2019 Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Gewürztraminer

Shadowfax

Australia / Werribee / Shadowfax

Gewürztraminer grapes were hand-harvested from the Midhill and Straws Lane vineyards in the Macedon Ranges on 23rd March and 9th April 2019. A cool start to spring meant that the growing season was slow out of the gates, but a warm and dry summer ensued allowing fruit to reach ideal maturity and flavour ripeness in good time. The growing season was settled and cool, and the high altitude of these sites allowed natural acidity to be maintained.
The hand-picked fruit was firmly whole bunch pressed to impart some skin contact to release the full flavour profile. A small parcel of the fruit was foot-stomped prior to pressing and impart some phenolic texture. The juice was cool fermented to help retain floral and natural Gewürztraminer aromas. Alcohol 13.2%; pH 3.14; TA 7.8g/L.
The wine is silvery straw in colour, with green tints and brilliant clarity. On the nose, rose petal, candied lime and ginger spice are immediately captivating. An undertone of minerality and darker cinnamon add a savoury complexity underneath while nectarine promises warmth and texture to follow. Tangerine and persimmon fruits spill onto the palate. There is a fleshiness to the wine that is held taught by the pithy acid line. Spicy ginger phenolics focus the palate, helping add structure and drive. The finish is fresh and zesty; full-flavoured acid and phenolics are enmeshed within the fruit. Very refreshing and lively. - Al Timms, Shadowfax

James Halliday

Halliday Wine Companion 2021

93 points

The floral bouquet is appropriately exotic with rose petal, lychee, powder puff and ginger-accented spices, the palate reinforcing the message. Good wine.

Standard Bottle Out of Stock

About Shadowfax

Shadowfax has taken tremendous strides in recent times, with the team refining the range and proving their prowess with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their single-vineyard Chardonnays have taken out Best Chardonnay at the Macedon Ranges Wine Exhibition no fewer than five times. Especially noteworthy have been the Little Hampton Vineyard in Macedon's high-altitude plantings of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, in the chilliest region of Australia’s mainland. These are the vibrant future of Australia’s cool-climate wine scene. The counterpoint to this is the dynamic Minnow project, based around the Werribee vineyard’s southern French varieties. The name is both a reflection of the grapes’ underdog status and a clever play on “Minervois”, a southern French appellation where these kinds of blends are common. It's the source of bright, spicy, textured rosé and reds, with the micro-make Mondeuse immediately becoming a delicious cult hit. With long-serving vineyard manager and assistant winemaker Alister Timms taking the helm in October 2017, these are hugely exciting times for Shadowfax.

About

Shortly after completing this second degree, Alister started working at Shadowfax as Assistant Winemaker, a position he held for three years before moving back home to run his family’s winery, Kilgour Estate. In 2008, Alister returned to Shadowfax to manage the winery’s various vineyards and establish the Little Hampton property in the Macedon Ranges, whilst working as Assistant Winemaker to Matt Harrop. When Matt decided to leave Shadowfax in October 2017, after almost 20 years as winemaker, Alister was the obvious choice as his replacement. “I look forward to building on the foundation that we’ve created over the years and seeing our vineyards reach their full potential, and to follow that through in the winery.”