Clandestine Vineyards Mount Barker Shiraz 2020

Nick and Trudy Stacy own Clandestine Vineyards which was started by Nick in 2015. With over thirty years in the wine industry, they source fruit and winemaking in the key regions of Margaret River, Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.

"A cracking Shiraz from a region proving ideal for it. Near black with purple rims, this is plush in style. Chocolate, coffee beans, cassis, dark berries, some dried herbs and a note of cold tea. Good complexity even at this early stage. Lots of grip here, with firm tannins, and excellent length. Lots more chocolate emerged on the palate. A wine with an exciting future."  Ken Gargett

The 2020 Mount Barker Shiraz is sourced from a single vineyard, the Hayview Vineyard in Mt Barker, which was planted in 2001. The vineyard is situated on a hilltop with a southerly slope, on loam over ironstone soils. 

"Purple and bright in colour, floral and lifted spice bouquet with hints of oak. Cherries and red fruits collide across the palate with earthy, graphite notes giving added texture and interest. Sweet and savoury at the same time, the wine completes its palate journey with white pepper notes & fruit generosity while the older oak lends a rounded, soft, elegant and juicy long finish.

Machine picked, 7 days on fermentation on skins in open fermenters with hand plunging twice daily, natural cultured yeast, tank pressed, 10 months in seasoned French oak barriques on lees and then matured in stainless steel tank to settle prior to bottling."  Clandestine Vineyards

 Expert reviews

"A cracking Shiraz from a region proving ideal for it. This hails from a single vineyard, the Hayview Vineyard, in Mt Barker, loam over ironstone, which was planted in 2001. The grapes undergo a seven day ferment on skins in open fermenters, with hand plunging twice daily. It is then pressed and racked into older oak on lees. Ten months maturation. 4,800 bottles. Near black with purple rims, this is plush in style. Chocolate, coffee beans, cassis, dark berries, some dried herbs and a note of cold tea. Good complexity even at this early stage. Lots of grip here, with firm tannins, and excellent length. Lots more chocolate emerged on the palate. A wine with an exciting future. Drink: 2022 – 2028."  Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot - 94 points

"On skins for 7 days, racked to barrel, matured for 10 months on lees in seasoned French oak. Brawn and muscle define the fruit here – the palate is propped by firm tannins and propelled by pert acidity. If the fruit were not so concentrated and intense, it would have a hard time carrying the other components, however as it stands, it is an impressive rendition of shiraz from Mount Barker, especially for the price. Drink by 2028."  Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion - 94 points and Special Value Wine  ★

"This was an excellent vintage in Mount Barker and its comes through in this medium-bodied shiraz. Perfumed floral notes on the nose with a plummy licorice base. The palate is smooth with a spicy lift to the plummy blackberry fruit flavours, Neatly integrated oak and fine chalky tannins in support. There’s a dry savouriness to the finish which completes an excellent wine."  Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com.au – 94 points

"Deep ruby colour throughout the glass. Mulberry, anise and mixed pepper aromatics. At the medium end of full-bodied, dark fruits layer with iodine minerality and pepper spices. Great flow across the palate with ripe yet firm tannins drying the finish. A lot to enjoy here. Drink: 2022–2032."  Stuart Knox, The Real Review - 93 points

Awards

Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 

About the winery

Nick and Trudy Stacy 

Nick and Trudy Stacy own Clandestine Vineyards which was started by Nick in 2015. With over thirty years in the wine industry, Nick and Trudy had established long term relationships with growers and vignerons within the key regions of Margaret River and Great Southern (WA), Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale (SA) and King Valley (VIC).

These relationships enable them to source fruit from some impossible to access vineyards. They then pair the harvest with the winemaker, each hand-picked with the same discretion as the fruit itself. Tied to no one location, GI, or house style, they create wines from unplundered fruits that lay beyond the reach of most. These are the Clandestine Vineyards.

Their vineyards are selected not only for their region and variety, but also their commitment for the pursuit of organic and sustainable practices. To quote a grower of Clandestine Vineyard fruit: "If we absolutely have to remove a tree, we plant three more in its place."

Nick Stacy

Nick started up his first wine distribution business based in Perth at the age of 23. Over the next ten years he created a portfolio of some of the best Australian and international wine producers and in 2003, sold the business to a small French concern (LVMH)!

Later that year, Nick joined Great Southern producer, West Cape Howe Wines as Sales and Marketing Manager. In 2007 he created Vinaceous Wines as partner, visionary and Managing Director and in 2015 created Clandestine Vineyards.

In 2020, Nick separated from Vinaceous Wines and he and wife Trudy purchased Clandestine Vineyards outright.

In both 2011 and 2013, Nick was included in Wine Business Monthly Magazine’s Top 50 Stars of the Australian Wine Industry.