Alcohol: 14.5%
Grape(s): 100% Shiraz
Localization: Barossa Valley, Australia
Tasting Notes: The wine shows deep red and purple colours in the glass and fragrant notes of dark berries and warm spices on the nose. The palate is an abundance of rich flavour, framed by silken tannin and a long, lingering finish.
The Domain: The Barossa Valley is a special place. Ripened under the South Australian sun, the pure, powerful, succulent expression of our grapes – especially Shiraz – is renowned the world over. Established in 1984, the mission of Greenock Creek is to dig deeper into that place and unearth the alluring mysteries of diverse sites across the Barossa’s western edge.
We grow exclusively single-vineyard wines, priding ourselves on faithful expressions of the sub regions. Parish by parish, we see differences: Plush, rich, silky Marananga with its underlying power; the earthy, gamey leanings of Seppeltsfield and its rustic, gravelly tannins that wrap around the lush fruit; and the aromatic flowers, fruit and sweet spices that float above the flinty bass notes of Moppa.
Move in closer, and the nuances of slope, elevation and aspect creep in as the ground beneath thin, sandy-loam topsoils shifts from bluestone to siltstone, marble, limestone or ironstone to flint and quartz.
Everything has always been handled gently in tiny batches. Grapes are handpicked, loaded into small open-top, poly-coated concrete fermenters. All lots are basked-pressed before going to oak.
This pursuit famously won Greenock Creek an unmatched eight perfect 100–point scores from the prestigious Wine Advocate magazine. But our work is just beginning. With the 2018 arrival of Alex Peel as chief winemaker, we’ve sharpened our focus and responded to the land and seasons with a range of small but telling tweaks in the vineyard and cellar.
We’ve improved the health of our vines and soils. We’ve adopted drip irrigation to prevent water stress, and we’ve adapted pruning, training and trellising to promote natural freshness in the wines. We’re also realising the fruit’s potential – that is, texture, structure, purity, intensity, complexity and freshness – through a range of more precise practices in the winery.
Additional fermenters mean fruit is always picked when perfectly ready, and cooler ferments allow more nuanced flavours to develop in the wines. We’re pressing the grapes more softly, refining the feel and clarity of the wines. And we’ve become more deliberate about suiting oak to the vintage and vineyard.
The subtleties are now more varied and clearly delineated. The structures are more refined, and the overall impression is a touch more profound. At the same time, these wines are all distinctly Greenock Creek, with the signature strength, fullness and integrity that our loyal followers have loved for so long.
