Hewitson 'Ungrafted' Shiraz 2024 ($90 @ Cellardoor)
Wines taste best when shared with friends!
)
"Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma for 10 years, during which time he managed to do vintages in France and one in Oregon, as well as undertaking his master's at the University of California, Davis. The wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources old-vine mourvèdre from Friedrich Koch's Old Garden vineyard, planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, as well as shiraz and grenache from (up to) 110yo vines in Tanunda and riesling from 30+yo vines in the Eden Valley. Cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, mourvèdre and muscat blanc are estate grown." Halliday Wine Companion
Hewitson is a member of Sustainable Wine Growing Australia - a national program for producers, committed to making wine sustainably.
"Old dry-grown vines are rare in the world of wine & we are indeed fortunate that we can and do claim these as ungrafted. Growing in deep sandy soils, free of pests and diseases these old vines are strong, resilient and true to type. With red-ripe berries and golden-ripe stalks the grapes were picked at optimum ripeness, destemmed and gently crushed leaving some whole berries intact then fermented in open vats with heading down boards for three weeks, pressed then matured in old French barriques on lees for fifteen months. After this maturation period the wine was carefully racked and bottled as an exclusive cuvée." Dean Hewitson
"This comes off some very old dry-grown vines that unusually have never been grafted. The aromas are intense, with a plummery, slightly black fruit character merging. Palate is intricately integrated with the fine chalky tannins, plush, smooth fruit, and nicely applied oak. This is an exquisite wine where the palate offers so much. Bright with energy and drive. Gosh, I could drink a bit of this." 96pts | Ray Jordan
"From aged dry-grown vines, ungrafted of course, fermentation is with whole berries in open vats, before maturation in old French oak barriques, on lees, for fifteen months. Purple/mauve in colour, on the nose we have notes of bay leaves, cassis, chocolate, plums, vanilla, spices and mulberries. A wonderfully supple texture, there also hints of bacon fat emerging on the palate. The wine has serious length with bright acidity, impressive balance, good focus and satiny tannins on the finish. To be enjoyed over the next twelve to fifteen years." 96pts | Ken Gargett
"Opulent and sensually appealing, the pristine fruit richness is enhanced by seductive complexity, showing dark and purple-fruit intensity, toasted spice, vanilla, and cedary oak characters on the nose. It's fleshy and flavoursome, yet structured and robust, with velvety tannins, finishing impressively long and satisfying." 96pts | Wine Orbit
"The fruit here is both sweet and earthen; the oak is coffeed, toasty and beautifully integrated; the finish is run with black licorice. Peppercorn and violet notes fly here and there; everything about this wine is top notch. Feel, flavour and finish are all elite, as is structure, and there’s a bit of difference in play, courtesy of graphite and smoked floral characters." 95pts | Campbell Mattinson | The Wine Front
Related Products
