Winery & Vintage Info
The Skillogalee Basket Press Shiraz is crafted from grapes carefully harvested from low-yielding, dry-grown vines planted on the slopes and contours of the Skillogalee estate in the wooded hills of the Clare Valley. The cool climate vineyards were planted in the 1970s and many of the vines are now over 50 years old, yielding less fruit but producing a more flavourful and structurally complex wine.
With cool and dry weather, the 2021 vintage in the Clare Valley produced lovely fruit with excellent varietal character and natural acidity. The cool growing season was preceded by late-winter and early-spring rains which allowed for good spring growth on the vines. This was followed by below average rainfall and dry conditions for the remainder of the season, resulting in a vintage that produced beautiful and classic Clare wines with smaller bunches and grapes therefore reducing yield.
The grapes are hand-harvested at the peak of ripeness, sorted and vinified in open fermenters. The wine is then gently basket-pressed to preserve the delicate fruit character and velvety tannins before being barrel aged in oak for 12-18 months. The winemaking team carefully tastes and blends the different parcels to create a final wine that showcases the unique characteristics of the Shiraz grown on our property, with a balance and structure that is truly exceptional.
