Scarlet Runner Shiraz 2010
Tasting Notes
When pressed (as he is not given to hyperbole), Joch had this to say about the 2010 harvest .... '2010 is a cracking McLaren Vale vintage making wines with great fruit definition and elegance.' The 2010 Scarlet Runner Shiraz has a nose of black fruits and black fruit pastille (jubes). It has a full middle weight palate with lots of black fruit with a hint of liquorice and anise. It is all supported by fine supple tannins.
Vintage
We recorded just about average annual rainfall over the year, which resulted in healthy crops of Shiraz and Cabernet. The unseasonably warm spell we had in November did not affect the vines to any great degree (although our Chardonnay vines were flowering at the time which resulted in a smaller crop of this variety than we anticipated - which obviously has not had any effect on our Shiraz). The weather then remained almost perfect for the rest of vintage. The general consensus amongst winemakers in the Vale is that 2010 marks an exceptional year for both red and white wines.
Winemaking
We employed a mixture of open and small tank fermentation in making this third vintage of our Scarlet Runner Shiraz, so in no way a departure from our normal SOP's. We use mainly older oak to mature the wine. which is a mix of both French and American
oak. We use about 10% new oak. The idea is to let the fruit speak for itself ...
Other Vintages
Technical Details
Picking Date: 19 Feb and 12 March 2010
pH: 3.65
Total Acidity: 6.22 g/L
Alc/Vol: 14.5%
Bottling Date: 2 February 2011