2014 JIMMY WATSON WINNER - Royal Melbourne Wine Show

"Soon after picking this fruit I knew the resulting wine was going to be special - I’m even quoted in an article stating I thought it was a chance for the Watson! I couldn’t wait to release it and as I look back now, the release of this wine marked a pivotal moment in our lives, a stroke of good fortune that established everything that we have today." - Stephen Pannell

Aromas of cassis, fenugreek, charcuterie and tapenade are all consistent with nine years of bottle age. However, the surprise is in the abundance of fruit aromas: blackberry, blueberry and pomegranate followed by spices: Kampot pepper, red cedar and frankincense. Revealed with a little air is sea spray, petrichor, crushed rocks and roasted red capsicum. A viscous nose that wavers from black fruits to blue. The palate is more youthful than the nose with dark chocolate, clove, cinnamon, satsuma plum, lavender, rhubarb and preserved citrus.

Pure silk on entry with tannins that yawn, stretch and unwind as they progress across the palate. The texture and flavours meld like a Chesterfield on a blue slate floor with a vibrancy that belies its age. The long finish delivers another round of flavours and texture wavering between earth, spice and dark fruit. Power with delicacy and proof that Shiraz belongs in Australia, especially in cooler climates.

Alc/Vol: 14.0%