Penny’s Hill ‘Skeleton Key’ Shiraz Mclaren Vale 2018 (6 Bottles)

$297.00

AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED

A deliberately long-aged expression of the cumulative best of our McLaren Vale vineyard site, ‘Skeleton Key’ is cellared and carefully bottle aged before it is unlocked.

Vineyard
Slightly higher elevation (140 metres) means the original Penny’s Hill vineyard enjoys a climate a little cooler than the rest of McLaren Vale. This ensures more consistent temperatures throughout the ripening period, allowing Shiraz to reach optimum ripeness with minimum stress. Planted in 1991 with clone 1654, Penny’s Hill Shiraz benefits demonstrably from a high density, narrow-row layout which sees less crop load per vine than is usual in the region.

Winemaking
Individual shiraz blocks from the Penny’s Hill Vineyard site were harvested and vinified separately to best express the variations in terrior. Blocks were harvested between 19th February and 5th March and fruit parcels were fermented on skins in open fermenters for 10 days. Maturation was in the finest French oak barriques, of which 35% were new and remaining 1-3 year old oak. After 16 months, the wine was barrel selected and blended to best showcase the complexities and diversity of the Penny’s Hill Vineyard site.

The Wine
A true reflection of its terroir, this wine shows perfume and spice, coupled with vibrant red and blue berry fruits and underlying notes of dark chocolate. Subtle oak spice plays a supporting role and adds a layered complexity. The palate has a high level of fruit intensity, showing depth and concentration. This tightly structured wine has great finesse, purity and elegance; its fine tannins have focus, direction and length to charm.

Cellaring: Ready to drink but will cellar for 8-10 years.

SKU: 56d1fa36d09e Category:

Description

About Penny’s Hill

In 1988 Tony and Susie Parkinson acquired land on the rolling foothills east of McLaren Vale. The 32 ha (80 acre) grazing property, a prized piedmont position with commanding views over the waters of Gulf St.Vincent, promised all the elements for a great vineyard.

Named Penny’s Hill Vineyard after the hill at the base of which it is sited, the property was planted to vines in 1991 to a unique narrow-row configuration to maximise vineyard productivity and grape and wine quality.

Further vineyard acquisition followed. In 1993, the newly-planted Malpas Road property was purchased, followed in 1996 by an adjacent highly prized hay-producing paddock that was planted to vines and named Goss Corner.

In 1998, the original Goss family homestead, ‘Ingleburne’ was added to the Malpas and Goss properties to reconnect what had originally been one entire holding.

Now many years on, Tony Parkinson maintains ownership and management of the business with a dedicated team which includes younger son, James who is learning the vineyard ropes and elder son David, a filmmaker who contributes much to the aesthetic of the enterprise.

Our Winemaker

Alexia Roberts is group winemaker for Penny’s Hill, The Black Chook & Thomas Goss brands, and a champion for the McLaren Vale wine region; in particular its Shiraz and Grenache varietals.

A passionate and experienced winemaker, Alexia has been winemaking in McLaren Vale since 2004 and has undertaken vintages in both France and Italy. Responsible for the production of many acclaimed wines, Alexia is no stranger to medals, trophies, awards and accolades both domestic and international; The World’s Best Cabernet’ in 2016 for Penny’s Hill 2014 Edwards Road Cabernet the pinnacle of her accolades thus far!

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