This wine was blended from a selection of the best batches of Shiraz grown on the Leston vineyard, which is located in the Willyabrup locale of Margaret River. The soils in this vineyard are shallow lateritic gravels over sandy, clay loam. Small parcels are hand-picked and all batches are sorted before fermentation in both open vat and closed stainless steel fermenters. Each batch is matured separately for around 18 months in a combintation of new (~25%) and older French oak barriques, hogsheads and puncheons, the parcels blended only just before bottling.
2024
“Despite the warm season, this is a surprisingly plush, smooth, and quite elegant Shiraz that comes off Howard Park’s Margaret River vineyard. Supple fruit with some slightly powdery, chalky tannins providing structure along with quite understated oak that sits comfortably within. Loads of red fruits with just a hint of blackberry, and it all adds up to a quite beautiful wine.” 94 points, Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
93 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
2023
“Deep crimson. Intense ripe blackberry pastille, espresso, dark chocolate aromas with aniseed notes. Generous, blackberry pastille, black olive,
panforte flavours, chalky fine tannins and underlying marzipan. Finishes cedary with aniseed notes. Lovely purity and torque. A very fine example of
Margaret River Shiraz. Drink now – 2035.” 95 Points, Andrew Calliard, Wine Pilot
Trophies, Best Shiraz and Best Red Wine in Show, Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2025
Gold, Royal Queensland Wine Show 2025
2022
93 points, Halliday Wine Companion
Gold, 95 points, Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2024
94 Points, James Suckling
93 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
