Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz Clare Valley / McLaren Vale

Description

Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz is a multi-region red wine blend from Wakefield wines. The Jaraman range of wines is made from extraordinary parcels of fruit, producing wines that demonstrate distinctive regional characteristics and styles. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 59% Clare Valley and 41% McLaren Vale Shiraz. The luscious elegance of Clare Valley fruit marries superbly with the slightly peppery fruit from McLaren Vale.

Wakefield Wines, also known as Taylor’s Wines, is situated in the heart of Clare Valley, South Australia. Founded by wine merchant Bill Taylor Senior in 1969, the winery’s origins began with the purchase of 178 hectares of vineyards near the Wakefield River in Auburn. Bill Taylor carefully selected this site for its red-brown loam over limestone soils, known as “terra rossa”, and the region’s cool climate. That same year, the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted. Wakefield Wines is known under its original name of Taylor’s Wines in Australia and they are a member of Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) alongside other prestigious producers such as Jim Barry, Tyrrells and d’Arenberg.

Today, the winery is managed by Mitchell Taylor, the third-generation winemaker and grandson of Bill Taylor Senior. Under his leadership, Wakefield Wines has gained recognition as one of Australia’s esteemed cool-climate producers. Almost all grapes come from 300 hectares of family-owned vineyards in the Mt. Lofty Ranges, making it one of the largest single-estate plantings in the country. While the focus remains on their estate fruit, they also source grapes from trusted growers in regions like Coonawarra. Various varieties are planted including Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Tempranillo, Carménère and Grenache. 

Wakefield Wines produces a range of wines, including their estate offerings and the Jaraman and St Andrew’s ranges. With a commitment to sustainability and a focus on expressing the unique terroir of Clare Valley, Taylor’s Wines continues to craft exceptional wines that reflect the family’s legacy and dedication to quality. They are also at the vanguard of sustainability among Australian wineries with many initiatives including drip irrigation, ammonia energy-saving refrigeration, solar panels etc. and are on track to become a carbon-neutral winery.

The grapes for the Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz are gently destemmed and transferred to small static stainless steel fermenters. Half of the grapes were cold soaked at 6C for 5 days to deliver increased fruit expression. After pressing and fermentation using Shiraz-specific yeast, the wine is then pressed into American oak barrels (30% 1 year old and 70% 2 and 3 year old) for malolactic fermentation (MLF). Post MLF, the wine was transferred back to barrel for maturation before being fined, filtered and bottled.

Why Is It Called Jaraman?

This range of wines is named after the aboriginal word for seahorse. Fossilised remains of seahorses have been found on the estate which confirms that the area had once been the bed of an ancient inland sea.