95 points James Suckling, beautifully crafted Pinot Noir with focus on fruit, full but not heavy.
A light red. Bright nose, really fragrant - juicy cranberries, cinnamon and bergamot. On the palate, there is lots of rhubarb and earl grey tea on top of a savoury core - cured meats, stem, sap, and spice. Nice acid cut and grippy tannins.
Established in 1989 by Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW, Shaw + Smith's aim is to make contemporary, high quality wines that stand among the best of their type in Australia. The wines are made exclusively from fruit grown in the Adelaide Hills, one of Australia's coolest and most exciting regions. Shaw + Smith specialise in grape varieties suited to cooler climates, such as Sauvignon Blanc and chardonnay, and also make outstanding wines from Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
The fruit was sourced from the block behind the Shaw + Smith winery in Balhannah and from their newer Lenswood vineyard. Soils here are brown loam over red clay and schist with high plant density at 2,780 vines per hectare. The clones used are the 777 from Burgundy and MV6, the backbone of many of Australia's best Pinots. The vines are hand pruned and yields very small (around 3.75 tonnes per hectare).
Grapes were hand picked and sorted. A combination of whole berry and whole bunch fermentation and time on skins pre and post ferment
A beautifully crafted pinot, as always, with focused fruit, subtle undertones of cedar and leather and hints of foie gras. It's full-bodied, but not heavy, with plenty of tension and focus. Bright acidity with depth and length. Impressive. James Suckling 95 points
