Dandelion Vineyards Lioness McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017 (Australia)

Dandelion Vineyards Lioness McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017 (Australia)Densely yet brightly purple in body with violet streaks at rim edge. Aromas of white chocolate and the best cocoa you can buy. Boysenberry, blackberry both ripe but fine; then smells of wild strawberries and their foliage, with mulberry and cherry also in the air. In this youthful stage of its life, it really is all about the aromatics. Here we find a natural partnership between the powdery, fine, dry and happy tannins of well grown Shiraz with the

Densely yet brightly purple in body with violet streaks at rim edge. Aromas of white chocolate and the best cocoa you can buy. Boysenberry, blackberry - both ripe but fine; then smells of wild strawberries and their foliage, with mulberry and cherry also in the air. In this youthful stage of its life, it really is all about the aromatics. Here we find a natural partnership between the powdery, fine, dry and happy tannins of well-grown Shiraz with the intense, coiled power of pure McLaren Vale fruit. The tannins rest in the background with the acid keeping the blackberry, plum and wild raspberry fruit flavours well-puckered. The back palate and aftertaste become more elegant and refreshing, giving the wine real harmony.

Dandelion Vineyards is a unique fusion of vineyards and vignerons. These wines represent decades of experience, blending the fruit of the old vine gardens with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. Dandelion Vineyards are proven plantings that have stood the test of time. The winemakers wish is to nurture the unique character of these vineyards and express their terroir in these wines. Capturing variety, vintage and vineyard requires an enlightened approach and although growers see the Devil in every weed, the humble Dandelion is encouraged amongst the vines as they suppress winter weeds, provide mulch in summer, and proffer their Wishing Clocks in spring to blow off.

The Lioness of McLaren Vale is sourced from the foothills of McLaren Vale. Here mature Shiraz vines ‘populate or perish’ in the ironstone pebble laden clay loam, over ancient Kurrajong Formation geology, a silica cemented conglomerate most suited to grow Shiraz.

After hand picking whole bunches of our Lioness of McLaren Vale in the last week of March, winemaker Elena Brooks let the whole bunches ferment together in open top fermenters with ambient yeasts and hand plunging for 12 days, before basket pressing into some new but predominately older French Oak barriques, to the mature for a further 18 months in the same oak, before bottling without fining or filtration to capture the essence of the vineyard. Although ready to drink the Lioness of McLaren Vale will also reward cellaring and decanting.

Food Pairing: Being both rich and savoury, mouthfilling yet elegant, this red wine has versatility when it comes to the table. For the brave try Dressed Honeycomb Tripe cooked in the Spanish manner with smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, tomato puree, too many aromatic vegetables, cider, and some chick peas for textural effect. Stew for 2 hours.