Michael John Barossa Valley Shiraz

Woods Crampton Michael John Barossa Valley Shiraz, named after the father of winery co-founder Aaron Woods, is sourced from an old Barossa vineyard at Marananga, planted in 1894.

The fruit is handpicked and cold soaked. Most is destemmed before being placed into fermenters with whole bunches – one third of the total – laid across the bottom.

After a slow, cool ferment with the cap of grape skins kept submerged, the wine is racked to low toast French oak barrels, 50% new. It is aged for 20 months without racking or stirring, although the barrels are topped up every six weeks.

The wine is given only a coarse filtration and a dash of sulphur before bottling.

Impenetrable purple, Woods Crampton Michael John Barossa Valley Shiraz has mouth coating and powerful fruit flavours framed by fine tannins on the finish. Cellaring potential is 10 years.