Fine, elegant, restrained and with a touch of cedar, the nose shows a floral/cherry fragrance, with an underlying hint of pepper: typical of concentrated Grenache. Oak plays a minor role in the background to allow the beautiful fruit to shine through. This wine is all about texture, length and balanced fruit. It has a medium body in which the tannins are long and soft, while the bright fruit provides a persistent mouth feel. Fruit flavours are in the cherry spectrum.

Deep rich red showing a youthful purple rim. Lifted notes of blackberry, chocolate and spice, with secondary characters of blueberry, leather and soy provides a complex and intense introduction to the wine. The palate is full bodied, displaying classic spice and ripe berry notes, integrated oak and concentration for which Australian Shiraz is renowned. It has spice and savoury notes with plentiful ripe succulent tannins on the finish.

The plushness and generosity of the grenache fruit is brilliantly displayed across the palate, but it is also brilliantly offset by plating tannins and an in-and-out running acidity. All of these qualities crash balletically together at the end of the palate, as if a well-practised circus troupe: cherried fruits, puckering tannins, and piquant acidity

Re-tasted on 07/06/2022 Magnificent colour displaying a pitch black core with a very deep black dark red hue. Pronounced black cherry, liquorice and black plum aromas are overlaid by scorched earth and smoked meats followed by spicy vanillin cedar and pepper notes. Tightly built rich black cherry and liquorice flavours dominate over inky earth, lightly scorched vanillin cedar, dried meats and blackpepper. Dry grippy finish with tightly grained tannins. Rich yet elegant and muscular in its feel. Good underlying power with a long black cherry, liquorice, smoky vanillin cedar, dried meats and earthy pepper aftertaste. Cellar 8-10 years. Alc. 14.5%

Michael Fragos grew up in McLaren Vale, and spent 14 years at Tatachilla before taking over at Chapel Hill in 2004. A three-time ‘Bushing King’, Michael has also been named best winemaker on the planet! James Halliday notes that his “wine quality is unfailingly excellent” . This one has an expressive nose of blackcurrant, bay leaf cigar box and chocolate. The palate is medium to full-bodied, beautifully structured, with a powerful complexity, fine-grained tannins, velvety texture and long, long finish.