2013 La Pleiade Shiraz Museum Release, Heathcote

A joint venture between Michel Chapoutier from the Rhone and Ron Laughton of Jasper Hill in Heathcote. It is made from 100% Shiraz from a single vineyard near Jasper Hill's Georgia's Paddock, which is planted with a 50/50 mix of vines taken from Ron's favourite clones from Jasper Hill and Michael Chapoutier favourite clones from his vineyards on the Hermitage hill. As with all vines planted at Jasper Hill all these vines are planted on their own roots, dry grown and farmed bio-dynamically.

Estate-grown; as usual, fermented in an open wax-lined concrete vat, matured for 12 months in new and second-use French barriques. Takes full-bodied shiraz onto a new level, so dense is the complex web of black fruits, licorice and spice, achieving this without the intrusion of alcohol or heavy tannins. To drink it now or soon would be vinocide, but some will be unable to avoid that sin.
 
96/100 James Halliday, Published 01 August 2017