Price Drop: Craneford 'Basket Pressed' Shiraz 2021

Basket pressing is a traditional, gentle extraction method that separates juice from grape skins using minimal pressure, preserving the fruit's delicate aromatics and preventing harsh tannin extraction. This technique, favoured by premium winemakers, results in wines with greater elegance and refined structure compared to more aggressive pressing methods. The process takes longer but produces juice with exceptional purity and concentration, which explains this wine's remarkable balance of power and finesse.

Barossa Valley's warm, dry climate and ancient soils create Shiraz with distinctive richness and concentration that's become Australia's signature style. The region's old vine plantings, some over 100 years old, produce fruit with incredible depth and complexity that younger vineyards simply cannot match. Barossa Shiraz typically shows more opulent fruit flavours, spice, and full-bodied structure compared to cooler climate regions like Adelaide Hills or Eden Valley, making it the benchmark for powerful Australian red wine.

This wine's rich raspberry and vanilla notes with spicy undertones make it perfect for hearty dishes like grilled lamb with rosemary, beef brisket, or aged cheddar cheese. The full-bodied structure can handle bold flavours like barbecued meats, mushroom risotto, or even dark chocolate desserts. The wine's fruit-forward character also complements game meats and dishes with earthy elements, while its balanced acidity cuts through rich, fatty foods beautifully.

The 2021 vintage in Barossa was characterised by ideal growing conditions with a cool, wet winter followed by a warm, dry harvest period that allowed grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. This combination produced wines with excellent colour retention, concentrated flavours, and well-integrated tannins. The vintage is already showing exceptional promise, with many producers noting the natural balance and aging potential of their 2021 Shiraz releases, suggesting this wine will develop beautifully over the next 8-10 years.

Serve this wine at 16-18°C to showcase its complex aromatics and prevent the alcohol from dominating - slightly cooler than room temperature works perfectly. Decanting for 30-60 minutes will help open up the wine's layers and soften any youthful tannins. Store bottles on their side in a cool, dark place away from vibration, ideally at 12-15°C with consistent humidity, and this wine should continue developing for 5-8 years from vintage date.