Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz 2006

"The Dalwhinnie Shiraz vineyard is one of Australia's great wine treasures."  Campbell Mattinson 

Dalwhinnie, located near the small village of Moonambel in the heart of the Pyrenees region of western Victoria, is one of Victoria's oldest family-run vineyards. Dalwhinnie has been growing grapes for nearly 50 years and the 16-hectare vineyard is now fully mature. At 595 metres above sea level, Dalwhinnie is the highest and most remote of the Pyrenees district vineyards. The vineyard is located in a naturally undulating trough which falls away from the hills, forming an amphitheatre nestled into the ranges. 

"My kind of wine. Lovely mix of ripe elegant flavour and smart oak, the perfume and style of it both delicious and enchanting. This is a wine distinguished by its complex, elongated, integrated tannin, by its fresh acidity, by its easy length of flavour. It tastes of spice, cherries, plums and musk, and after decanting it for an hour or so, a bottle of this then disappeared in a flash."  Campbell Mattinson

"Very dark cherry-red. Impressive. A lovely perfume highlighting juniper and rhubarb with a gentle whiff of freshly picked raspberries. Coffee and mocha also present. The palate is just superb. Sweet rich concentrated shiraz juice coats the mouth followed by seriously long fine dry tannins and a searing sherbet acidity to keep everything in check.

This is a more masculine style of Dalwhinnie Shiraz which will need time to come around. Because no single vineyard wines were produced in 2006 due to exceptionally low yields, all seven Shiraz blocks, including the single vineyard grapes went into making the Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz 2006. It is a wine of immense power and complexity and reminds me a lot of the 1997 Eagle Series. Cellaring Potential: 8 – 10 years+."  Dalwhinnie

Expert reviews

"Deep red-purple; red and darker fruit aromas with a lick of spice; palate very elegant and superbly balanced, with fine-grained, powdery tannins running the full length of it. Some violets. Superb wine. Great harmony here. Drink: 2011–2027."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 95 points

"My kind of wine. Lovely mix of ripe elegant flavour and smart oak, the perfume and style of it both delicious and enchanting. This is a wine distinguished by its complex, elongated, integrated tannin, by its fresh acidity, by its easy length of flavour. It tastes of spice, cherries, plums and musk, and after decanting it for an hour or so, a bottle of this then disappeared in a flash. Drink: 2008-2020."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95 points

"Complex and layered with red fruits, ironstone, earth and hints of tar and mint; the texture of the wine is attractively silky, with a long and supple finish. Cork. 13.5% alc. Drink Now – 2018."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 95 points

About the winery

Dalwhinnie, located near the small village of Moonambel in the heart of the Pyrenees region of western Victoria, is one of Victoria's oldest family-run vineyards. Dalwhinnie has been growing grapes for nearly 50 years and the 16-hectare vineyard is now fully mature.

Ballarat architect Ewan Jones purchased the site in 1973 and named it after the Highlands town of his Scottish ancestors. He established the vineyard in 1976 and his eldest son, David, took over its management seven years later. David subsequently purchased the property in 1994 and operated Dalwhinnie until January 2020, when it was acquired by Fogarty Wine Group.

At 595 metres above sea level, Dalwhinnie is the highest and most remote of the Pyrenees district vineyards. The vineyard is located in a naturally undulating trough which falls away from the hills, forming an amphitheatre nestled into the ranges. According to David Jones, the hills and the sedimentary soils of the Pyrenees are vital factors in the vineyard's uniqueness.

The main grape varieties grown are Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. These small individual vineyards average around 1.8 hectares in size and because of the hungry sedimentary soils, cropping levels are low - only 1.5 tonnes per 0.8 of a hectare.

The site is totally frost-free which enables the grapes to reach optimum ripeness. The vineyard is non-irrigated and operated on strong organic viticultural principles. The fruit is hand-picked and the vines are cane-pruned by hand. Harvest usually starts the third week in February and is completed around the first week in April. Cover crops are sown every year between the vineyard rows to add nitrogen to the soil. The average annual rainfall is 550mm with most rain falling between July and November.

"In Dalwhinnie, the Joneses have happened upon that rare but blessed confluence of factors: site, soil, climate, cultivars, viticultural practices and sensitive winemaking. Sit back and watch, as Dalwhinnie etches a name for itself, not only among the great wines of Australia, but the world."  Huon Hooke