• Delivery
Wine clubWine clubWine clubWine club
  • Gift registry
  • Wishlist
  • FAQs
The mean gravelly soils and invigorating climes of Mount Barker of the Australian southwest, were identified during the 1960s by the world's leading viticulturalists, as a place uncannily similar to the great terroirs and clime of Bordeaux. The pioneering vines of Forest Hill were the first ever planted here, sired from rootstock of ancient Houghton clones, inaugurally vintaged by the illustrious Jack Mann in 1972. The Cabernet and Riesling of Forest Hill were promptly distinguished by multiple trophy victories and praised by gentleman James Halliday as the most remarkable wines to come out of the Australian west. Forest Hill have remained a source of the most profoundly structured, intensely focused, yet softly spoken range of wines. Powerful yet disciplined Cabernet, generously proportioned Malbec, august Chardonnay and mesmerising Riesling, all representing essential.. Softly spoken wonders from the west»
Beechworth attracts the most artisanal winemakers, the region's rich mineral soils and parched, undulating terrains, breed wines of vigorous flavour, crystalline textures and boney savoury tannins. The first parcel of Crown Land in the region was acquired by Isaac Phillips in 1857, he christened his estate Golden Ball and built a hotel named Honeymooners Inn, servicing miners on their way up the steep trails to the Beechworth goldfields. The old pub remains but the surrounding land has been turned over to viticulture, planted to vine in the nineteen naughties, it produces a quality of wine that's reserved for the nation's most exclusive winelists. Served by savvy sommeliers and savoured by the most discerning patrons, the limited releases of Golden Ball are an essential experience for aspirants of grand Victorian growths... Small batches of beechworth's best»

Shaw Smith Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz Adelaide Hills South Australia
Shiraz grapes in the Adelaide Hills ripen slowly and evenly resulting in spicey, intense expressions in the fruit. Shaw + Smith is a star performer, sourced from the carefully managed warmer sub-area of Macclesfield which provides structure and richness. The cooler climes of Balhannah yield a truly exciting new wave Shiraz with loads of clean pepper, spiceyness, concentration and palate weight to match. A brilliantly structured wine with great concentration of fruit flavours, a modern Australian expression with less reliance on oak, vibrant and bright.
Available in cases of 6
Case of 6
$305.50
Sourced from the warmer, drier parts of the Adelaide Hills around Macclesfield and from low yielding vines at Balhannah. Generally soil structures are shallow red/brown loam over schist and clay. High density vine plantings are hand pruned, vertical shoot positioned canopies. Yields are restricted to 2kg per vine, essential in achieving concentration. A small batch approach is adopted throughout the winemaking. Hand picked whole bunches and whole berries are inoculated and vinified in small fermenters, regularly hand plunged and pumped over. Upon completion of malolactic, components are treated to a year's maturation in a selection of seasoned and new French barriques and larger format oak.
Deep red with bright robes. Aromas of red fruits, pepper and spice. A palate brimming with bramble, layered and long, a fruit filled savoury wine, showing great purity of character, currants and spice, background clove and black pepper notes, reined in by soft and fine, ample tannins. A match to fine Italian and French faire, braises and cheese.
Shaw Smith
1 - 7 of 7
1
1 - 7 of 7
1
Shaw Smith
Shaw + Smith began over a long lunch in 1989 when cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith decided to realise a long held dream to make wine together

Shaw + Smith's aim is to make contemporary, high quality wines that stand amongst the best of their type, both nationally and internationally. For a wine to be released under the Shaw + Smith label it must be an oustanding example of it's type, from grapes grown in the Adelaide Hills. For the first ten years Shaw + Smith focussed on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and now also make small quantities of Riesling, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. White varieties are well suited to the cooler climate of the Adelaide Hills, while Pinot Noir and Shiraz perform well in carefully chosen sites.

Shaw Smith

Martin Shaw is a winemaker with considerable international experience. He graduated from the Roseworthy College in 1981 and worked with Brian Croser at Petaluma for eight years prior to setting up the 'Flying Winemakers' network in France, Spain, Chile, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to Shaw + Smith, Martin still consults at number of companies within Australia and overseas. Aside from being a wine producer, Michael Hill Smith is a wine judge and consultant and contributes to various wine and food publications. In 1988, Hill Smith became the first Australian to pass the rigorous Master of Wine examination in London.

The Adelaide Hills is one of the most exciting wine regions. Although grapes were planted as early as 1839, it was not until the early 1980's that modern viticulture emerged. Today there are 54 Adelaide Hills wine labels with over 3000 ha of vineyard planted and more planned for the future. The region is strikingly beautiful with its patchwork of forests, farms, orchards and vineyards.

Because of it's distinctive cool climate, the grapes grown in the Hills have wonderful fruit composition, particularly in depth and spectrum of flavour, natural acid balance and overall finesse. Grape varieties best suited to the Adelaide Hills are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are more marginal, but perform well on certain sites with some experimentation with Viognier, Nebbiolo and Tempranillo.

Shaw Smith

In 1994 Shaw + Smith planted 28-ha of vines at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills. This vineyard is the home of Shaw and Smith's single vineyard M3 Chardonnay and consistently produces outstanding chardonnay fruit. The balance of the vineyard is planted to sauvignon blanc and is a vital component of the estate Sauvignon Blanc blend each year. The M3 Vineyard is close planted and uses vertical shoot positioning, the canopy configuration that has been so successful in the region. The soil is sandy loam over red-yellow clay with some shale.

In September 1999 Shaw + Smith purchased 46 ha on Jones Road between Balhannah and Hahndorf. The property is blessed with wonderful views of Mt Lofty, is ideally suited to viticulture and was planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Average altitude 420 metres and all grapes are hand picked. The soil is free draining sandy loam over red clay with underlying quartzite and shale. As well as being home for the winery, the Balhannah property is the site of the single vineyard Riesling and Pinot Noir wines and contributes to the fruit sourced for the Sauvignon Blanc. Just behind the winery, on a prized northerly aspect, a parcel has recently been planted to Shiraz. The soil is sandy loam over red clay with underlying quartzite and shale.

A new winery was built for vintage 2000, which houses Shaw + Smith's production, marketing and administration. A new bottling line was installed in 2002, ensuring full control of every aspect of production, from grape berry to bottle. The winery design was a collaboration between Asbroek Engineering, JBG Architects and Christopher Connell Design. The winery has a wonderful contemporary feel throughout with tasting room and facilities.

Shaw Smith