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Chris Ringland Shiraz Dry Grown Barossa Ranges
Last edited on 11/26/2023 by LindsayM
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THE STORY
The Chris Ringland Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz, originally Three Rivers, is a modern classic representing the best of Barossa terroir, early 20th-century vine stock, Australian inventiveness and modern winemaking practices.
The north-east facing vineyard, located on the corner of Flaxmans Valley Road and Stone Chimney Creek Road, was established by Thomas Randall in 1910. It was acquired in 1994 by winemaker Chris Ringland who gradually restored the vineyard.
The soils are shallow and skeletal, with granitic sandy loams over underlying clay and moisture-holding podzols. The dry-grown low-yielding vines, on their own roots, are pruned hard and expected to adapt to the growing season. As a consequence the postage stamp-sized vineyard, at only 1.5 hectares, is renowned for its unusually thick‑skinned shiraz. Deep in colour, exquisitely concentrated and laden with tannins, the fruit character exemplifies the enduring quality of pre-phylloxera vine stock.
THE WINEMAKING
Painstakingly hand created with a combination of physical effort, craftsmanship and intuition. Batch vinification takes place in ten small open “cube” fermenters . Each of the ferments are foot stomped and hand plunged to extract colour, flavour and tannins. Fermentation is completed in new French oak hogsheads and barriques, followed by maturation for at least four years before assemblage and bottling.
THE WINE
This opulent, plush and concentrated wine is characterised by dark berry, liquorice, black fruit jam, espresso and dried citrus-peel aromas and flavours, dense, fine tannins and integrated oak.
The Chris Ringland Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz, originally Three Rivers, is a modern classic representing the best of Barossa terroir, early 20th-century vine stock, Australian inventiveness and modern winemaking practices.
The north-east facing vineyard, located on the corner of Flaxmans Valley Road and Stone Chimney Creek Road, was established by Thomas Randall in 1910. It was acquired in 1994 by winemaker Chris Ringland who gradually restored the vineyard.
The soils are shallow and skeletal, with granitic sandy loams over underlying clay and moisture-holding podzols. The dry-grown low-yielding vines, on their own roots, are pruned hard and expected to adapt to the growing season. As a consequence the postage stamp-sized vineyard, at only 1.5 hectares, is renowned for its unusually thick‑skinned shiraz. Deep in colour, exquisitely concentrated and laden with tannins, the fruit character exemplifies the enduring quality of pre-phylloxera vine stock.
THE WINEMAKING
Painstakingly hand created with a combination of physical effort, craftsmanship and intuition. Batch vinification takes place in ten small open “cube” fermenters . Each of the ferments are foot stomped and hand plunged to extract colour, flavour and tannins. Fermentation is completed in new French oak hogsheads and barriques, followed by maturation for at least four years before assemblage and bottling.
THE WINE
This opulent, plush and concentrated wine is characterised by dark berry, liquorice, black fruit jam, espresso and dried citrus-peel aromas and flavours, dense, fine tannins and integrated oak.