St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz 2017

Blackwell Shiraz was first released in 1994, in honour of Stuart Blackwell, winemaker for more than three decades and a tireless contributor to the St Hallett story. The fruit is sourced predominately from Northern Barossa (using grapes from Greenock, Ebenezer and Moppa Hills) with the red brown clay soils creating wines with hallmark characteristics of black plum, cherries and dark chocolate.

"It brings the energy, focus and finesse of '17 into high relief, making this a joy to taste. Drink by 2047."  James Halliday

"Blackberry, cocoa and baking spice aromas lift out of the glass. The full-bodied palate has black forest flavours and textures of prodigious intensity and persistence. It is opulent, balanced with a certain vitality that will see the wine age gracefully over the years. Ages well over 10-15 years.

Blackwell Shiraz is sourced from vineyards planted in the parishes of Ebenezer, Greenock and Moppa Hills. These parishes are in the northwest of the Barossa Valley at elevations between 250m and 310m above sea level. The St Hallett winemaking philosophy is about focusing on the fruit and its provenance. Simply minimal intervention and maximum attention. We tailor our winemaking to the individual parcel using the years of accumulated knowledge we have of these vineyards and their individual characters. The pump over regime and temperature of the ferment varies across the blocks and can also change with the vintage conditions. Times on skins are typically in the range of 8-12 days and ferment temperatures range from 20-30 degrees Celsius. Once the wine achieves balance on tasting, it is pressed off skins and goes directly to barrel where it will age for 12-18 months. We match barrels from a number of cooperages and ages to each parcel. We are looking for balance and flavour integration in the wines before we blend them together to create the Blackwell Barossa Shiraz style."  St Hallett

Expert reviews

"If it follows in the footsteps of the '16, it was crushed and destemmed, 10 days on skins, and 14 months in oak (30% new). It brings the energy, focus and finesse of '17 into high relief, making this a joy to taste. Drink by 2047."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 97 points and Special Value Wine  ★ 

Awards

Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 

About the winery

Established in 1944 by the Lindner Family, St Hallett represents the very spirit and soul of winemaking in the Barossa. For most of that time it was owned, or part-owned, by one family, the pioneering Lindners, who arrived in the Barossa from Silesia in 1838. In 2017, St Hallett was acquired by Accolade. 

St Hallett sources all grapes from within the Barossa and is synonymous with the region's icon variety, shiraz. From the beginning, St Hallett understood the importance of saving old vines and focusing on varieties that thrive in the Barossa region. Strong long-term relationships with focused and passionate growers give St Hallett access to the Barossa's most prized vineyards, some of which were planted over 100 years ago. Over the years, St Hallett has built up a deep understanding of the rich tapestry of vineyard sites and climates in the Barossa and sources the finest vines and highest-quality parcels of fruit the Barossa can offer.

Old Block Shiraz (using grapes from Lyndoch and Eden Valley) is their flagship wine, supported by Blackwell Shiraz (using grapes from Greenock, Ebenezer and Moppa Hills).