A slice of great value Barossan soul from the quiet achiever. The first thing to know about this winegrower is that he lives in the vineyard. Getting a hold of Shawn Kalleske outside vineyard hours is like herding cats, perhaps more so because vineyard hours at this address are roughly equivalent to sunlight hours. Kalleske has just completed his 24th vintage at the estate and not only do his gnarled, crevassed hands tell the tale of each tour of duty, but the quality of his wines is also a testament to his rare work ethic.
Laughing Jack’s GSM is drawn from the estate’s manicured Moppa Hill and Greenock vineyards. Planted in 1962, the Moppa Hill site has ancient, sandy soils with the old vines deeply anchored in the reddish-orange clays far beneath. The Greenock property has deep red soils. Both sites have own-rooted, low-yielding vines (around 0.5 tonnes per acre in 2020), managed sustainably with organic principles. The vines on both sites are own-rooted.
The 2020 blend chimes in at 57% Grenache, 32% Shiraz and 11% dry-grown Moppa Mourvèdre. All components are handpicked, destemmed and fermented as whole berries, while the free-run juice and the skins from the press are separated and aged in separate vessels. The blending takes place after 16 months in seasoned French puncheons.
There’s a newfound purity to Kalleske’s wine these days, and the 2020 is seductively scented with a rumbling of dark fruits, a generous helping of sweet spice and vibrant floral lift. The palate is typically full-throated yet balanced, with gossamer tannins dovetailing with plummy, spicy generosity throughout. Considerable length, too. Kalleske should probably be asking a little more for this wine, but let’s keep that to ourselves for now. It will make many drinkers happy on many levels.