Spinifex Syrah 2023

Spinifex Syrah is a medium-bodied Shiraz from higher-altitude plots in the Barossa and Eden valleys.

Elevation is the whole point. Up to 10 sites contribute, all picked from cooler ground where harvest comes earlier and the fruit arrives savoury and peppery, with vine age anywhere from 25 to 100 years. Different proportions of bunches and berries go into each ferment, and Pete Schell keeps interference to a minimum: short macerations, little agitation, and vessels split between stainless steel, concrete and large seasoned oak, where the wine sat for eight months. Schell has spent twenty years arguing that the Barossa punishes a heavy hand, and this is the bottle that makes the case most clearly.

Black pepper, blackberry, dried herb and a whiff of cured meat, with the tannins long and sinewy and the acid keeping it upright. Serve at 16 degrees, alongside slow-cooked beef cheek, eggplant parmigiana or a lamb shoulder with olives.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.