2012 Penny's Hill Skeleton Key Shiraz

Sourced from the original Penny’s Hill vineyard, its slightly higher elevation means it enjoys a climate a little cooler than the rest of McLaren Vale. This ensures more consistent temperatures throughout the ripening period, allowing Shiraz to reach optimum ripeness with minimum stress. Individual blocks were harvested and vinified separately to best express the variation in terroir. Fruit was destemmed then crushed and fermented on skins in an open fermenter for 7 days prior to pressing. Maturation was in predominantly French oak of which approximately 30% was new oak. The balance was matured in 1, 2 and 3 year old oak and after 20 months the final wine was blended.

Plush and deep with superb concentration, this is a magnificent Skeleton Key that could easily command a much higher price.

Superb totally opaque inky black colour with a very deep dark crimson red black hue. Showing terrific intensity aromas of liquorice, ripe blackberries and dark chocolate waft from the glass with underlying vanillin oak, mocha and spice. Dense, powerful and rich the palate is saturated with lashings of luscious liquorice, ripe blackberry and dark chocolate flavours followed by vanillin oak and spice all wrapped up in a plush opulent texture. Silky smooth tannins. Outstanding length finishing with a very long aftertaste of liquorice, ripe blackberries, dark chocolate and spicy lightly toasted vanillin oak.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc 15%

Other Reviews....
Open-fermented and matured in oak for 22 months. Deep crimson-purple, still in the first flush of youth; a concentrated, no-holds-barred shiraz shouting its region and variety from the rooftops; full of jet black fruits, dripping with dark chocolate, it has remarkable balance thanks in no small measure to its oak and tannin inputs. Drink by 2045.
96 points
James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion