Lion Hound Shiraz 2021 VITICULTURE: The North-South facing vineyards used for this expressive and juicy wine are grown in a combination of Glenrosa and Oakleaf soils. The vine shoots are vertically trellised for optimal vine and bunch ripening and irrigation is scheduled according to soil moisture monitoring. WINEMAKING: The perfectly ripe Shiraz bunches were destemmed and only lightly crushed to prevent any damage to the pips and was fermented in an open top stainless-steel fermenter. The fermentation ran at 24-28 degrees Celsius with a commercial yeast strain suited to the variety. A 30% whole berry component ensured gentle extraction during pumpovers which were done 3-4 times daily. The wine was removed from the skins before complete dryness in order to retain softness. After a gentle pressing the wine underwent Malolactic Fermentation. A portion of the wine was matured on oak staves while the remainder underwent 12 months of ageing in third and fourth fill barrels ensuring good wood/fruit integration. The wine was then blended and lightly filtered shortly before bottling. TASTING NOTES: Intense notes of juicy dark cherry, cracked black pepper and a hint of liquorice run seamlessly onto a silky midpalate and an elegantly savoury finish. BOTTLE ANALYSIS: Alcohol : 13.5% Residual sugar : 3.4g/l pH : 3.58 Total acidity : 6.0g/l