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Coonawarra graziers have access to the finest soils for viticulture. Doug Balnaves was born in the very heart of Coonawarra, quite near the sacred cricket pitch at Penola. An accomplished herdsman and shearer, Balnaves took up the challenge of planting vineyards in 1971. Working under the tutelage of legendary Coonawarra winemaker Bill Redman, Balnaves immersed himself in the culture of the vine, ultimately establishing a grande marque of Coonawarra and securing the inaugural presidency of the Coonawarra Vignerons Association. He remains a lifelong member of the Penola Pipe Band. For those who like their wines structured yet satin, powerful yet prettily perfumed, in the mouthfillingly muscular Coonawarra.. The old sheep shearer's shanty»
Johann Gottfried Scholz served in the Prussian army as a battlefield bonesetter, before joining the great emigration of Lutherans from Silesia to Barossa Valley. After building a family homestead along the alluvial banks of Para River, Gottfried established a mixed farm of livestock and crops, fruit trees and grapevines, Semillon and Shiraz. His acumen at healing fractures and setting splints made Gottfried a leading local identity, as his homestead cottage evolved into the Barossa's very first private hospital. Over a century later, the exceptional quality of harvest from Gottfried's original homestead, made the fruit of Willows Vineyard, an essential component in the most memorable vintages of Peter.. Savour the shiraz by scholz»
Marlborough viticulture owes much to the import of emigres from war torn Europe. Many were skilled fruit growers while others were passionate winemakers. They quickly discovered the magical affinity between aromatic white varietals and the mistral valleys of Te Wai Pounamu... Match a meal with maria»
Jane Mitchell is one of Clare Valley's leading wine industry identities, Clare Valley Legend and Clare Valley Winemakers Hall of Fame, Centenary Federation of Australia Medal, SA Tourism Commission, Australian Regional Winemakers Forum, Wine Federation of Australia Council and Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation Board. Mitchell's largest vineyard is at Watervale, a very bleak place in the middle of winter at pruning time. It is known by the vineyard workers as Alcatraz, a place to do penance in the cold, wind and rain of a Clare Valley winter. Alcatraz only ever yields minimal harvests, source of the most memorable vintages in our nation's.. These old clare valley vines are just getting better»

Brands Laira Blockers Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz Coonawarra South Australia
McWilliam's acquired the eminent Laira property in the 1990s and are now one of the largest landholders in Coonawarra. The stately Laira Vineyard is widely regarded as one of Coonawarra's very finest plantings of Shiraz. The only locally grown grape variety until 1950, Shiraz has played an important role in establishing Coonawarra's international reputation as Australia's preeminent red winegrowing region. Laira offers the timeless and enduring style of Coonawarra Shiraz, a distinctly regional wine of great length and superb balance.
Available by the dozen
Case of 12
$257.00
The highly decorated McWilliam's team retain access to many of the finest plantings of Coonawarra Shiraz. Grapes are de-stemmed, chilled down to 10C and cold soaked for several days, a component of whole bunches are included. Parcels are vinified on skins for twelve days in a mix of headed down static and rotary fermenters, pumped over or to ensure full extractions of colour and flavour. Batches are treated to a gentle airbag press while still slightly sweet and racked to a selection of seasoned and new French oak barrels for malolactic. Upon completion, components are racked off lees, barrels are cleaned and the wine returned for fifteen months before assembling into the finished wine.
Bright crimson red. A rich and vibrant nose displaying spices and blood plum, blueberry primary fruits backed by nutty creamy oak from barrel ferments and maturation. Classic tightly structured cool climate Shiraz palate displaying pronounced varietal fruit characters of anise and plum, berries and tar. Oak maturation contributes nutty notes and dusty cedar flavours. The palate offers a long finish with fine velvety tannins and lingering fruit flavours.
Brands Laira
The Laira Vineyard was established in 1893 on the Coonawarra’s famous terra rossa heartland

Brands Laira is today widely regarded as one of the region’s best plantings of Shiraz. With Shiraz being the only wine grape planted in Coonawarra from 1900 to 1950, the variety has played an important role in establishing Coonawarra’s international reputation as Australia’s pre-eminent red wine region.

Brands Laira

Eric and Nancy Brand purchased the Laira Vineyard and adjoining property in 1946; and over the next decade extended the vineyard to 23 hectares of vines. The first wine sold under the Laira label was released in 1966. Fruit from this century-old Original Vineyard is still used today in the production of the Brand’s of Coonawarra Stentiford’s Reserve and Patron’s Reserve.

McWilliam’s Wines purchased a 50 per cent share of the Brand’s Estate in 1990 and the remaining 50 per cent in 1994, with Eric and Nancy’s sons Jim and Bill Brand retained as winemakers. McWilliam’s Wines is today one of the largest landholders in Coonawarra, with almost 300 hectares of mainly cabernet sauvignon and shiraz vines. In recent years the company has extended the Estate to include the 165 hectare Station Block and 100 hectare Kirkgate vineyards.

Brands Laira

Brands Laira