Woodstock's flagship wine, The Stocks Shiraz is drawn from just 31 rows of old vines planted on a sandy, north-facing slope of Woodstock Estate in McLaren Vale — vines believed to date to approximately 1900. It is a wine defined by its origins: ultra-low-yielding, essentially dry-grown fruit from a single block of pre-Federation vines that has shaped the Woodstock identity across generations of Collett family winemaking. The 2018 is available now as a mature-vintage release, with a drinking window extending through to 2033.
Why This Wine Matters
The Stocks is Woodstock's reason for being. Named for its ancient vineyard block, the wine distils everything that makes the estate significant — the age of the vines, the restraint of the yields, the sandy soils that impart an aromatic and textural character unlike denser clay-based McLaren Vale sites. Very few McLaren Vale Shiraz producers can point to a single contiguous block of circa-1900 vines still in production; fewer still build an entire winemaking reputation around one. At 92 points from Halliday Wine Companion, the 2018 is a recognised expression of this rare material, made in a powerful, brooding style that rewards patience.
Tasting Notes
The 2018 is a deeply concentrated, oak-framed McLaren Vale Shiraz reviewed by Ned Goodwin MW at 92 points in August 2021. The nose is led by prominent mocha, vanilla, espresso and bourbon-like oak characters, beneath which dark cherry, anise, clove and violet emerge. On the palate, the wine is powerful and full-bodied — brooding and concentrated — yet nothing here is harsh or unresolved. The considerable weight and oak are bound into a well-polished, structured package with the fruit and tannin in convincing alignment.
Vineyard & Winemaking
The Stocks is a 100% Shiraz sourced exclusively from 31 rows of low-yielding vines on a sandy north-facing slope of Woodstock Estate. The vines are believed to have been planted around 1900 and are essentially dry grown, producing an average yield of approximately two bottles per vine. Fruit is harvested at night to preserve freshness and aromatic integrity. Following harvest, the fruit undergoes a cold soak of a couple of days before a short fermentation in small open-topped fermenters, with hand plunging throughout. The wine then moves into French and American oak, where it spends a lengthy period of maturation. Ned Goodwin MW noted the wine reflects "very old, low-yielding vines (circa 1900), all on sandy soils" — language consistent with Woodstock's own description of this block across vintages.
Cellaring & Serving
The 2018 carries a drinking window to 2033 as assessed by Ned Goodwin MW for Halliday Wine Companion in late 2020. Now in its eighth year from vintage, the wine has had time to begin integrating its considerable oak and tannin structure, and is entering a rewarding drinking phase while retaining the capacity for further development. Woodstock has consistently described The Stocks as a wine suited to extended cellaring, identifying the 10–15 year range as a typical sweet spot for the wine as a style. Serve at 16–18°C in a large-bowled Shiraz glass. Decanting for 30–60 minutes is advisable to allow the wine to open fully.
At the table, The Stocks suits rich, slow-cooked red meat dishes — slow-braised beef short ribs, rare-seared venison, or a well-aged hard cheese. The oak-forward structure and full body also complement dishes with umami depth such as beef ragu or slow-roasted lamb shoulder.
Reviews
"Very old, low-yielding vines (circa 1900), all on sandy soils. Crushed and cold soaked for a couple of days. A short, open-topped fermentation is buttressed by oak, French and American, where the wine spends a lengthy period. A brooding, take-no-prisoners sort of expression that harks back to wines of yore. Mocha, vanilla, espresso and bourbon scents mask dark cherry, anise, clove and violet. At least at this nascent stage. Yet there is nothing harsh or edgy about this. The power, excess and underlying fruit fold into a well-polished package."
92 Points - Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion, 13 August 2021
