This is a seriously cool wine that is only enhanced by its incredible history. Fermented in the original slate fermenters at the old Upper Tintara winery, history pulsates through every vein of the Ox Hardy Slate Shiraz.
The old winery had been decaying for 95 years before the slate fermenters were restored in 2018. The last of their type in Australia (and perhaps the world), these massive slate slabs were transported from the quarry in the Willunga Hills.
The fruit was destemmed and crushed before being bucketed by hand into the fermenters. Wild yeast fermentation took place and it was plunged three times a day for a week before being dug out and sent to French oak (20% new) for 16 months.
Blueberry paste and purple fruits make a most positive first impression with milk chocolate and licorice bullets. Sleek, it tenses up ever so fractionally late, offering a neat sign for longevity. Flashes of cloves and cardamom enter the fray with fine woodsy and fruit bun spices. It's a wine of sheer density and length but also shines with a delicacy that is prominent over a few days of tasting. By far the best Slate Shiraz I have seen from Ox Hardy, its sleek feels have me leaning in more to this release than the previous 2022. Above all, it's a masterpiece in clever winemaking and a respectful nod to the past.
95/100
Region: McLaren Vale
