Woodstock McLaren Vale 'The Stocks' Shiraz 2017  £44.97

Woodstock McLaren Vale 'The Stocks' Shiraz 

Named after a set of medieval wooden leg stocks, which stand in the town of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England, ‘The Stocks’ Shiraz is Woodstock’s flagship wine. This single vineyard Shiraz is made from 31 rows of low-yielding vines, planted circa 1900 on a sandy north slope of Woodstock Estate. The 2017 vintage marks our 23rd release of ‘The Stocks’.

The old vines on sandy soils are inspected thoroughly during veraison each January; exposed bunches are removed to prevent sunburn and hidden bunches are thinned to ensure even ripening. Ideally, each remaining bunch will have about two leaves between them and the sun. Yields are deliberately kept low (average yield is about two bottles per vine) and the vineyard is essentially dry grown resulting in intense concentration of flavour.

The Shiraz fruit is harvested at night to preserve the delicate berry flavours. The grapes are then crushed and cold soaked for 24-48 hours before fermentation in small open fermenters and hand plunged twice daily for at least 5 days.

Deep, dark red colour with a purple tint. Plush, red and black fruits with a touch of dried spice and toasty oak on the nose. The palate is full-bodied yet soft, with ripe tannins and mid-palate fruit harmoniously balanced, which lead to a structured and complex finish. A wine that perfectly reflects its terroir, variety and region with elegance of fruit and well-integrated oak.

‘The Stocks’ Shiraz really comes into its own when aged in bottle. This is a wine that will reward your patient cellaring with the further development of its unique terroir characteristics. Ten to fifteen years is the sweet spot and we have enjoyed amazing bottles of previous vintages twenty or more years on.

Serves well with Beef, Venison and fine Cheeses. 

Alcohol: 15.2%