Adelaide Plains Shiraz

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Slappy

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I decided on a whim to grab some Shiraz from the Adelaide Plains after work this past Thursday. Mostly because it was ridiculously cheap at $600 a tonne and they hand picked for me. Plus I have been itching to get stuck into vintage. As I’m going to be making some old vine Grenache again and some cool climate Pinot Noir I decided to just get 150kg of fruit for the princely sum of $90.

I was quite surprised by the quality of the fruit, lovely and clean with small berries full of flavour. After crush the sample I took read 1.102 on the hydrometer so will come in around 14% abv. I added 2g litre tartaric as the fruit was very low on acid and pitched 1118 yeast as I don’t care to be fancy with yeast yet in my winemaking journey. I’ll be aiming for around 75litres finished wine. Will hang onto 50litres to bottle on its own and the remainder will be blended with some of the Grenache to beef it up.

So far I’m 3 days in and will press on Tuesday as that’s when I have the time. Only 5 days but I have gotten big extraction so far and there is plenty of tannins in this wine. I had left the stems in for the first 2 days and then removed the majority, mostly as I didn’t really have the time when I crushed and was finishing up the work week. Time will tell if I overdid it leaving them in but I think it will turn out fine.

Tasted the must tonight and it’s tasting like wine but the tannins are dominating the fruit. Looking forward to how this turns out.


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Pressed today. Didn’t do any readings but the ferment was all but done. We had a fairly hot day a couple days back and the 1118 just motored through with no fuss.
I’m happy with the extraction I got and am confident this will be a good wine. Tasted a sample and it was nice and clean black and red fruits with a fair whack of tannin.
All up got 100 litres so hopefully end up with 75 litres finished volume so I can put a 50 litre keg aside for 12-18 months and blend the rest with some Grenache 50/50 for another keg. Will be picking my Grenache in about 3 weeks.
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This is looking great! Big big shiraz judging by that colour. The power of our dry Adelaide plains! = intense & rich quality fruit
 
Nice one Slappy!

I'm doing my first ever vintage. Those grapes looked great, a lot of the grapes I am seeing are a bit dried and under weight - like 40-50% less than last years vintage (from what I am told). But the fruit tastes amazing.

I've got 2 x Shiraz, cab sav and chardonnay on the go already...will hopefully get some merlot, nero and some more chardonnay and maybe a riesling.

Where are you getting the grenache from?
 
Hey mate sounds like you’re going in hard for your first vintage. Good luck with it all you’ll have a full flight from that lot!

Yes, this year being so dry and hot yields are well down. The good stuff is amazing but a lot of growers have ended up struggling. Refer to my Grenache post to see what I ended up with. My grapes come from Mclaren Vale, I have access to a great old vineyard there. This years done and dusted but if you’re in SA and looking next vintage I might be able to help.
 
Hey Effect I see your're from Adelaide. Have you found a grower that has Nero D'Avola? I'd love to get my hands and make some nero! Haven't seen it pop up for sale yet though

I've got the details for a grower in the Adelaide hills who has some amazing riesling ready in around a week, and chardonnay pretty much ready now if you wanted their details?
 
That sounds great Bnation.

I had two contacts for Nero...one vinyard had someone take it already (hackham/onkaparinga hills), and the other is through one of paxtons bio-dynamic vinyards (contact through local wine maker). As far as Nero goes....I might not even get any :( This vintage I have already had a few of the grapes I want fall though, but that is vintage haha :)


Amazing riesling and chardonnay? I could easily go 100kg of either. Please pass on their details. I have no plans for the weekend so would be keen to get up into the hills and grab some. Cheers
 

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