Shiraz 2022 - Black Market Deal #54829

This wine comes from the best two rows of the oldest shiraz vineyard available to the producer, making it an exceptional old vine expression. The fruit undergoes wild yeast fermentation and spends 12 months on skins in new French oak, followed by additional oak ageing - a labour-intensive process that creates extraordinary depth and complexity. With dual 95-point ratings from respected critics, this represents the pinnacle of what McLaren Vale can produce.

While this wine shows beautifully now with vibrant red fruits and supple tannins, it has tremendous potential for long-term cellaring thanks to its old vine concentration and structured oak treatment. The combination of bright acidity, full body, and quality French oak suggests it will develop gracefully over 10-15 years, gaining complexity and integration. For immediate enjoyment, decanting will help open up the wine's full expression.

The extended skin contact (12 months) and new French oak treatment create a powerful, concentrated wine that benefits from aeration to fully express its potential. Decanting allows the wine to breathe, softening the oak integration and revealing the underlying blackberry fruit and mineral complexity. The process also helps the vanilla notes from the oak marry with the wine's natural spice, creating a more harmonious drinking experience.

This rich, oak-aged Shiraz demands equally robust flavours - think slow-cooked lamb shoulder, grilled ribeye, or aged hard cheeses. The wine's minerality and bright acidity cut through rich, fatty dishes, while its vanilla and spice notes complement barbecued meats beautifully. The full-bodied structure also pairs excellently with game meats or hearty stews, where the wine's intensity won't be overwhelmed.

Wild yeast fermentation uses naturally occurring yeasts from the vineyard rather than commercial laboratory strains, creating more complex and unique flavour profiles. This traditional technique often produces wines with greater textural interest and distinctive regional character, contributing to this wine's sense of place in McLaren Vale. The process is riskier and requires more skill, but results in wines with deeper complexity and the kind of individual personality that sets premium wines apart from mass-produced alternatives.