Description
Enjoy a prestige, Gold-winning Aussie Shiraz with scores of 96pts, 95, 94 and 92pts. "From the highly prized pre-clonal original plantings at Dog Ridge, dating back to the 1940s. Only made in the best vintages, and 2021 was one of them. Deep, dense colour. The aromatics are dark plum, blackberry and black cherry layered with spice, a touch of dark chocolate and savoury depth. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated, with plush dark fruit, firm tannins and excellent structure. There’s power here, yet it’s well balanced with a long, satisfying finish that carries both fruit and savoury complexity. A serious old-vine McLaren Vale Shiraz with real presence and ageing potential.” (Vino Masters Score: 95/100 ★★★★★ A superb old-vine Shiraz from treasured 1940s plantings.).
For Ray Jordan, WinePilot, this is: "Exceptionally good wine. Gosh, I do love the '21 vintage in South Australia. The wines have such elegance and poise. There's a fair bit happening here in a wine that comes off a vineyard that was planted back in 1942. A swirling bouquet of dark chocolate, cherry, dark plum and some light spices. And then a palate that delivers with immense concentration and power, yet ultimately with that poised restraint that marks the vintage. Plush, ripe fruits, a generous and long palate, understated new oak. 96pts"
For Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, it is: "Beautifully styled and complex, the elegantly fragrant bouquet features aromas of sweet plum, dark cherry, clove, cured meat, and warm spices. It’s succulent and plump in the mouth, with a silky flow and supple texture, framed by fine-grained tannins that lead to a persistent, harmonious finish. 94pts."
Welcome to the premium region of McLaren Vale, home to so many high quality boutique wineries and exceptional reds – especially Shiraz. McLaren Vale's DogRidge is well known for their highly-prized old vines, and these few hand-selected French barrels of Shiraz are made exclusively from the pre-clonal Original Plantings at DogRidge from the 1940s. It’s only made in excellent vintages like 2021.
DogRidge is a boutique family estate sitting amid 90 acres of premium McLaren Vale vineyards and boasting some very highly-prized old vines. The estate is co-owned by viticulturalist Dave Wright and winemaker Fred Howard, and their wives Jen and Sarah. Together they certainly make a winning team! DogRidge is the name of an old-fashioned vine rootstock, but seemed very apt as an estate name, as the house – filled with the couples’ four-legged friends – sits on a ridge overlooking these vines.
