Past Vintages

Technical Details

“For the price, this full-bodied, richly textured Shiraz "over-delivers," as Australians like to say. Scents of raspberries, chocolate and cedar give way to a harmonious mélange of berries and chocolate in the mouth, balanced by savory notes of black olive and coffee. 92 pts, Editor's Choice”

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast, December 2011, USA

 "A classic McLaren Vale shiraz, this has a black mineral glint to its tannins, heady spice and supple grace in its texture. The fruit layers brandied cherries with powerful blueberry ripeness while cool herbal and mushroom tones in the tannins keep it savoury. There's great fruit clarity and enough tannic tension to extend the flavor for minutes. All of a piece, this will likely reach iits peak around 10 years from the vintage. 94 pts."

Wine & Spirits, Year's Best Australian Shiraz, October 2011, USA

 "Generously proportioned, with a large amount of sweet, dark fruit, and fruitcake spice on offer, dark and chewy, the sweet fruit at the core is the essence of the wine; long and generous on the finish. Rating 94 To 2016"

Reprinted with permission from the James Halliday Australian Wine Companion, 2009

"2006 D Block Reserve Shiraz has a deep garnet-purple color. The nose is a little closed giving subtle notes of warm blackberry and cherry pies, earth, peppered game and anise plus suggestions of dried leaves and moss covered bark. Full bodied with a high level of grainy tannins and high acidity, there’s just enough muscular fruit and savory flesh in the mid-palate, lingering long into the finish. Approachable now, it should drink to 2019+. 92pts"

erobertparker.com December 2010

Winemaking

In a small niche of the Shingleback Vineyard, the soil, climate and Shiraz combine to create something special - the fruit that is ultimately hand crafted to become D Block Shiraz. Gentle hand working of the skins in small, 5 tonne open fermenters and traditional winemaking practices protect and nurture the unique qualities of the terroir. Very fine-grained American and French oak hogsheads are used to allow a long, slow maturation of the wine and subtle oak integration. A combination of new and 1 year old barrels, crafted by select coopers to our requirements, are used to create nuances and diversity of flavour. When maturation and oak integration are perfect, individual barrels are selected and blended to create the fruit power, complexity and harmonious balance that is Shingleback D Block Shiraz.

Tasting note

Deep red. Primary fruit aromasof blackberry and plum are embellished with nuances of couverture chocolate, blueberry and slate-like minerality. A fresh compote of summer berries fills the mid-palate and overflows into the long finish that is complemented by finely textured French oak and hints of savoury development. A perfectly balanced and seamlessly integrated wine that expresses the essence of the vine, the time, the place and the harsh, black cracking clay over limestone soils that make up this unique corner fo the Shingleback vineyard.  

Awards:

• Gold medal - 2011Spiegelau International Wine Competition, Class 16b, NZ 
• Gold medal - 2010 New Zealand International Wine Show, Class 18a 
• Gold medal - 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards, UK
• Gold medal - 2009 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• Gold medal - 2008 Royal Hobart International Wine Show, Class 66
• Gold medal - 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show, Class 22
• 94 points - 2010 James Halliday Wine Companion
• 94 points - Wine & Spirits Magazine October 2011, Year's Best, USA
• 92 points - erobertparker.com, December 2010
• 92 pts, No 86 of Top 100 Wines for 2011 - Wine Enthusiast, December 2011 , USA
• Silver medal - 2011 McLaren Vale Wine Show, Class 10
• Silver medal - 2009 International Wine Challenge, UK
• Silver medal - 2009 International Wine & Spirit Competition,  UK