Scarce Earth Braden’s Single Vineyard Shiraz 2018
Tasting Notes
Braden’s shows classic regional characters of dark chocolate and dark red and black (blackberry and black currants) fruits on the nose. There is also a pretty floral lift on the nose, too. The wine has natural but granular tannins and lovely oak.
Braden’s traditionally makes a wine with more solid tannins than our Chanticleer or Dings vineyard, and this is certainly true with this wine – they are grainy and delicious. It’s a lovely wine.
Vintage
We had above average winter rainfall and although we had a dry June, we recorded decent falls in July and August. Below average rainfall was recorded in spring, and we experienced some warm spring nights. Summer rain tally was also below average despite a wet December. McLaren Vale experienced warm a warm Autumn ripening period with low rainfall. Overall vintage in McLaren Vale produced wine of excellent quality and while total tonnages were down for the season, compared to a wet and fertile 2017, wine quality has been terrific.
Winemaking
Single Vineyard Shiraz
Our inspiration for bottling small volumes of Shiraz from single vineyards was the Scarce Earth program, which was a McLaren Vale initiative exploring and celebrating the geological climatic and soil diversity of the region. All wines come from a single block, a small plot of land with a unique flavour profile and personality.
Soils
The vineyard is mapped as Christie’s Beach formation, but is transitional to Bay of Biscay black cracking clays on the Ngaltinga formation. The Biscay soils are known as self-mulching soils that swells and shrinks according to moisture content. The soils crack in summer to a significant depth – ‘root pruning’ and in winter you will get stuck in a heartbeat if you aren’t in a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Winemaking
This 2018 Shiraz is made using grapes from our Braden’s Vineyard which is on the main road between Willunga and McLaren Vale. It has been hand-made, hand bottled and is unfiltered. The wine was open fermented in small vessels then finished off ferment in a mixture of new (30%) and older fine French hogsheads.
Soil Type: Bay of Biscay
Geology: Christies Beach Formation, Quaternary period.
Elevation: 90 metres
Vine Age: 46 years
Vine clone: Unknown, thought to be a Reynell selection
Volume: 56 x 6 x 750ml case
Reviews
Halliday Wine Companion 2022
Braden's is a prized single vineyard of 44 yo vines. This is nestled effortlessly between the regional predeliction for ripeness, power and generosity; and a winemaking hand that is less interventionist than in the past. Palpably natural tannins, soaring florals and well-appointed oak (30% new French). The tannins, grape-skin-pithy, granular and moreish, are particularly impressive. Persuasive, too, toward the 2nd glass.
94 Pts (SILVER MEDAL) Ned Goodwin MW
Other Vintages
Technical Details
Vineyards: Braden's
Picking Date: 5th and 9th March 2018
Bottling Date: 30th August 2019
Alc/Vol: 14.5%