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Technical Tasting Notes
2024 Block 15 Shiraz
GROWING SEASON
The dry winter and spring made the vines work during the early part of the growing season, and bud burst started in September, three weeks earlier than the year before. Damaging frosts particularly, in September and October meant some vineyards had significant damage that influenced their subsequent yield. Veraison in many vineyards was a month earlier than 2023.
Reds, with small berries, show intensity and vibrancy. An unseasonal heatwave in early March caused short-lived concern for growers, but for those grapes that were still hanging they recovered well in the cooler weather that followed. Depending on site and variety, crops are anywhere between 50 and 90% of normal but quality particularly in Shiraz is exceptional.
SPECIFICATIONS
Region: Barossa Valley
Sub Region: Ebenezer, Barossa Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Alcohol: 14.8%
Production: 800 bottles
Cellaring: 20 years+
Winemaker: Andrew Seppelt
Download Technical Tasting Notes 2024 Vintage →
Download Technical Tasting Notes 2023 Vintage →
Reviews
2024 BLOCK 15 SHIRAZ
Andrew Calliard (The Vintage Journal)
94 Points - Deep crimson. Intense blackberry, marzipan, grilled almond aromas with aniseed, touch wax polish notes. Inky-deep with ample blackberry, cassis, chocolaty flavours, velvety firm textures and balanced toasty oak. Chocolaty at the finish with a tannin plume. A substantial wine. Still in parts but should develop well. Best to keep for a while. 2028–2042
2023 BLOCK 15 SHIRAZ
Not yet Released
2022 BLOCK 15 SHIRAZ
Ryan Montgomery (jamessuckling.com)
97 Points - A deep, dense, textural, finely grained and lively shiraz. The nose shows dark plums, cocoa, coconut flakes, roasted meat and warm spices. It's full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins. Layered, with a refined texture, caressing edges and a silky stream of berries, spices and chocolate on the palate. Vivid. precise, chiseled and composed. Intense but always in control, with an incredibly fine texture. Long finish. Drink or hold.
2025 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WINE GUIDE
96 Points - From the excellent 2022 vintage, this would be my pick across the entire Hayes range. Under Diam, just 800 bottles. The fruit comes from a block, Block 15 obviously, which has been personally farmed by Marcus Schultz for more than 70 years. The Block is located in the Ebenezer sub-region in the northern parts of the Barossa. It does see some new French oak, and it has handled that with ease. Inky black/purple, this is dense and concentrated, and yet still comes across as a touch reticent at this early stage. Superbly balanced, the nose reveals notes of tobacco leaves, chocolate, truffles, smoked meat, cassis and cocoa powder, with a touch of blueberries lingering. Seamless, seductive, it has great length. There is a fine line of acidity running through to the silkiest of tannins. A hint of Vegemite emerges on the palate. Brilliant stuff and we can expect this wine to provide pleasure for at least the next 20 years. Drink now–2045
2021 BLOCK 15 SHIRAZ
Ned Goodwin (Jamessuckling.com)
97 Points - This is an exceptional wine. I'm not sure I like it necessarily more than its Stone Well sibling, but...among the very best of the region. An apotheosis of latent power, salacious fruit, oak and welcome restraint thanks to the tannic kit. The tannic definition, again, the hallmark of the address. The oak is generous, yet nothing that this capacious wine shan't swallow in time. Bitter licorice pastille, biltong, molten dark fruit, licorella, kirsch and violet. As tempting as this is now, I'd bury it. Best after 2026.
