2018 Coates Shiraz Cabernet, McLaren Vale Langhorne Creek

Our aim with The Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon is to provide a Shiraz ~ Cabernet Sauvignon blend that has a slightly Old World take on this classically Australian style. The plush structure and refinement of red blends matured for long periods in oak, from producers such as Vega Sicilia and Quintarelli, have attracted my attention and The Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon is my own adventure with this technique.

Fruit for the blend is primarily sourced from three excellent vineyards; two from Langhorne Creek, and one from McLaren Vale with vine age of 16 to 40 years. The parcels undergo natural yeast fermentation in open fermenters that proceeds for between 21 and 35 days. The longer time on skins provides colour stability and tannin structure without the use of added oenotannins. After basket pressing the individual parcels are transferred to wood to undergo malolactic fermentation. The Shiraz and Cabernet pressings are combined into barrel to provide structure and complexity to the final blend. Our oak selection was 100% French barriques of which 25% are new (from the Dargaud & Jaegle, Seguin-Moreau and Nadalie cooperages). Once in oak the wine is kept on fine lees and given minimal handling apart from one racking and regular topping and SO2 checks. After 30 months maturation the tannins have attained a silky finesse whilst retaining good structure for future bottle ageing. The assemblage was completed prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in November of 2020. Final production stands at 170 dozen.