A single block Shiraz from 49 year old vines grown on ancient, dark grey slaty siltstone rich in ironstone rubble, facing south- west at an altitude of 120m. The JC Block is named for Jill Cant, the previous owner, and was the first block Stephen worked with on the vineyardduring his tenure as Chief Red Winemaker at Hardys.

Hand harvested on the 3rd of March. Gently crushed and pumped to a large old oak fermenter acquired from a dear friend. Gently pressed after spontaneous fermentation and 14 days on skins. Settled in tank for 15 days before transfer to a two year old 2300L French oak vat for malolactic fermentation and extended maturation. Racked three times and bottled, unfined, on the 28th of October 2022.

Flavour Profile: It’s never easy to describe the assault of aromas and flavours from the JC block Shiraz. For Stephen, it’s the true indication of a great wine. The aromas seem to be everywhere all at once. Signature iodine, split red wood, clove, bay and dark cherries in syrup are backed up by Ribena, red liquorice, toasted rye and freshly ground black pepper.

Structure & Texture: Powerful tannins supported by the ferruginous flavours typical of Upper Tintara: cocoa, bitumen, terracotta, the Aussie bush, dark red fruits – Ionian purple and waves of dark blue – Luxury wine that seems to expand beyond the confines of the palate on an unending finish. - Stephen Pannell