Kevin Arnold Shiraz 2018

The wine shows aromatics of delicate violets, dark plum fruits and licorice notes which has layered subtle notes of earthiness and leather spice, brought in by the Mourvedre component. The palate follows the aromatics of the nose with similar violet and earthy spice notes. The wine shows generosity for a vintage which is known for more elegant and finely textured wines. The tannins presented are soft and granular with a fruit-forward finish due to the use of strictly older barrels for ageing.

With the winter having lower levels of rainfall we knew that the vineyard was going to be stressed during the springtime but what followed was near-perfect growing conditions for flowering and berry set. Harvest time was characterised by moderate temperatures and a distinct lack of heat waves which was ideal for berry ripening. The vineyards remained very healthy and produced the perfect bunches, smaller berries than what we usually expect but this gives us great concentration. Apart from being a warm vintage the wines show good freshness and elegance.