‘S’ Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017
Each year, Matt tastes through all the barrels and selects the very best for this flagship wine. The first release was nominated for the George Mackay Trophy as Australia’s Best Exported Wine. Smidge S has consistently returned 94+ point wines since Matt created that first vintage back in 2002.
In the glass, the ‘S’ has a black core with a deep red rim. There are elegant aromas of red/black fruits and spicy, earthy notes with hints of grilled meats, graphite and controlled oak. On the palate, the fruit continues with rich plums and blueberries with delicate spice and chocolate which all roll onto a juicy palate with fine tannins that go on and on.
The elegant bottle with minimalist labelling makes this an attractive and highly desirable gift for those who know their wine and love shiraz.
The S Wines from Smidge Wines is available for sale exclusively direct from the winemaker online or at our Cellar Door.
2017 Smidge Barossa/Eden Valleys ‘Smitch’ Shiraz – 95 points - 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. After approximately six months in oak, all the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley barrels are classified in a blind line up and a number of barrels are selected for the ‘S’ project. These barrels are then tasted against each other in a second round. 5 barriques were selected, which were then blended together and returned to 2 year old barrique. Total time in barrel was 30 months before bottling and spending 30 months in bottle before release.‘
Even at six years of age, the ‘Smitch’ is still looking mighty youthful. Despite the preponderance of tertiary characters (dried red and black fruits, leather, prune, soy, mushroom), the fruit and spice (blackberry, raspberry, nutmeg) are still quite resonant. The well-integrated tannins and medium+ body convey that this wine means business, and the alcohol is hidden behind layers of flavour and texture. Everything is in perfect balance here, with no rough edges at all, and it will continue to develop for at least another decade.
Check out Matt's tasting note here: