THE VINEYARD
This Shiraz comes from the Skeleton Key Block at the McMurtrie Road East Vineyard, which sits at an elevation of 140m. Being at a higher elevation makes for cooler temperatures during the ripening period, allowing the Shiraz grapes to reach their optimum ripeness with less stress. Planted in 1991 with clone 1654, the vineyard's high density, narrow-row layout means that each vine has less crop load per vine than is usual in the region, resulting in a wine with great intensity.

WINEMAKING
Individual shiraz rows from the Skeleton Key vineyard were harvested and vinified separately to best express the variations in terrior. The site was harvested between the 2nd and 9th of March and fruit parcels were fermented on skins in open fermenters for 10 days. Maturation was in the finest French oak puncheons, of which 26% were new and remaining 1-3 year old oak. After 15 months, the wine was barrel selected and blended to best showcase the complexities and diversity of the Skeleton Key site.