Ruby Red Fortified Shiraz

In 2022 we had the first opportunity in nearly a decade to produce a good fortified wine. The season was classic “La Nina” with a wet spring and summer producing a big crop of fat shiraz berries. Then, the autumn turned dry and we were able to leave about 5 tonnes of grapes out to dehydrate and concentrate the sugars to over 18 baume (an approximate dry alcohol level). The fruit was crushed and destemmed, cold soaked and then fermented in open vats until half the sugar was consumed. After this the wine was pressed, chilled and neutral grape spirit was added. Once the fermentation was complete and the wine had settled it was racked to oak barrels and aged for 12 months. At no stage were sulfites added to the wine.

In 2023 we again had ideal conditions for fortified Shiraz and we made a similar quantity, in the same way. However this wine was blended with the 2022 batch so that the finished wine is a 50-50 blend of 2022 and 2023 vintages. About half the wine was bottled and the other half was returned to the barrels. This is the beginning of a “Solera” system which we hope to continue for many years.

The Ruby Red is named according to Australian naming standards for fortified wine as it is essentially a young fortified, with only 50% barrel aged, 50% fresh and fruity. It has a good balance of the oak tannins and dark berry fruit of Shiraz.

This is also a unique wine because it is produced using grape spirit from our own vines. As a result of the bushfires in 2019 we had wine which was smoke affected, along with other old batches which were distilled on site in a small solar powered column still.

Vintage: 2022 and 2023
Sulfites: Zero
Alcohol: 21%
Production: 200 doz x750ml, 100doz x375ml
Blend: Shiraz 100%
Yeast: Wild
Maturation: Oak and tank
Fining: No
Filtration: Coarse