Vibrant,

       savoury,

structured.

IWC 2024 Winner

Australian Red Trophy
South Australian Red Trophy
South Australian Shiraz Trophy
Adelaide Hills Trophy

The ninth release of this wine, and the vintage perfectly reflects the site. A complex nose laden with spice and red fruit, leads onto a poised, balanced palate. Graphite, sage, Kalamata olive brine, and satsuma plum, are some of the myriad of flavours on the palate, which is lively and medium bodied. Fruit, spice, fine grippy tannins, and acid all contribute on the long finish, a good indication of this wine’s great aging potential.

The growing season for the 2021 vintage was terrific, a joy after the traumas of 2020. Soaking winter rains gave us plenty of moisture in the soil, and that flowed into healthy crops. The summer was mild, slow ripening, with lots of flavour.

Will reward careful cellaring from up to 20 years.
Aged for 14 months in 500 to 600 litre French oak barrels, 15% new, followed by a further 14 months in bottle.

Tasting notes

Vintage Guide

Reviews

Bri Hammond923 Shawandsmith 0105 Highres

Awarded the coveted Australian Red trophy at the International Wine Challenge in 2024.

More Wines

Shop more

2021

Shaw + Smith
Shiraz

2022

Shaw + Smith
Lenswood Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sold Out

2022

Shaw + Smith
Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay

Notes

Style

A complex, finely-textured Shiraz expressing the conditions of each vintage and the character of a unique vineyard site.

Vineyard

From close-planted (5,500 vines/hectare) low yielding vines from block two at Shaw + Smith’s Balhannah Vineyard, planted in 2005. It has a north-facing aspect and the soils are loam over clay, ironstone, quartzite, and shale.

Season

The growing season for the 2021 vintage was terrific, a joy after the traumas of 2020. Soaking winter rains gave us plenty of moisture in the soil, and that flowed into healthy crops. The summer was mild, slow ripening, with lots of flavour.

Vinification

Hand picked, sorted and fermented as whole berries and whole bunches, in open fermenters, with gentle plunging and minimal working. Majority aged in 600 litre French oak puncheons (15% new) for 14 months, followed by a further 24 months in bottle.

Reviews

From a site planted in '05 to three shiraz clones. It's got depth and carriage of flavour and aromas, distinct for its mulberry and blueberry fruit profile alongside strong game meat, smoky paprika and green olive credentials, with a core of iron and granite-like minerality rippling through with authority. Very structured, quite sinewy with its building grip of silty tannin; fruit and spice drape off the fine bones of this wine. Savouriness is a strength here and the major calling card. A very fine expression overall.

Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
95 points.

Scented, intense notes of eucalyptus, medicinal herbs and balsamic spice. Refreshing and alive in the mouth with blue and black fruits and a firm refreshing tannic structure. Awarded Adelaide Hills Shiraz Trophy, South Australian Shiraz Trophy, South Australian Red Trophy and the coveted Australian Red Trophy.

International Wine Challenge 2024
97 points.

A scintillating nose of mace, clove, blue-fruit persuasions, lilac, pepper-dried salumi, fennel seed and kelp, akin to nori of the sort found at Tokyo's arsenal of exceptional sushi counters. On the slightly richer side of mid-weighted. Yet, the slippery skein of tannin is so immaculately placed that there is neither heat nor an ounce of sloppy, sweet fruit. Everything is compressed into a polished bone of tension and savory refinement. The acidity is saline and lathered with tapenade. More of a syrah from an external perspective. An irrefutably brilliant one. I wish I had more to cellar, given the wine's noble stature. A ringer for refined Cornas, if not an oxymoron.

Ned Goodwin MW, James Suckling
97 points.

Past Vintages

2020

A season marked by extremes. A low yielding, high quality vintage.

Drink now or cellar until 2040

Tasting note

2019

Sporadic heat waves with cool periods in between led to high quality but low yields, with fruit intensity a hallmark of the season.

Drink now or cellar until 2034

Tasting note

2018

Warm and dry throughout most of the growing season. Beautifully balanced fruit.