2017 Adelina Shiraz Mataro, Clare Valley

Adelina's Shiraz/Mataro (65:35) is 100% sourced from Springfarm, Clare Valley, with the Shiraz being mostly fruit from the Aberfeldy vineyard (now run by Jim McDowell and Anne Brown who have owned and maintained this block for some 30 years), with a little Adelina estate fruit. From vines that have been planted predominantly between 1904 and 1930, these sites sit on red sandy soils on a clay base with some slate and limestone as well. The Mataro comes off 10+-year-old Springfarm vines. Elevation is around 440 metres. All up, an imposing 60-70% of this wine comes off vines with an age of around 100 years! Production-wise it's the routine that has served this estate so well. All fruit is handpicked and destemmed into Col's Italian, unlined concrete vats. The Shiraz/Mataro wine is matured principally in concrete tank (65%) and seasoned in large format French oak. Such wonderful finesse; this is just a fabulous wine and at a ridiculous value. Don't hesitate.

"From vines that stretch back over and up to around 100 years old. The fruit hangs out in old barrels and concrete for its maturation. Adelina quietly redefining wine styles from Clare Valley, and definitively at the top of the pack from the region. The wines, particularly the reds, pack in flavour, vitality and, importantly, fine-firm fruit tannin profile, where many from the region rely on heft, oak, ripe fruit for their character, which is fine, but at times clumsy. Anyways. Off the little soapbox. Sweet red cherry, rose petal scents, raspberry, dried cranberry. The gist, red fruits, lots of them. There's spice, salty liquorice and brambly-herbal things too. Medium weight in the palate, hemmed with powdery, shapely, pumice-stone-like tannins - architecture is great, the feel great, the drinking experience ultra-satsifying. The pool of fine amaro-Campari like coolness-herbiness-sour red fruits to close, the clincher. Yum. Such a lovely, sophisticated wine for the bucks." 

"An expressive and modern young blend, delivering aromas of spicy red and dark plums, blueberries and dark cherries. Gently meaty notes and attractive oak influence, too. The palate has a ripe and sweet core of fleshy fruit flavors, as well as a smooth, stony tannin texture. Terrific focus, which is the Adelina hallmark. Drink now."