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.

Anyone who tries to tell you that winemaking is a dark art practised only by the wisest wizard at Hogwarts is telling you porkies – winemaking involves nothing more than cleaning and sticking to the wine ‘recipe’ 😊 Don’t tell the winemaker I said this, mind you. Seriously though, we found our groove with this wine a long time ago – and have been making it the same way each year with minor tweaks.

We pick the Shiraz when it is flavour and sugar ripe. We then crush it and it is then fermented in small open fermenters, with twice daily pump overs (drain the juice from the vessel, then pump back over the skins.) to extract as much colour and flavour and tannins from the grape skins that we can. The wine spends around 14 months in oak before being blended and bottled for some maturation in bottle. We generally add a small volume of our cordon-cut, vine-dried Shiraz to the blend just before we bottle it.

• James Suckling www.jamessuckling.com

  This has a bold, dark-berry nose with earthy warmth and savory brown spices. The palate has a laid-back feel with a smooth, rich build of tannin.

  92 points

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