Mount Horrocks Alexander Vineyard Watervale Shiraz 2022
£29.95
The wine
Vibrant in colour, with cherry, blackberry and cassis over hints of toasted spice and tobacco leaf. Deep and succulent on the palate, with earthy tannins, balanced acidity and a long finish.
The Alexander vineyard sits at 450 metres in the far north-east corner of Watervale in the Clare Valley, planted in 2002 and given over entirely to Shiraz. 2022 was one of the latest vintages in over a decade, ripening slowly with good natural acidity. A fifth of the fruit was kept as whole bunches and crushed by foot, the rest fermented in French barriques. Stephanie Toole's estate is certified organic and biodynamic.
The producer
Mount Horrocks
View all Mount Horrocks winesMount Horrocks is a benchmark Clare Valley producer, led with great skill by Stephanie Toole. From the Watervale sub-region in South Australia, the estate has earned a devoted following for wines of purity, precision and character.
The vineyards are farmed organically and tended by hand, with fruit picked and sorted meticulously. This careful, sustainable approach and a focus on site expression give wines of clarity and freshness, none more so than the estate's celebrated Rieslings.
The range centres on pristine Watervale Riesling and a beautifully crafted Semillon, alongside characterful reds in Shiraz, Cabernet and Nero d'Avola. The famous Cordon Cut Riesling, made by severing the canes to concentrate the fruit on the vine, is a modern Australian classic.
Meticulous, expressive and consistently excellent, Mount Horrocks captures the Clare Valley at its finest. Its wines reward attention and age with grace.
