Pffeiffer Shiraz (Rutherglen) 2017
Grapes - Shiraz
Vintage - 2017
Fruit Sourcing: North East Victoria - Rutherglen | King Valley | Eldorado
Harvest Date: March & April 2017
Food pairing:
Fillet steak, cooked to perfection, with twice cooked fries and steamed beans.
Vintage
Winter and spring 2016 saw rainfall averages well above normal, with heavy rainfall experienced between May and October. This coupled with high water releases into the Murray River system saw our Sunday Creek vineyard and parts of our Carlyle vineyard flooded in late September, into October. This put extreme pressure on the management of the vineyards, as we could not access them for around 4 weeks. Thankfully, summer was relatively dry, with less than average rainfall levels, which helped maintain the fruit quality. Yields were high, with some varieties cropping between 30-50% higher than average. These parcels were bunch thinned at veraison to achieve vine balance, giving good airflow, and reducing the bunch numbers to promote concentrated fruit flavours. A low level of supplementary irrigation was required to maintain good soil moisture levels and canopy health.
Vintage started much later this year, commencing on 2nd March, around 3 weeks later than last year’s early harvest. The first variety to be harvested was our Sunday Creek Frontignac. March saw a continuation of the warm, dry conditions experienced in summer, which allowed for a slow and steady development of sugar and flavor in the fruit, which meant for a slower paced start to the vintage. Three rain events in April saw the pace pick up, leading to the last fruit being harvested on April 28th, being Muscadelle and Muscat from our Sunday Creek vineyard.
Quality is good, with white wines showing lovely delicacy and elegant fruit aromas and flavours, with great natural acidity. Our red wines have terrific colour, with attractive fruit lift, and strong varietal definition. Our Portuguese varieties for our port styles performed very strongly this year, and our Muscats and Topaques show lovely perfume and elegance.
Winemakers Comments
The 2017 Pfeiffer Shiraz is a blend of 4 different parcels from four different vineyard sites in north eastern Victoria. Each parcel was handled separately, being picked on different dates. Two parcels were fermented in open vats with hand plunging 3 times daily. They were both pressed into brand new American and French oak barrels (puncheons and hogsheads) with around 1/3 of the ferment remaining. The other three parcels commenced fermentation in stainless steel fermenters, after a cold soak for 2-3 days. These parcels finished fermentation on skins and were pressed into stainless steel tanks to undergo MLF.
The barrel fermented parcels were matured on their yeast lees for approximately 3 months, with weekly batonage. In July 2017, the Pfeiffer Shiraz 2017 blend was then put together in tank and cold stabilized prior to being transferred to barrel for maturation. Maturation took place in French and American oak hogsheads and puncheons for a further 12 months. The wine was then blended from the very best oak barrels and clarified prior to bottling in early September 2018.
Our 2017 Pfeiffer Shiraz has an intense purple red colour. Aromas of dark berries, pepper and spice spring from the glass. The palate is rich and concentrated, with delicious mid-palate sweetness, complexity and length.
Cellar :
A wonderful wine to enjoy now and over ten years until 2027.
Yeast : Rhone 2056 – A yeast which enhances colour and heightens the fruit character of the grapes.FX 10 – A yeast that improves the mouthfeel of the wine and allows for site expression.
Allergens:
Produced with the aid of egg products and traces may remain. Preservative (220) Added.
Technical Details
Res. Sugar .43 g/L
pH 3.67
TA 6.17 g/L
Alcohol 15.3 % v/v