Winery & Vintage Info
The Undercover Shiraz is named in recognition of McLaren Vale's history of supplying other regions with our finest red grapes. Known as the mid palate of Australia, McLaren Vale fruit is well regarded for its ability to improve the quality and richness of wines from other regions.
This Shiraz is a blend of three different McLaren Vale vineyards. The Lower Tintara vineyard was originally planted by Thomas Hardy in the 1880s and is located on Kays Road in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale - this block of Shiraz was planted 20 years ago. The Kyalla vineyard is located just outside McLaren Flat and three blocks from this vineyard go into the blend, one block planted in 1941 and the other two blocks in 1993. The Klaveniek vineyard Shiraz vines are 20 years old and is located on McMurtrie Road.
The Lower Tintara vineyard is on sandy loam soils called Maslin Sands, which are between 34 and 56 million years old. Kyalla Vineyard is on alluvial soils from the Holocene. The Klaveniek vineyard is on Biscay soils from the Kurrajong formation (10,000 to 2.6 million years old). Harvested 19 March (Lower Tintara), 17 March (Kyalla), 15 March (Klaveniek).
Small batch open fermenters before maturation in new and seasoned French oak for 15 months.
