After years of (arguably) living in the shadow of the Pinot, Toolangi’s Shiraz is starting to flex its muscles. The grapes are cultivated and harvested with freshness to the fore, and the winemaking has refocused along the same lines. In short, with emphasis on elegance, balance and sustained purity, Toolangi’s Shiraz has never tasted better. None of this should be a surprise; the Yarra has long been capable of producing outstanding Syrah.
The D Block’s north-south orientation ensures good sun exposure for this parcel of 25-year-old vines on silty clay-loam soil. The clonal material here is PT23 Shiraz—an old Australian clone selected from descendants of the 1832 Busby cuttings—on Paulson rootstock. Hermann shies away from new oak with his Shiraz, relying instead on the inherently spicy nature of the fruit and judicious use of bunches in the ferment to bring aromatic and structural complexity. He then raises the wine in large, seasoned foudres, favouring a more reductive environment to help compress tannins and build a “spring through the core of the wine”. In the slightly cooler conditions of 2021, 15% bunches were used, and the wine matured for 10 months before bottling.
At its best, Yarra Valley Shiraz is a wonderful thing. This is a piquant, bunchy and powerfully flavoured example with sappy dark berries, delicious pepper spice and a richly weighted mid-palate balanced by driving acidity and wonderfully integrated tannins.