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2008 Summerfield Shiraz

Pyrenees, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
$24. 99
Bottle
$299.88 Dozen
Cellar: 3 - 4 Years (2019-2020)
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Stelvin

At below current release pricing, this is a vinous steal given its bottle age.

Summerfield is a small family winery run established by Ian Summerfield, who’s family have lived and worked in the Pyrenees for over 100 years. It was in the 1960’s when farming was on a downturn that the Summerfield family made the decision to sell a section of the property to Walter Henning who proceeded to plant it to vines, which today are the original plantings of Taltarni.

Ian Summerfield drew inspiration from his neighbour’s endeavours and amidst challenging times for the farming industry, planting grapevines seemed a viable alternative to the other crops Ian and his family had previously produced, and so in the early 1970’s he planted 10 acres of predominantly Shiraz vines. Early crops were sold to Great Western (now Seppelts) and Chateau Remy (now Blue Pyrenees), however, as Ian’s knowledge in wine production and confidence in the future of the industry grew he made the decision to build a winery and employ industry legend Leo Hurley as winemaker, who had 50 years experience at Seppelts. Today with his son Mark in charge of winemaking, Summerfield are one of the Pyrenees top producers.

With all the cellaring done for you this rich, succulent and silky Pyrenees Shiraz is dangerously drinkable.

Totally opaque midnight black core with a deep dark red black hue. Elevated aromatics of liquorice, blackberries and dark plum with a subtle spearmint infusion arise from the glass followed by notes of lightly toasted vanillin cedar, a hint of earth and spice. Full bodied the wines beautiful, luscious, rich fruit caresses the palate like liquid silk creating an opulent textural feel. Succulent flavours of ripe blackberries and liquorice are overlaid by a touch of choc mint with underlying spicy vanillin oak and a subtle earthiness. Velvet smooth tannins. Excellent concentration and length with a long finish of ripe blackberries, liquorice, choc mint, vanillin cedar, spice and a faint hint of leather.
Still with loads of life left in it this will continue to drink very well over the next 3-4 years.
Alc 14.5%

Other Reviews…
Curiously, the colour is the brightest of the three '08 shirazs; the bouquet is full of dark plum and blackberry fruit, the multiple layers of flavour on the medium- to full-bodied palate encompass blackberry fruit, vanillan oak and plum cake. Drink by 2023.
94 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion