Good winter and early spring rains were followed by a generally dry and mild growing season. After the leaner vintages of 2019 and 2020 it was nice to see a return to long term average crop levels. We had a slow and steady ripening period without any excessive heat spikes which has resulted in super varietal fruit intensity and balanced natural acidity.

A Mary Poppins kind of vintage; practically perfect! Joch is always loathe to comment favourably about vintage quality,  for fear of jinxing things – he can be superstitious like that, but by the end of harvest, the word ‘exceptional’ was heard to come out of his mouth.  

Once fully flavour and sugar ripe, our Chanticleer shiraz is subject to the unkindest cut of all – we cut the fruiting canes which attaches the grapes to the vine, and thus stops them getting water and nutrients. The leaves then brown and die off, and the grapes shrivel and dry on the vine. This serves to concentrate flavour and acidity. We then pick after about 10-12 days, and process the grapes in the same way as our other Bosworth red wines. We crush and then ferment them in small open vessels, before finishing ferment in bigger and older oak barrels. White Boar spends about 12 months in these older oak barrels before bottling.

• The Real Review

   

  Really youthful in the glass. Aromas of plum, mulberry, dried herbs, vanilla and a lift of menthol. Full flavoured, rich and fleshy, this is all about dark fruits, structured, textured tannins and bright acidity. There's real generosity in the fruit flavour, but it has ample firmness and cut to control the plush fruit.

  93 Points

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