White Label Shiraz 2019

This exceptional vintage was due to a cool summer and dry moderate autumn providing the ideal conditions for producing excellent Shiraz with great regional character. We selected parcels from the “Ironstone”, “Katunga”, “Oakley”, “Bullrush”, “Bellevue” and “Johnston Prolific” blocks. To maintain distinctive varietal character only 18% of the wine was matured in new French and American oak barriques. The wine displays aromas of spicy Satsuma plum, black cherry, and bramble with hints of vanilla bean, infused with black pepper and mocha notes. The intense palate delivers dark chocolate, spicy mulberry, liquorice and blackberry notes, enhanced by cracked peppercorn, with hints of coconut and cedar, The rich powerful Shiraz has great backbone, firm balanced tannins, deft oak handling, subtle toast and great length of flavour.

94 Points Winestate, 93 Points Wine Pilot, 93 Points Wine Orbit, BRONZE Medal NZ International Wine Show 2021, SILVER Medal AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge 2021

Now in the capable hands of Geoff Johnston, a winemaking graduate of Charles Sturt University and grandson of the winery’s founder, Pirramimma has seen many significant changes, including the construction of a 3100m² naturally cooled rammed earth barrel storage facility and the expansion of vineyards to 240 acres and 13 varieties. Known as a “Professor of Soil”, he has also spent over 25 years converting Pirramimma’s sterile land into a living organism, as well as reducing the winery’s ecological footprint through various projects including solar systems, dams and even a wine turbine. As a winemaker, Geoff has a worldly perspective. After a study trip to France his interest for the Bordeaux grape variety, Petit Verdot was developed. Geoff planted a small trial area of the grape in 1983, which has since expanded to 35 acres of mature vines. Pirramimma Petit Verdot vintages have been awarded internationally multiple times with European wine magazine WeinWisser asking… ‘is there any better Petit Verdot in the world?’ Geoff not only pioneered Petit Verdot in Australia, he was the first to introduce the Southern French variety Tannat to McLaren Vale. In 2021, Geoff celebrated his 50th vintage – a fitting half century for the accomplished cricketer and dogged batsman.