Bacchant Shiraz 2021

Bacchant (bac·chant) 1. A follower of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. 2. A drunken reveller. Low yielding, hand pruned and hand picked, this reserve Shiraz underwent a wild yeast open vat ferment and two years in new and two-year old French barriques. This wine delivers a sophisticated nose with a complex palate of berries and spice, with a hint of pepper. Drink now or until 2031. Alcohol 14.8% Previous vintages 2015 Fermented 'wild' in open-vat fermenters prior to 18 months in 50% new and 2-year passed oak, this straddles cool climate vibrancy with a rich chocolatey midriff. Violet, anise, pepper grind and nori seaweed imbue the darker fruit tones with a savoury glint. The oak is nicely buried beneath waves of flavour. The finish long and ferrous, with bloody ironstone hints. 92 points. Halliday Wine Companion 2019 2012 Sweet, almost jellied, black berried fruits lead into a complex web of spice and smoked meat-like notes. It's like going for a walk and exploring a new trail. Fine spicy tannin talks a good game and the aftertaste is all roasted nuts and peppercorns. An excellent offering. 94 points. Australian Wine Companion 2017 2010 The fragrant bouquet leads into a bright and lively medium-bodied palate, with spicy red fruits and well-integrated French oak, the tannins appropriately fine. Scores for its elegance ... 94 points. James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2014