Undercover Shiraz 2009

Wine: In recognition of McLaren Vale's tradition of supplying other varieties and regions with our finest red grape, this Pertaringa Shiraz is named Undercover. The 2009 Undercover is made from old vine Shiraz fruit hand-selected from Pertaringa's vineyard and made by senior winemaker Shane Harris. Pertaringa hopes that this very bottle of Undercover can reveal the essence of McLaren Vale Shiraz.

Vintage: The position and aspect of the Pertaringa vineyards allowed for the near perfect vintage conditions of McLaren Vale to be captured in the 2009 Undercover Shiraz.

At the time of harvest, our beloved Shiraz vines provided us with fruit exploding with flavour and good retention of natural acids and fine fruit tannins. This balance was passed on to the berries due to the cool early summer conditions and the tireless work and good canopy management of the vineyard team.

Tasting Note: An initial rush of blackberry bush and refreshing peppermint greets the drinker along with subtler interwoven characters of black cherry, licorice and fresh wood spices. A vibrant nose with herbaceous like complexity all adds to the appeal of this elegant wine.

The first sip reveals a brooding wine which starts off slowly but builds in both complexity and intensity. The rich blackberry and cherry fruit drives through the length of the palate with ripe and textural fruit tannins structuring the wine perfectly. Clever use of lightly toasted oak provides a roundness that sits just right in this youthful wine. This Undercover is delicate enough to enjoy now, but give it 5 to 10 years in the cellar to watch it shine!