The Seiben-Klon Shiraz (German for ‘seven clones’, a tip of that hat to Great-Great-Great Grandfather Conrad) is the result of many years of fine tuning and careful experimentation in our estate vineyard by my brother and in house vine whisperer John to produce a wine of sublime balance. A wine with power and elegance, red and dark fruits, prettiness and intensity. And why it may sound contradictory, natural harmony between the disparate character elements of the seven clones can be achieved by judicious blending.
As a general rule we harvest and ferment each clone separately. Harvest date is chosen to best allow each grape to express its best character/s. By example, in the case of EVOS12 (Eden Valley clone) we harvest earlier than the others to allow for a beautiful perfume and liveliness in the final wine. We ferment in small 2t open top fermenters and hand plunge daily up to 4 times depending on the desired flavour profile. Certain clones are fermented cooler to better express delicate aromatics whilst some are plunged and pumped over to achieve a more structural element. The trick is finding the right balance.” James Lienert, winemaker
