Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2022
Established in 1998, Shadowfax is a boutique winery located just 30 minutes from Melbourne in the heart of Werribee Park. Dedicated to creating high-quality and handcrafted wines, Shadowfax is renowned for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Shiraz, as well as a selection of highly limited, single-vineyard wines. The winery takes its name from J.R.R. Tolkien's classic, The Lord of the Rings, where Shadowfax was chief among horses. Contemporary in design and function, Shadowfax's unique architecture reflects an attempt to create a harmony between the winery and its natural surroundings. Designed by award-winning architects Wood Marsh, the winery's rusted sheet metal exterior and terracotta interior evoke the best of Australian wine heritage. At Shadowfax, the team is passionate about allowing each vineyard site to express its unique character, with the grapes grown reflecting the site and telling their own story. The vineyards are grown depending on their own requests, with the team always listening and tasting to ensure the vineyard's needs and wants are met. Shadowfax is not afraid of new ideas, experimentation, trials and tribulations, all while having fun doing so. The vineyard is allowed to do the talking, using the wine glass as its stage. Shadowfax is a winery that truly cares about the land and the wines it produces, resulting in some of the most exceptional wines in the region.
Shadowfax Wines is a premium winery with vineyards located in some of the most unique and sought-after regions in Australia. The Little Hampton single vineyard site near Trentham sits at 730m above sea level, making it one of the coolest in the Macedon Ranges. The deep red volcanic loams over hard basalt outcrops give Little Hampton a unique balance between aromatics and power, producing exceptional fruit, particularly Pinot Noir, which forms the flagship Little Hampton Pinot Noir. Other vineyards include Straws Lane, planted in the 1980s to Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer near Hesket, Midhill, with slightly acidic and well-drained red volcanic soils and Werribee, which produces powerful and robust K Road Shiraz and unadulterated Minnow wines. The Pyrenees vineyard produces Shiraz with natural spicy aromas, a full palate and long fine tannins, thanks to the inland location at the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountain range. Shadowfax Wines' commitment to minimal intervention in the winery and precision farming results in wines that are vibrant, pure and drinkable.
The Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2022 is an elegant wine that showcases a dark red color with bright purple hues and brilliant clarity. The aroma is complex, with brooding spice notes of cardamom, star anise, sandalwood and citrus rind. Red cherries, forest floor and graphite add to the wine's complexity, making it intriguing and evolving through time. On the palate, this generous Pinot Noir spills with red cherry and dried cranberries, showing breadth and expanse with poise from seams of ripe tannins. The dried herb and sandalwood interact with cherry pith fruits, adding to the wine's complexities. The palate is long and persistent, yet light on its feet, bringing you back for more. This powerful Pinot Noir is a fine example of cool climate, high altitude Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir.
The Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2022 pairs well with duck pancakes, pesto pasta and wild mushrooms on toast. The ageing potential of this wine is excellent, with a drink now through 2035 recommendation. The grapes are grown at the 740 meters above sea level elevation site of Little Hampton, where extra cool nights help retain natural acidity in the grapes. The fruit was hand-picked in small batches in pristine condition. The winemaking process included careful sorting and destemming of the hand-harvested fruit. Natural fermentation occurred with daily hand pump overs and limited plunging to extract fine tannins and flavour. After two weeks on skins, the wine was pressed and racked into new (25%) and used French Hogs Heads, where it rested and grew.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13%