2023 Rayner Vineyard Shiraz

Previously made between 1993 and 2007, the Shiraz grapes for this wine are not from the 1950 plantings but from a block right next door and planted in the early 1990s. A feature of the vineyard, which is just outside the town of McLaren Vale in South Australia, is the deep sand over clay soils. The McLaren Vale Wine Region experienced good winter rainfall filling the soil profile in readiness for spring. Continued wet and cold conditions throughout spring delayed budburst and resulted in slower shoot growth. Spring rainfall was higher than the McLaren Vale winter average. Multiple rain events during spring resulted in increased disease pressure and inflorescence loss, some varieties being more affected than others. The combination of late flowering and cool summer conditions resulted in a late harvest period. Once again cool wet autumn conditions combined to further slow ripening and prolong vintage. Cool conditions throughout the season were a feature of the 2023 harvest. McLaren Valle had good winter rainfall which gave a full soil profile to start the season. The cooler conditions during the growing seasons resulted in slow vine growth and late flowering. One of the later harvests for number of years. A challenging season resulting in wines of great finesse.