The Ox Hardy Slate Shiraz is a highly unique, full-bodied, and deeply historical red wine sourced from the old Moreton Bay block within the Upper Tintara Vineyard in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia. Crafted by Andrew "Ox" Hardy, this rare release is defined by an incredibly distinctive, site-specific mineral structure shaped by its unique method of vinification.
- Aromas: The nose is intense, dark, and brooding, opening with powerful scents of dark plum, blackberry, and a lifted blueberry note, layered with complex hints of salted liquorice, iodine, unlit cigar box, and an underlying earthy, iron-like depth.
- Palate: The palate is dense, inky, and powerful, mirroring the nose with rich layers of cassis, dark chocolate-dipped cherries, and a touch of black pepper, all balanced by an extraordinary, site-reflective mineral texture and long, powdery tannins.
- Style: This is a soulful, benchmark McLaren Vale Shiraz that beautifully captures a sense of place, blending soaring fruit intensity and immense power with uncommon poise, structural tension, and a distinct lack of heavy, jammy fruit.
- Winemaking: The fruit is entirely hand-bucketed into open fermenters built in 1863 from Willunga quarry slate, where it undergoes natural yeast fermentation and laborious hand-plunging three times a day before being basket-pressed into seasoned French oak barriques for maturation.
- Cellaring: Though it displays a wonderful core of primary fruit energy on release, this wine is built for the long haul; its structural density and deep tannin backbone mean it will comfortably cellar and evolve for anywhere from 10 to 30 years.
- Food Pairing: A monumental wine that calls for equally serious food, pairing perfectly with thick-cut char-grilled ribeye steak, slow-braised beef cheeks, roasted venison, or strong, mature hard cheeses.
A seriously special, legendary bottle of Shiraz that comes with a fantastic story. The fact that the fruit is fermented in restored, 19th-century slate tanks gives it this crazy, unfathomable minerality and structural grip that you just don't get in a standard bottle. It is a big, dark, and brooding wine, but it stays totally controlled and polished. It is the ultimate bottle to open for a special occasion when you want to impress a room full of serious wine lovers.