The 2008 Shiraz reveals the Ten Men’s tradition of refined quality. This wine was made from the vines on the very steep and famed north facing slopes of the Coldstream Hills. This follows the Portet’s checklist for world class Shiraz vineyards - great drainage capacity, very little water, small crops (1.5 tonnes / acre) and a very warm and dry growing season. Based on grey loamy clay soils with rocky sub-soils, the vineyard produces a fruit quality that would have satisfied each passed generation.

With a whisper from the sky, the 2008 Shiraz was hand picked on 18 March, retaining pure fruit expression. It was then crushed with 20% whole berries, before being cooled over five watchful days (the cold soak). It was left to naturally warm and then fermented with gentle maceration. As learnt from previous generations the wine was left on skins over four weeks to soften tannins, and enrich the structure and balance of the wine.

Not yet complete, our steady craft aged the wine with 20% new French oak and a mix of older French barrels to preserve the delicate fruit flavours. The wine was left naturally unfined with minimal filtration, in order to maintain its supreme complexity and length. It was bottled in July 2009 under screwcap, maintaining its quality, freshness and the many other secrets of the Ten Men who created it.

Click to read Ten Men Shiraz Reviews.

“ Santé! ”

- Ben Portet