Stanton & Killeen Jack's Block Shiraz 2000

Stanton and Killeen is one of the great pioneering wine families of Rutherglen. The family have been making full bodied robust reds, luscious muscats, tokays and fine vintage ports for more than 100 years. The Jack's Block Shiraz is their flagship Shiraz, a single vineyard wine produced from 79-year-old vines planted by Jack Stanton in 1921.

"A real sleeper of a north-eastern shiraz; very closed but very concentrated. Underneath its dusty, earthy and meaty bouquet lie briary, vibrant berry fruit flavours of brightness and intensity. The palate is firm and fine, steeped in dark berry flavours, wrapped in tight tannins and will gradually open up."  Jeremy Oliver

Expert reviews

"A real sleeper of a north-eastern shiraz; very closed but very concentrated. Underneath its dusty, earthy and meaty bouquet lie briary, vibrant berry fruit flavours of brightness and intensity. The palate is firm and fine, steeped in dark berry flavours, wrapped in tight tannins and will gradually open up. Drink 2012-2020."  Jeremy Oliver - 93 points.

About the winery

Stanton and Killeen is one of the great pioneering wine families of Rutherglen. The family have been making full bodied robust reds, luscious muscats, tokays and fine vintage ports for more than 100 years.

Their story really begins in 1921 when Jack Stanton planted the 'Jack's Block' Shiraz and Muscat vineyards. Today it still produces some of Stanton and Killeen's best fruit. Jack made only fortified wines - muscat, tokay, port - for which the area is world famous.

The two families came together when Norman Killeen married Jack Stanton's daughter Joan, and in 1954 she gave birth to 6th generation winemaker Chris Killeen. In 1968 the business name was changed to 'Stanton & Killeen Wines' and thus started a new phase in the winery's history. Norman Killeen, who stepped into the winemaking shoes of his famous father-in-law Jack, introduced the first reds.

Norm's son Chris Killeen planted white grape varieties in 1981, which were eventually made into white wines in 1987. This formidable trio - grandfather, father and son - worked together in the winery well into the 1980s.

Chris was passionate about Portuguese port and endeavoured to create a unique Australian style. He planted five Portuguese grape varieties in the 1990s; Souzao, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cão. He moved away from the traditional sweet Australian style of port and is one of the first to produce this new style by blending the Portuguese varieties with Shiraz and Durif, creating a very savoury and age-worthy fortified wine. Chris was known as the Prince of Port among his peers.  

Following the sudden death of Chris in 2007, the family-run business is now fronted by mother-daughter team, Wendy and Natasha Killeen. The focus is on alternative Portuguese varieties, flavoursome Rutherglen red wine, and continuing S&K's long tradition of award-winning Muscats Topaques, Tawnys and Vintage Fortifieds.

"We've selected the best 30 acres from our fertile farmlands for the cultivation of our world class wines. Known for Vintage Port and fortified wine, we are blessed to have many unusual and rare varieties, carefully nurtured with dynamic and environmentally focussed viticulture.

Our vineyards produce outstanding fruit from over 100-year-old shiraz vines and established durif, muscat and Portuguese varieties tinto cao, tinta roriz, touriga nacional. More recently alvarinho, arinto, antoã vaz, souzão and touriga franca have been planted as they suit our climate and soils.

Internationally awarded muscats, topaques and vintage fortifieds sit alongside exciting new table wines including The Prince Reserva and, in exceptional vintages, individual expressions of our special varieties such as Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional. The sought-after Jack's Block Shiraz is made when nature permits and our traditional Rutherglen reds, Shiraz and Durif, display a generous palate."  Stanton & Killeen 

Natasha Killeen eloquently expresses where Stanton and Killeen are positioned today: "My father Chris planted several Portuguese varieties 30 years ago for stylistic reasons – he loved Vintage Fortified (port) and wanted to make his own unique style with these varieties along with Shiraz and Durif. Fortunately, we could see that these varieties were the ones that coped the best with extended periods of drought and hot weather. In 2015, we planted two Portuguese white grapes, Arinto and Alvarinho, and a third, Antão Vaz, in 2020. It was somewhat of a risk because the varieties are not well known, and we weren't sure if our customers would enjoy them. However, we have been rewarded with beautiful wines, happy customers and thriving vineyards. Having diversity in the wines that we can produce has been excellent for our business but also makes growing grapes in our changing climate so much easier. Having varieties properly suited to our region means we are working with the vines, not against them, when the weather poses some challenging growing scenarios."