Bird in Hand, Two in the Bush Shiraz, 2020
Bird in Hand, Two in the Bush Shiraz, 2020
- Red Still
- 75.0cl
- 14.5%
- Shiraz
This exceptional value Shiraz has a deep purple colour with some violet notes at the edge. The perfumes are loaded with beery notes such as raspberry and blackberry with notes of fennel and white pepper too. The red berry fruit dominates the palate which is medium-bodied and the whole thing finishes with a long aftertaste that is in no way marked by the fine, elegant tannins.
The 2019 vintage was top quality if a little early for this cold climate area. The grapes were harvested then placed in open-top fermentation vessels and after the alcoholic fermentation the wine was transferred to small French oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation and then ageing. Around 20% of the barrels were new.
- ❖ ABV: 14.5%
Grapes
Shiraz
Vintage report
The 2020 vintage in Adelaide Hills was defined, above all else, by fire. The catastrophic bushfire season that swept through much of south-eastern Australia in late 2019 and early 2020 cast a long shadow over the harvest, with smoke taint a genuine threat across the region. Growers who managed to escape meaningful smoke exposure — whether through altitude, aspect, or sheer good fortune — faced a separate challenge: a warm, dry season that accelerated ripening and compressed the picking window. Those who read the vineyard carefully and moved quickly were rewarded. Those who didn't, less so.
The wines that made it through unscathed are, frankly, rather good. Chardonnay in particular performed well, retaining the bright acidity that makes Adelaide Hills such a compelling cool-climate address, with a little more weight and generosity than the region's leaner years. Syrah and Pinot Noir showed concentration without tipping into jamminess. The best examples are drinking well now and will continue to reward patience until 2026 to 2028, though we wouldn't sit on the lighter reds much longer than that.
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