Shadowfax Pyrenees Shiraz 2021

Established in 1998, Shadowfax is a boutique winery located just 30 minutes from Melbourne in the heart of Werribee Park. Dedicated to creating high-quality and handcrafted wines, Shadowfax is renowned for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Shiraz, as well as a selection of highly limited, single-vineyard wines. The winery takes its name from J.R.R. Tolkien's classic, The Lord of the Rings, where Shadowfax was chief among horses. Contemporary in design and function, Shadowfax's unique architecture reflects an attempt to create a harmony between the winery and its natural surroundings. Designed by award-winning architects Wood Marsh, the winery's rusted sheet metal exterior and terracotta interior evoke the best of Australian wine heritage. At Shadowfax, the team is passionate about allowing each vineyard site to express its unique character, with the grapes grown reflecting the site and telling their own story. The vineyards are grown depending on their own requests, with the team always listening and tasting to ensure the vineyard's needs and wants are met. Shadowfax is not afraid of new ideas, experimentation, trials and tribulations, all while having fun doing so. The vineyard is allowed to do the talking, using the wine glass as its stage. Shadowfax is a winery that truly cares about the land and the wines it produces, resulting in some of the most exceptional wines in the region.

Shadowfax Wines is a premium winery with vineyards located in some of the most unique and sought-after regions in Australia. The Little Hampton single vineyard site near Trentham sits at 730m above sea level, making it one of the coolest in the Macedon Ranges. The deep red volcanic loams over hard basalt outcrops give Little Hampton a unique balance between aromatics and power, producing exceptional fruit, particularly Pinot Noir, which forms the flagship Little Hampton Pinot Noir. Other vineyards include Straws Lane, planted in the 1980s to Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer near Hesket, Midhill, with slightly acidic and well-drained red volcanic soils and Werribee, which produces powerful and robust K Road Shiraz and unadulterated Minnow wines. The Pyrenees vineyard produces Shiraz with natural spicy aromas, a full palate and long fine tannins, thanks to the inland location at the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountain range. Shadowfax Wines' commitment to minimal intervention in the winery and precision farming results in wines that are vibrant, pure and drinkable.

The Shadowfax Pyrenees Shiraz is a bold wine that boasts a dark red to black color with a ruby hue. The aroma showcases white pepper spice, dark plums and fig fruit with hints of cinnamon spice. On the palate, satsuma plums and blackcurrant fruits explode onto the front palate, with pepper spices and cinnamon adding further intrigue. The fine but firm tannins build through the palate, leading to a crescendo of flavors that resonate with the drinker long after the wine has left one's lips. This is a full-bodied wine with great length and depth, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy a bold and complex Shiraz. This wine pairs well with roast duck, Schezuan chicken and rump steak. The carefully hand-harvested fruit was picked in the cool of the morning to retain vibrancy. The fruit was destemmed into small open fermenters, where wild yeast performed their magic. The wine was then pressed and left to rest in 20% new French barrels, allowing it to develop its full flavor profile and complexity.

Good colour, hue and depth; the bouquet has exotic spices that reshape themselves each time you return to the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it has an equally complex array of flavours before a savoury finish. - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion, 94 Points

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%