2020 Laughing Jack Jack's Shiraz, Barossa Valley

2020 Jack’s Shiraz was sourced from the family’s Greenock, Marananga & Moppa Hill vineyards.  75% Greenock fruit, which is planted on red-brown earth over deep red clay.  15% from the calcareous soils with fragmented shale from Marananga.  10% Moppa Block 8 which is sandy soil over orange clay with thick gravely quartz stone scattered throughout soil profile.  2020 vintage is one of our lowest yielding vintages thus far with grape quantity down 70% on average.

The grapes were de-stemmed and whole berries transferred into open top fermenters.  76% was made in small 3 tonne open tops with hand plunging twice times per day.  24% made in larger fermenters 5 & 8 tonne, with 2 x pump overs per day.  Both receiving an occasional rack and return to chillers for cooling only.  After fermentation the wine was then drained to oak barrels and skins were hand dug out of the fermenters into the basket press.  The wine is matured with minimal racking until being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Appearance:  Vibrant crimson to purple hue, rich dark core.

Aroma:  A purity of red/black fruits; blackberry, plum, raspberry & mulberry.  Greenock fruit generally has distinctive perfumed blackberry, Marananga plum and typical Moppa is mulberry aromas.  There are an array of subtle spices including pepper, cloves and cinnamon.  Coming off the 2019 vintage which had a savoury edge the 2020 is distinctly fruit driven along with some nice chocolate character melded through.

Palate:  Medium bodied, fruit driven front to mid palate with some delicious fruit and oak spices on the finish. The tannins are magnificent, every bit present but plush and fine grained, a reflection of the very low yielding, dry, mild vintage. Still loads of rich generous flavour Jack’s is known for and long lingering finish.

Region:  100% Barossa Valley

Sub Region:  75% Greenock, 15% Marananga, 10% Moppa Hill

Bottled:  Unfined & unfiltered on 22/12/2021

Production:  3311 dozen

pH:  3.60

Total Acid:  5.9 g/L

Alcohol:  14.5%

Maturation:  20 months in 6% new French oak, 55% seasoned French oak, 2% new American & 37% seasoned American oak Hogsheads.

Cellar Potential:  15 years with careful cellaring

Winemaker:  Shawn Kalleske