Deus Ex Liquida Grenache Shiraz 2014 - 1.5L Magnum
- Rich, full-bodied
- McLaren Vale
This season, two great houses, two legends of Vitis vinifera have each given of themselves a child. Deus Ex Liquida Grenache Shiraz - nourished on blocks of iron, sandstone and clay, the essence of their blood and pride of the Vale. In conjunction with the brothers Leask, we’re proud to introduce our finest production yet. And this magnum is set to be a blockbuster of epic proportions.
Profile
In May 2014, John Clark and Adam Trovarelli contacted the Leask Bros and shared a desire to create a premium wine showcasing the essence of McLaren Vale - grenache and shiraz. The Leask boys knew exactly in which direction to head - to the foothills of the Vale on a mission for structural elegance and medium bodied, pretty fruit. The quest was begun for a fresh and youthful wine grounded in earth and savoury depth.
Grenache triumphs. Sourced from gnarly bush vines and delivering vibrant raspberry, cardamom spice and perfumed allure. Shiraz is the workhorse, the backbone, placing grenache on a rail and taking it for a ride. Savoury and spicy first, black cherry swirls around a twist of orange rind. Baci chocolate, subtle cedar and saline tannins are the memorable encore.
Medium bodied and intense, a wine of balance and poise - this is McLaren Vale in full-blown glory. Raise a goblet and feast upon rich food - salted pork belly, chorizo, burnt butter and sage.
Indulge and revel, for the world is your playground.
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- McLaren Vale
- Vintage
- 2014
- Cellaring
- 2025
- Preservatives
- ―
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 14.7%
- Closure
- Screwcap
- Bottle Vol
- 1.5L
- Blend Info
- 70% Grenache, 30% Shiraz
- Serving Temp.
- 18°C
Winemaking
Crafting
Minimal sulphur added at bottling.
Producer
Hither & Yon
Hither & Yon burst onto the scene very recently, with Malcolm and Richard Leask putting their considerable experience and their family vineyards with up to 50 years age to the best use possible. They've certainly got the package to reflect the quality of the juice, and it's nice to see people putting their best foot forward in all respects. Bravo, Richard and Malcolm. These are the types of wines that make us all go 'f%$k yeah!'
Region
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a region that lives in the shadow of the hype of the Barossa. While it has played on Shiraz as its drawcard, and continues to battle (quite rightly) with the supreme power of the Barossa, perhaps the most exciting wines from this region are its old vine Grenache and Mataro (Mourvedre/Monastrell - whatever you want to call it), and its more recent foray into Spanish and Italian varietals. Both the sun's warmth and the reliable salty afternoon gully breeze make the climate closer to Mediterranean than many other Aussie regions, and some of the Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo and Sangiovese from here are sublime (to name only a few). Awareness, proper consideration and sense of place are key attributes to the region's success, and its recent win against urbanisation reinforces the value of the viticultural region.
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Braised shoulder of lamb
Ingredients
- For the lamb:
- 500 g greens, such as white cabbage, Savoy cabbage, Brussels tops or cavolo nero, leaves separated, stalks finely sliced
- 1 large bunch fresh rosemary
- 2 kg quality shoulder of lamb
- olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bulb garlic, unpeeled, broken into cloves
- For the smashed veg:
- 750 g potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
- ½ large swede, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 75 g butter
- For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 500 ml organic chicken or vegetable stock, hot
- 2 heaped tablespoons capers, soaked, drained and chopped
- 1 large bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions
- In this recipe I'm going to show you how utterly incredible a slow-roasted shoulder of lamb can be. In exchange I'd like you to buy quality local lamb that's had the appropriate amount of hanging time. I'm going to let the meat speak for itself and not add much to it, just a simple sauce made from all the goodness in the tray. You can make this at any time of year served with any seasonal veg.
- Preheat your oven to full whack. Slash the fat side of the lamb all over with a sharp knife. Lay half the sprigs of rosemary and half the garlic cloves on the bottom of a high-sided roasting tray, rub the lamb all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place it in the tray on top of the rosemary and garlic, and put the rest of the rosemary and garlic on top of the lamb. Tightly cover the tray with tinfoil and place in the oven. Turn the oven down immediately to 170°C/325°F/gas 3 and cook for 4 hours – it's done if you can pull the meat apart easily with two forks.
- When the lamb is nearly cooked, put your potatoes, carrots and swede into a large pot of boiling salted water and boil hard for 20 minutes or so until you can slide a knife into the swede easily. Drain and allow to steam dry, then smash them up in the pan with most of the butter. If you prefer a smooth texture, add some cooking water. Spoon into a bowl, cover with tinfoil and keep warm over a pan of simmering water.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a chopping board. Cover it with tinfoil, then a tea towel, and leave it to rest. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for your greens. Pour away most of the fat from the roasting tray, discarding any bits of rosemary stalk. Put the tray on the hob and mix in the flour. Add the stock, stirring and scraping all the sticky goodness off the bottom of the tray. You won't need gallons of gravy, just a couple of flavoursome spoonfuls each. Add the capers, turn the heat down and simmer for a few minutes.
- Finely chop the mint and add it to the sauce with the red wine vinegar at the last minute then pour into a jug. Add your greens and stalks to the pan of fast-boiling salted water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes to just soften them. Drain and toss with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place everything in the middle of the table, and shred the lamb in front of your guests. Absolutely delish!