Description
S is the flagship wine that speaks most directly to the origin of Smidge.
From its first release, it set the tone for what this label could be — a wine of depth, control and quiet authority. That first vintage was nominated for the George Mackay Trophy for Australia’s Best Exported Wine, and since then S has consistently delivered some of the most highly regarded wines in the Smidge range.
The 2017 release comes from a cooler vintage and is a blend of 71% Greenock Barossa Valley Shiraz and 29% Menglers Hill Eden Valley Shiraz. After approximately six months in oak, all Barossa Valley and Eden Valley barrels were classified in a blind line-up, with only a small number selected for the S project. Those barrels were then tasted against each other again, with five barriques chosen, blended together and returned to two-year-old barrique. The wine spent a total of 30 months in barrel, followed by 30 months in bottle before release.
This is a wine built with patience and intent. Even at six years of age, it remains remarkably youthful, with the fruit, spice and tertiary detail all still resonant and in balance.
In the glass
Blackberry, raspberry, dried red and black fruits, leather, prune, soy, mushroom and nutmeg, with layers of flavour carried by fine, well-integrated tannin.
Why we like it
S is not simply the richest Shiraz in the range. It is the most exacting. The barrel selection, long élevage and time in bottle give it depth and authority, but also polish and restraint. It feels complete, with no rough edges.
Drink it with
Slow-roasted beef, lamb, game, rich mushroom dishes, mature hard cheeses, or a table that calls for a more serious bottle.
When to open it
Drink now with a little air, or cellar confidently for at least another decade.
Recent praise
95 points — Brendan Black, Wine Pilot
“Hailing from the cooler vintage of 2017, this wine is a blend of 71% Greenock Barossa Valley Shiraz and 29% Menglers Hill Eden Valley Shiraz… Everything is in perfect balance here, with no rough edges at all, and it will continue to develop for at least another decade. Drink or hold.”
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