Sorby Adams Handcrafted Shiraz Montepulciano 2022

The marriage of Shiraz and Montepulciano creates a fascinating contrast between Old and New World styles. While the Shiraz delivers the generous, fruit-forward character that Barossa Valley is famous for, the Italian Montepulciano grape adds savoury complexity and structural backbone that prevents the wine from becoming overly jammy. This blend showcases how thoughtful winemaking can combine the best of both varietals - the immediate appeal of Australian Shiraz with the sophisticated depth of Italian varieties.

With serious oak maturation already providing structure, this wine has excellent cellaring potential of 8-12 years from vintage. As it ages, the bold fruit flavours will integrate further with the oak, developing tertiary notes of leather, tobacco, and earthy complexity. The Montepulciano component will particularly benefit from time, as this variety traditionally shows its best after several years of bottle development, adding layers of savoury intrigue to complement the Shiraz's inherent richness.

This wine's robust character and savoury depth make it perfect for hearty, protein-rich dishes that can match its intensity. Think slow-braised beef short ribs, grilled lamb with rosemary, or aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Montepulciano's Italian heritage also makes it excellent with rich pasta dishes featuring wild boar ragu or osso buco, where the wine's structure can cut through rich sauces while complementing the savoury elements.

Montepulciano is primarily associated with Italy's Abruzzo region, making its inclusion in Australian blends quite rare and innovative. This grape variety thrives in warm climates but maintains natural acidity and savoury characteristics that can add sophistication to bold Australian reds. By incorporating Montepulciano, Sorby Adams demonstrates the exciting potential of alternative varieties in Australian viticulture, moving beyond traditional Bordeaux and Rhone varieties to explore Italy's rich viticultural heritage.

The HandCrafted label suggests small-batch production with careful attention to detail at every stage, from vineyard selection to fermentation and oak maturation. This approach typically involves hand-picking grapes, gentle handling during processing, and personalised blending decisions that larger commercial operations cannot achieve. The serious oak maturation mentioned indicates extended barrel ageing, likely in premium French or American oak, which requires constant monitoring and tasting to achieve the perfect balance between fruit, oak, and tannin structure.