury flavours and tight structure. The blend of these two vineyards is a perfect balance.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep ruby, purple hue
Nose: Alluring aromas of dark fruits, musk, dried herbs followed by smokey,earthy notes.
Palate: The palate is dense and concentrated with layers of rich dark fruits, black olive tapenade and chocolate. Supported by gritty textured tannins lingering on the finish.
A full flavoured wine which has you craving for more!!
Winemaking
WINE 2019 Hillside Shiraz
COUNTRY South Australia
REGION McLaren Vale
GRAPE VARIETY 100% Shiraz
ALCOHOL 14.5 % by volume
RESIDUAL SUGAR 1.8 g/l
pH 3.57
TOTAL ACIDITY 6.7 g/l
CASE PRODUCTION 1992 x 6-packs
The growing season for vintage 2019 was consistently dry across autumn, winter, spring, and summer. This ultimately kept crop levels below average. Veraison was late to commence, but came on quickly once the warm weather arrived. Despite the warm start to summer in February, we experienced mild temperatures and cold nights which allowed the vines to come back into balance after the previous months of water and wind stress. The first week of March was warm but after this, the weather pattern returned to dry mild days and cold nights, perfect for flavour development and natural acid retention in the grape berries.
Harvested on the 5th and 7th of March. The grapes were crushed, de-stemmed and plunged twice daily while spending 10 days on skins in our traditional open fermenters. The wine was then basket pressed and matured for 22 months in American and French oak. Bottling took place in May 2021.Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Fleurieu Fleurieu Wineries & Cellar Doors (southaustralia.com)McLaren Vale McLaren Vale (McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism)
(Hastwell & Lightfoot webpage) |
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