Amongst the patchwork of Wynns vineyards on the famed terra rossa strip, one special area is V&A Lane. A long, straight road surveyed in 1851 which was the old district boundary between the historical electorates of Victoria and Albert. The mature Shiraz vineyards along V&A Lane ripen early and are among the first picked each season. The resulting wines have a modern appeal being fresh and spicy, yet still maintaining the succulent and silky palate structure of a Shiraz that can proudly take its place on the world stage.
The purpose of V&A Lane Shiraz is to showcase a contrasting wine style from one of our most beloved grape varieties. A purposely early harvest to highlight a fresh red fruit spectrum, naturally lower alcohol, whole bunch inclusion, wild ferments, and the use of larger oak for maturation are just some of the techniques employed to make these beautiful food friendly wines.
Varietal | Shiraz |
---|---|
Vintage | 2022 |
Country | Australia |
Region | Coonawarra |
Volume | 750 mL |
Closure | Screw Cap |
Alc/Vol | 12.4% |
Peak Drinking | Enjoy Now - 2035 |
Winemaker | Sarah Pidgeon |
96 Points | Huon Hooke, The Real Review |
96 Points | Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot |
95 Points | Shanteh Wale |
93 Points | Jeni Port, Wine Pilot |
Bronze | 2024 Royal Adelaide Wine Show |
"Very deep, youthfully bright and saturated purple colour; intense spice/black pepper, blackberry and dark plum aromas, the palate full-bodied and rich, fleshy and deep, with great intensity and a long, long carry. The tannins are ample and supple, adding the required firmness of structure, the balance outstanding. Great to drink now but has a long future in front of it."
"Vineyards on this long straight road through Coonawarra have consistently turned out a distinctive fresh and vibrant style. This is one of the best I have tasted, it is stylishly elegant and refined in every respect. Vibrant and lively red fruits burst from the glass with a subtle raspberry and cherry infusion through the fleshy plummy characters. Exquisitely structured with fine precise tannins and super-fine oak harnessing and focussing through to a very long finish. Just love it."
"Ten months in seasoned French oak (between one and eight years old). Violets, wild boysenberry and rosella florals. Prune plums, mulberry tart and cherry stone. Sumac and black sesame seed. Electric in its vibrant energy and freshness. A veil of fine tannins across the palate is followed by a sappy succulence and snap of acidity. This has the zest and energy of a cool-climate style."
Pure fresh first pick Cherries, beautifully fresh and bright. A dusting of cinnamon and half-dried roses. The 30% whole bunch provides background perfume to further elevate the florals.
A burst of clear cherry and mulberry fruit, gently supported by soft natural acidity. There is amazing intensity in this lower alcohol, early harvested style. Slow-building powdery coating tannin frames the gorgeous bright fruit and controls the shape with a light rein. Ripe but fresh fruit notes with an enjoyable ease in the palate which gives way to remarkable complexity without challenge. A lingering and lightly mossy, stemmy finish harks back to the whole bunch fermentation. Just delicious.
Coonawarra, on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, is a flat, isolated region almost mid-point between Adelaide and Melbourne. The area enjoys a cool maritime climate - similar to that of Bordeaux - and is renowned for its unique terra rossa soil. Rich, rust coloured soils… crimson sunburnt faces… magenta sunsets: this is red wine country! While Coonawarra is famous for its rich, minty Cabernet, the area also produces Shiraz and Merlot and surprisingly good Chardonnay and Riesling.
Overall, the 2022 Coonawarra vintage was a high-quality year without any obvious climate change impacts. After a
cold start to the season, Budburst occurred in a cool spring. Thankfully, flowering week was ideal – warm temperatures with no wind – resulting in an even berry set. The ideal flowering conditions and above average temperatures led to even red coloring with minimal variability between bunches. Harvest dates ranged from late April into May. This is in line with long term average dates for Wynns Coonawarra Estate. Vintage 2022 exemplifies the Wynns Coonawarra Estate medium bodied age worthy style.
In 1998 Sarah was appointed winemaker at the renowned Wynns Coonawarra Estate winery. Here she feels privileged to continue the tradition of excellence and innovation, working with fruit from some of Australia’s top vineyards on the internationally famed terra rossa soil.
A love of well cellared, mature wines has been cultivated through her custodianship of the precious Wynns Museum Release wines. An intense knowledge of the terroir of Coonawarra vineyards, and great skill with coaxing the best from old vine Cabernets are among her constant rewards.
Questioning and challenging are important to ensuring a healthy future for Wynns and to this end Sarah has contributed to many important trials including development of a rigorous oak selection programme, and other technical trials for the winery.
A graduate of the prestigious Len Evans Wine Tutorial, her recent judging experience spans a decade at both regional and national shows.