97 points - "From '75 and '98 plantings on the Springs Hill vineyard. The '24 Paralian suite, for me, is the finest to date. All killer, as they say … The quiet power in this is something to behold – a wine of gravitas and grace. It comes in a little darker of fruit this year, though not heavy with it. Dried olive, black cherry, violet, blueberry, ground coffee, a certain sultry floral and spicy feel, with an undercurrent of nori and iodine. This is a marvellous expression, with finely tooled tannins and exceptional length. Simply brilliant." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "So pure and refined with aromas of blackberry bush, crushed blueberries and rose petals as well as game meat, black-olive brine and blackcurrants. The luscious, medium-bodied palate has a textural mouthfeel, showing bramble, tobacco, baking spices and iodine. Nicely constructed. High drinkability now and aging potential. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - JamesSuckling.com

Single Vineyard Shiraz, fruit sourced from ‘Springs Hill Vineyard’, Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale grown by the Whaite family

Two dry grown plantings, 1998 on Holocene sand, North/South aspect 205-210m altitude, 1975 on sand and ironstone, North-East/South-West aspect 195-205m. Sustainable Winegrowing Australia Certified Vineyard.

A vineyard we both have worked with in previous roles and one we were instantly drawn to for our Shiraz. 2023 is our sixth release of this single vineyard wine.

Hand-picked fruit in two separate batches on the 13th and 24th of April (the latest we have seen for Paralian), wild-fermented in two 135-year-old wax lined concrete open fermenters, 10% and 20% whole bunch (foot trodden for tannin extraction from ripe rachis), remainder destemmed. Cold soaked for 5 days, plunged and pumped over during peak of ferment, 10 days on skins. Wine was matured on lees for 10 months in French oak, 14% new.

The first time we have taken the 1975 planted Shiraz and it certainly is a different resulting wine. A slightly different orientation but with much greater depth of dark fruit, baking spices and persistence. Its impact is emphatic on the structure and deep nature of this Springs Hill Shiraz. At close to 50% 1998 and 50% 1975 this wine shows a darkness of fruits and concentration quite remarkable for the growing season.

Pure Blewitt Springs, Blue & Black fruits, peat, graphite and coal dust. A touch of roasted earth, fresh road tar and crushed ironstone with a lovely szechuan to black pepper note from the whole bunch component. The 75’ planted Shiraz block really has brought an extra element of depth and general darkness to the wine. Really streamlined and tightly wound with lovely tannins ensuring a promising future.