Adelina Shiraz Mataro 2019

The Adelina vineyards are situated in Spring Farm Valley, just south of the township of Clare. Their neighbours include the vineyards of Wendouree, Aberfeldy and Sevenhill Cellars. The small Adelina plantings were originally established around 1910; mostly Shiraz and Grenache with small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The vineyard is right next door to Birk’s Wendouree so we know the terroir is good! The Gardner family has owned the Spring Farm Estate, which is the site of both the Adelina winery and vineyards, since 1986. Prior to the inception of Adelina Wines in 2000, the property was managed by Will and Elaine Gardner, and the fruit was sold to Tim Adams. In 2002, Col McBryde and Jen Gardner, Will and Elaine’s daughter, took over responsibility for the vineyards and launched Adelina wines which are made exclusively from the Estate vineyards. The pair has been involved in winemaking and research since the mid-90s.

Adelina's blend of Shiraz (85%) and Mataro (15%) was all grown in the Springfarm sub-area of the Clare Valley, an undeniably sweet-spot terroir for Shiraz. The Mataro and a portion of the Shiraz fruit comes from a famed, trademarked vineyard (beginning with 'A'), and the remainder is Adelina Estate fruit. All up, an imposing 60-70% of this wine comes from vines with an age of around 100 years. Ponder this while you look at the price! The Mataro grows on slightly leaner soils of red sands with clay; and the Shiraz on lime and slate on a clay base, sandwiched between two of the Clare's greatest sites: Wendouree (which lies just 150 metres from Adelina); and the Aberfeldy vineyard. All vineyards are organically farmed (certified from 2020).

Region/ Country: Clare Valley, Australia

Rating: 93+ points by Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Tasting Note: This has lots going for it. Rich perfume of dark berries, sweet earth, dried flowers, very aromatic but feels kind of savoury. The palate is the same, bloody and rich, hewn with sheets of grippy, grunty tannins, upfront whips away quickly, feels tight, the finish a cavalcade of tumbling tannin, gamey fruit, piquant, tactile spice and minerally stony qualities. Boom. That somewhat missing front palate might just be the go now, but we get something serious to finish. I like it, all up.