For decades the Paxton family have nurtured their prized McLaren Vale vineyards, some are over a hundred years old. David Paxton believes that the science of viticulture is just as critical as the fine art of vinification. It's this level of care and passion for the soil that has produced extraordinary fruit and stellar wines. Harvested at the optimum ripeness for this wine style, Shiraz from five premium parcels, the Grenache from three, all fermented separately and assembled into a deep red wine of vigorous flavours and sleek, velvetine tannins.
Gateway Vineyard is the source of the Shiraz component, grown to an inhospitable mixture of limestone and mudstone rubble. The vines are restricted in their growth and produce tiny yields of intensely concentrated fruit. Vines on the Jones Block are an average age of forty five years. Hand pruning and thinning of individual bunches combined with minimal irrigation ensures the low and uniform yield required for the production of super premium Shiraz. Quandong Farm, Nineteenth and Landcross Farm Vineyard are the sources of Grenache, from carefully hand tended bush vines. Paxton was matured eighteen months in a combination of new and used American and French 225 litres oak barriques.
Medium intensity ruby red with purple hues. Attractive complex aromatics, lifted red berry fragrances including spiced mulberry. Beautifully perfumed, it leads on to a palate of peppery berries, prunes, firm smooth tannins and smokey anise flavours. Enjoy young while young and fruit forward, alongside lamb shanks braised in good red wine, AAA of course.
