Vintus

Jester Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Jester Shiraz is a blend of several blocks within the Lopresti vineyard in the Willunga district, all the way at the southern tip of McLaren Vale and on the coast. The vineyard soil types are heavy grey loam over sandstone soils, with black cracking Biscay clays intermixed. These soils have excellent water-holding capacity and require minimal irrigation. Being so close to the coast the vines experience warm summer days that contribute to fruit intensity and excellent tannin ripeness, and cooling afternoon sea breezes and nights maintain good acid levels in the grapes, allowing extended maturation on the vine and resulting in complexity of the flavor profile.  

Depending on the vintage, the components vary, but all have a common theme of more upfront fruit than grapes destined for G.A.M. or Savitar, to make a more approachable wine style. The grapes are fermented for 5 days on skins in 2 ton open fermenters and then matured in oak from the previous year’s G.A.M. The wine has fresh, vibrant, lifted and pure aromas and flavors, with attractive cassis, pepper and licorice on the nose with a hint of nutty spice. The flavors explode with blackcurrant, plums and cinnamon layering over silky tannin and superb length.

The "Jester" Shiraz names refers to Richard Tarlton, a favorite among Jesters to Queen Elizabeth I. Tarlton was the first to achieve national celebrity as a comedian and enjoyed a successful career in theater as a leading member of the Queen’s Players. As a writer he was the author of popular ballads and plays. With Tarlton Shiraz, ‘Jester’ celebrates the era where boredom was alleviated through humor and the banal through intellect.

• 2009 Vintage

  • "Dense purple-crimson; the wine is all about controlled power, the fist in a velvet glove; the medium- to full-bodied palate rolls black fruits, a touch of licorice and a generous dash of dark chocolate into a seamless whole; you know the tannins and oak are there, but no more." 94 Points James Halliday

  • "Black and blue and bloody, this is a formidable shiraz scented with tar, blueberries, black mushrroms and a sanguine note in its tannins. It's rich and heady, suited to braised oxtail." 90 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine

  • "Bright purple.  Lively aromas of blackberry, cassis and spices.  Spicy, bright and very fruity, with good energy to its dark berry flavors.  This is far from a stereotypical Aussie shiraz.  Finishes with smooth, gentle tannins and lingering spiciness.  Offers considerable upfront appeal." 90 Points International Wine Cellar

• 2008 Vintage

• 2007 Vintage

  Vintage 2007 was dominated by very low rainfall- approximately half the average of the previous recorded growing seasons. The extreme growing conditions resulted in a harvest that saw crop loads 45-50% below the average due to lighter bunches, resulting from drought conditions.

  Harvest was the earliest on record with some varieties being picked mid to late January due to accelerated ripening as a result of small, low weight bunches. All red varieties were down substantially in yield due to smaller berry size, however quality across the board at Mitolo was very good to exceptional.

   

  Deep cherry jube in colour, the 2007 Jester Shiraz continues to show bright, vibrant, rich fruit. A revelation of blue and black berries, there is mocha and a hint of spice on the nose. The palate exhibits focused, genuine fruit and subtle, yet structured, tannins support a velvety elongated finish.

  • "The 2007 Jester Shiraz is dark ruby/purple-colored with an alluring perfume of mineral, earth notes, blueberry, black cherry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, ripe, and intensely flavored, the wine conceals enough structure to evolve for 4-6 years. The finish is lengthy and pure. I was also shown the 2002 Jester Shiraz and, I know this will be hard to believe, at age six it tastes like a small-scaled version of Guigal’s La Landonne." 91 Points Wine Advocate

  • "Bright ruby. Dark berry and cherry compote on the nose, with black pepper and clove adding nuance. Palate-numbing, peppery red and dark berry flavors are nicely focused, showing no rough edges and light tannic grip. Combines the peppery tang of an Old World syrah with the sweetness of South Australian shiraz-a tasty marriage in my book. Finishes with very good cut and length. This is delicious." 91 Points International Wine Cellar

  • "Jester Shiraz has so much swagger and panache in '07 it is frankly baffling. For an everyday price you can experience an extraordinarily well-honed red with valid delusions of grandeur, because this wine is made from the off-cuts of the likes of Savitar and GAM and it damn well tastes like it, too." Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2009

• 2006 Vintage

  In 2006, a dry winter, followed by heavy rains, in spring, resulted in vines with healthy, balanced canopies on moist soils. A mild, early summer leading to a warmer period during veraison stopped vegetative growth, allowing vines to channel energy into the fruit. Hot weather conditions caused some stress in late summer, with balanced vines showing great resilience and high potential.  Winemakers and growers did  however  observe crops to be 20-30% lower than the 2005 vintage. Reds were very fragrant with good acidity and length. Shiraz showed excellent quality.

  The wine is a dense purple color with an almost black appearance.  Dark chocolate, anise and allspice dominate the nose, supported by hints of French oak, cherries and coffee. A fresh and juicy mid-palate shrouds tannin and length. The wine has flavours of fresh cut plums and licorice with hints of blackberry and espresso. A long and lingering  finish.  

  • "The Shiraz lineup begins with 2006 Shiraz “Jester” which was aged for 12 months in French and American oak. Like the Cabernet, 20% dried grapes were included in the blend. Purple-colored, it offers up an expressive nose of cedar, spice box, smoke, pepper, and blueberry. Medium to full-bodied and supple-textured, the wine has a forward personality with layers of spicy fruit and some elegance. It is for drinking over the next 10 years. It is an outstanding value." 91 Points Wine Advocate