Grey Label Barossa Shiraz 2016 (Cork)
Wolf Blass
Grey Label Barossa Shiraz 2016 (Cork)
Wolf Blass
Grey Label Barossa Shiraz 2016 (Cork)
Overview
Overview
Barossa Shiraz is inherently suited to the Grey Label style, rich, plush and powerful, yet with an approachability that provides sheer enjoyment throughout its evolution over time in bottle.
Shiraz was sourced from low yielding Barossa vineyards selected for elegance and intensity of fruit, and rich, bright character.
Individual vineyard batches were fermented in small open-top fermenters for 5 to 10 days. Plunging and gentle irrigation were used to work the cap and optimise flavour, colour and tannin extraction, providing for concentration and depth of fruit flavour, while keeping tannins plush, hallmarks of the Grey Label style. Select batches completed fermentation in barrel, contributing mid-palate texture, while others finished fermentation on skins, providing structural length and focus.
| Varietal | Shiraz |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Barossa |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Cork |
| Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
| Peak Drinking | Enjoy Now - 2027 |
Food Pairing
Food Pairing
Beef
Lamb
Veg
Pizza
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
Aromatic blue fruits are complexed with notes of dark chocolate, warm spice and subtle nougat oak.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Winter was drier than average, followed by a warm, dry spring and early-summer, with good conditions for flowering and fruit set. January and February were mild, with welcome rain in late January slowing ripening. This allowed for early lignification of seeds and stalks, with development of rich, bright fruit flavours, dense colours and ripe tannins.
Marie Clay - Winemaker
Wolf Blass winemaker Marie Clay discovered wine through her Dad's stellar collection of South Australian reds. Like all good fathers, he stocked up on the birth year of his two daughters. In Marie's case, that just happened to be a lovely bottle of 1979 Wolf Blass Black Label, which was cracked at her 21st birthday.
After graduating in 2000 from the University of Adelaide with first Class honours in Oenology, Marie received the Southcorp wine scholarship. This allowed her to travel and work with the company’s best winemakers across the Australian wine regions of Coonawarra, Barossa, Sunraysia and Great Western. Following these experiences, Marie worked with Lindeman’s for 4 years at both their NSW and Victorian wineries, overseeing white wine production.
In December 2006 Marie joined the Wolf Blass winemaking team in the Barossa, where she relished the opportunity to work with premium red wines from vineyard to bottle. She loves working in a modern winery that allows the fruit's potential to be realised. Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale, the heartland regions of the Grey Label range, are particularly close to her heart.