The 2021 vintage was a very high quality vintage in the Barossa Valley, so the decision was made to make a small batch of Fortified Shiraz.
The grapes were harvested on the 20th of March from a small block of 26 year old Shiraz vines situated just above the winery at the Golden Amrita Greenock vineyard. These vines yielded a small crop of only 2 tonnes of ripe, small Shiraz bunches, ideal for making a fortified Shiraz.
The grapes were gently de-stemmed and placed in a small open fermenter, and allowed to soak for around 2 days, after which the natural yeast started the fermentation. During fermentation the cap of skins rises and was gently hand plunged three times daily to extract colour and tannin from the skins.
After 6 days of natural “wild” fermentation on skins the grapes were then pressed in a basket press, and then fortified off skins with a specially selected brandy spirit. A brandy spirit was used instead of a neutral fortifying spirit as this adds to the complexity of aroma and flavour of the wine – more in the style of a Portuguese vintage port style.
The wine was then aged for one year in a combination of specially made small 100 litre American oak casks and also 200 litre old Whisky barrels. The American oak barrels were re-coopered especially for this wine, by breaking down 4 yr old American oak 300 litre barrels and re-building them in to 100 litre barrels for this wine. The combination of the small American barrels imparting vanilla and dark chocolate notes combine with the old whisky barrels which retained the vibrant fruit character of the wine and added to the overall complexity of this wine.
This Fortified Shiraz is made deliberately in a drier style than many Australian fortified wines, more akin to a Portuguese style Vintage Port. Whilst still rich and smooth with noticeable sweetness it finishes on the palate with a refreshing dryness and firm tannin structure that adds to its long and lingering aftertaste.
Although still a young wine it has been made to be enjoyed now on release after 3 years in the bottle, but has the depth of colour, flavour and structure to continue to age beautifully for 20 years or more in the bottle rewarding those who cellar it well.
Awarded 96 points by the Halliday Wine Companion in 2026
