Product Description
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Finch’s Line, 3rd Mile, Shiraz, 2007, Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia
Producer Profile
Finch’s Line is a small, high-end wine producer in Australia’s Hunter Valley in New South Wales. It’s run by our very own Miles Corish MW. Although we describe Finch’s Line as “embryonic at this stage and its size, very much limited to finance and time,” we hope to one day to expand this range.
Finch’s Line produces handcrafted, small batches of wine from special old vineyards throughout the Hunter Valley. One particular favourite is a 70-year-old vineyard near Pokolbin that Miles discovered while he was doing vintage at Tyrrells. The wines are made at Château Pato, one of the Hunter’s leading boutique wineries which is owned and run by Miles’s best mate, Nick Paterson. For 4 weeks during Australia’s harvest, prior to having a family and running a business, Miles spent time working as Nick’s assistant winemaker in exchange for Paterson “babysitting” Finch’s Line when Miles returned home to the UK.
The ‘Finch’ in the name comes from Heneage Finch, who was the original surveyor of the road from Sydney to the Hunter Valley – The Great North Road.
Miles points out that contrary to popular opinion, the distinctive earthy/spicy flavour of some Hunter reds isn’t Brettanomyces, but rather a Hunter terroir character. “I really like his wines, which show a good deal of elegance.” -Jamie Goode, The Wine Anorak-
“Personally, I’d like to see more Hunter Valley wines in the UK, not just because it’s Shiraz and Semillon, chock full of character and being Australian classics, but also because of a new generation of winemakers, there’s plenty to excite.” – Miles Corish MW –
Viticulture
The Fruit for the 3rd Mile Shiraz is from the Maluna Vineyard, planted in 1968 by the Maxwell family. At an elevation of 250 metres, it faces northeast on dark brown clay loam soils mixed with limestone and sea fossils. Low yielding, at around 1.5 tonnes per acre, this vineyard makes a Shiraz that is generous, complex, and elegant.
Sourced from a 70-year-old, dry farmed vineyard resulting in miniscule yields and concentrated, balanced fruit. The vineyard is farmed as sustainably as the trying Hunter Valley conditions allow.
Winemaking
Handpicked and sorted, the fruit is basket pressed. Wild fermented in a mix of stainless steel and open oak fermenters, the wine is run off into French oak puncheons. Extended skin contact for 3 weeks and extended lees contact for 3 months which creates great intensity, layer and texture. After fermentation & pressing, the wine matures in 300 & 500 litre French oak barrels for 16 months.
Tasting Note
“Lovely focused red fruits nose with some cherry freshness and subtle spiciness. The palate is fresh and bright with lovely acidity. Fresh and nicely complex with notes of minerals and earth. Great concentration.” -Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com-
Goes well with
Steak and mushroom sauce and chunky chips.
Cellaring
When this wine was produced it was suggested up to 10 years…still going strong!
Features
Varieties: Shiraz 100%
Colour: Red
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: New South Wales
Region: Hunter Valley
Vintage: 2007
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