The fruit that went into this wine comes from vines grown in the Clare Valley, South Australia. These thirty-year-old Shiraz vines generally put out fairly low yields – less than three tonnes to the acre – and in 2002 was long and cool. Fruit was picked 2 weeks later than average.

The wine matured in American oak hogsheads, 50% of which were new. Because the fruit was so ripe, the wine was given a judicious extra three months’ aging in the barrel. The 2002 Old Vines Shiraz is drinking well now, and will continue to cellar well for the next 5 years. Enjoy it with food, perhaps after a meal with some ripe mature cheese.