A rich and beautifully balanced Margaret River Shiraz, bursting with dark plum, blackberry and warm spice, with hints of chocolate and fine, silky tannins. Hand-plunged, traditionally basket pressed and matured for 15 months in French and American oak, the 2022 vintage is generous and full of character, with lovely freshness, complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Colour: Deep, inky crimson.
Aroma: Subtle yet alluring, with lifted raspberry and plum, hints of five-spice and a touch of vanilla.
Palate: Rich and generous, with dark plum, blackberry and star anise. Concentrated fruit gives way to dark chocolate, refreshing acidity and fine, cocoa-powder tannins, finishing juicy, long and beautifully balanced.
Awards & Reviews: “Cape Grace has been producing some excellent shiraz over the years, and this one from a very good year is another cracker. It follows the typical line of open fermentation, hand plunging, basket pressing and then maturation in a mix of puncheons and hogsheads, of which 35% was new. This is a wine that really allows the fruit to strut its stuff. It has a deep plummy, chocolatey character, but there’s a lift of spices, dried herbs and a sprinkle of black pepper. You also get that slightly coffee-grind mocha character, which adds another layer of complexity. It’s an excellent wine, drinking beautifully but with potential. Cellar 8 Years.” 95 Points — Ray Jordan
Winemaking: Both Shiraz blocks were harvested on the night of 25 March 2022. A portion of juice was drained from the whole berries for Rosé production, before the remaining fruit was cold soaked for 24 hours to build colour and concentration.
Fermentation took place in separate open-top fermenters, with the fruit hand plunged three times daily over 11 days before being gently basket pressed. The wine then completed malolactic fermentation in tank before being transferred to 300L hogsheads and 500L puncheons for maturation.
After six months, the wine underwent a rack and return, allowing the barrels to be cleaned and helping to soften the tannins. The final blend was assembled after 15 months in oak, with 34% new French and American oak contributing structure and complexity without overpowering the fruit.
Bottled in November 2023, just 244 dozen were produced.
Viticulture: Our 15-acre vineyard is managed using sustainable biological practices, with a focus on healthy soils, balanced vines and producing the best possible fruit each season.
Seaweed and fish-emulsion foliar fertilisers are used alongside elemental sulphur and copper sprays for disease prevention. Grape marc is composted with mulch and manure before being returned to the vineyard, while cover crops of clover, peas and ryegrass provide natural nitrogen and organic matter.
Careful canopy management, including hedging and leaf plucking, helps regulate sunlight exposure and airflow, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly while retaining freshness and balance.
Vintage 2022 | 9/10: An unusually wet winter delayed budburst by around ten days, with further spring rainfall keeping soil moisture levels high and requiring careful vineyard management.
Summer then brought some extraordinary heat, including three consecutive days above 40°C over Christmas and New Year, a rarity for Margaret River. Timely irrigation helped refresh the vines, while flowering and fruit set remained relatively normal.
Fortunately, ideal ripening conditions followed, allowing the grapes to develop excellent flavour concentration and intensity. A strong marri blossom helped reduce bird pressure, although the vines were still netted for protection.
Harvest took place under bright sunshine and dry skies, rounding out an exceptional vintage for Cape Grace.
Harvest: 25 March 2022
Alcohol: 13.8%
Production: 244 dozen
Oak Maturation: 15 months, 34% new French and American oak
Bottled: November 2023
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