This single vineyard Barossa Shiraz opens with bright aromas of blueberry and raspberry, layered with earthy undertones and a subtle hint of aniseed. The palate is fresh and finely balanced, with bright natural acidity and soft, juicy tannins that give the wine a modern, finessed expression of Barossa Shiraz rather than overt weight or heaviness.

The fruit comes from the Cutting Vineyard, a hilltop site in the highly regarded Stone Well sub region. Sitting at 265 metres above sea level with a moderate north easterly aspect, the vineyard benefits from cooling south easterly winds that provide relief during the peak heat of January and February. These conditions help preserve freshness and aromatic lift while allowing the fruit to ripen evenly.

Soils at the site are complex and varied, with red sandstone scattered with buckshot ironstone over a limestone base of rock and schist. This layered soil profile contributes depth, structure and a distinctive mineral complexity to the wine. Planted in 1998 and 1999, the vineyard has been meticulously hand tended for more than twenty five years, with each vine managed to produce low yields of high quality fruit that clearly reflect the Stone Well character.

The 2022 vintage followed one of the wettest winters in twenty five years, setting up strong early vine growth. A severe hailstorm in late October reduced yields by around fifty percent, though the remaining fruit was largely unaffected. The season that followed was unusually mild, with no days exceeding forty degrees between December and February. This extended cool period allowed for slow, even ripening and excellent flavour development in the reduced crop.

Hand picked on March 5th, the fruit was cold soaked for five days to build colour and flavour before fermentation in open top fermenters with fifteen percent whole bunches included for added freshness and complexity. The wine was basket pressed directly to seasoned three hundred litre French oak barrels and matured for fifteen months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it retains its natural purity, texture and intensity.

The result is a poised and expressive single vineyard Shiraz, combining clarity of fruit, savoury depth and fine structure, with a long, fresh finish that speaks clearly of its site and season.