We had a very wet winter (between June and September) and a cool wet spring, which tested the mettle of our in-house viticulturist/ vigneron, AKA Joch. As a result of these trying conditions, vintage started later than in previous years (we picked Chardonnay on the 15th February in #v2023) and we had much smaller volumes than in 2022 or 2021. We had a few warm days in January and February and picked the whites quite quickly, then about 10mm of rain in early March which settled the dust and stopped picking for a little while. Despite the smaller vintage, the quality of grapes was excellent across both red and white varieties.

We have been making this young, fresh exuberant style of Shiraz for well over a decade now – the first version of Puritan was made way back in 2010. The aim has always to be make a delicious early-drinking un-oaked Shiraz with no added preservatives (Sulphur Dioxide) and we have nailed it once again. We pick Shiraz from various blocks (see below) when they are flavour and sugar ripe and crush and ferment them in small open vessels. Once through ferment they go into tanks where we wait for the various components to go through ‘malo’ (malolactic fermentation) before bottling.

• Halliday Wine Companion

  The cuvée name refers to this being made sans additives or preservatives. Fermented solely in tank with fruit from vines between 24 and 45 years old, it’s a buoyant expression, with an effusive flush of squishy, brambly fruits, boysenberry, ripe mulberry and blackberry, edged with iodine, lavender, a little licorice and ground ginger. It’s a deliciously rollicking wine, a pithy set of tannins keeping its exuberance suitably checked. What a joy!

  93 Points

  Marcus Ellis

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