2019 Shadowfax Minnow Rosé

Shadowfax

Australia / Werribee / Shadowfax

Moderate rains over winter and spring meant modest vegetative growth in our dry-grown Werribee Minnow vineyard, but consistently warm temperatures meant fruit was harvested with great flavour and concentration. The Pinot Noir and Cinsault had superb aromatics, with the Mourvèdre and Syrah giving lovely texture and depth. The Grenache also an extra spice element to the wine.
Hand-harvested fruit was immediately gently whole bunch-pressed to give minimal colour and tannin extraction. Wild fermentation occurred in older French barrels. The wine rested on lees to relax and unwind for four months prior to assemblage and bottling in July 2019. Alcohol 13.7%; pH 3.53; TA 5g/L; RS 1.2g/L.
The nose shows peaches and cream, liquorice, mandarin flesh and hints of complexing nutmeg spice. A generous mouth-filling palate shows rich peaches and cream that flows on and on. The high pH gives the wine lovely mouth-coating texture and warmth. The palate is long and flowing with oodles of flavour. The fine lacy tannins frame the wine and the fine acidity keeps the palate fresh and crunchy.

James Halliday

Halliday Wine Companion 2021

90 points

Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Pinot Noir were all sourced from the estate vineyard, whole-bunch pressed to minimise colour and tannin extraction, wild-fermented in used French oak. Pale pink-copper; floral/rose petal/scented powder puff/ginger aromas. A strongly spicy palate, but the high pH/low titratable acidity impose a creamy mouthfeel.

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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. This is 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.”