Product Description
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Schwarz Wine Co., Meta, Shiraz, 2020, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Producer Profile
While not holding any formal qualifications in winemaking, Jason’s appetite for the subject was voracious and he was lucky to learn from some of the Barossa’s finest winemakers until finally, after some encouragement from friends he approached his father to discuss buying a small parcel of the fruit from the 2001 vintage. He agreed and Jason put together his first Nitschke Block Shiraz, making only two hogs head barrels. In 2002 Jason produced his first Thiele Road Grenache and have made both wines every vintage since. To this day Jason’s parents have supported his venture and without their encouragement and the sacrifice of some of the Barossa’s greatest Shiraz and Grenache he could not have made this dream happen.
Relationships with some of the Barossa’s finest vignerons have grown over the years and having access to some of the region’s best old-vine fruit allows Jason to take a hands-off, intuitive approach in the winery.
Jason’s minimal intervention winemaking style enables him to create small-batch wines that are not mainstream – they are new-age expressions of Barossa classics, designed to allow the fruit to speak for itself and tell a story through the glass.
“Meta: An abstraction from a well-known concept”
Viticulture
The Meta Shiraz is a selection of vineyards that typically come from rocky or hard growing soils.
The first pick for this vintage was from the Stonewell vineyard on 27th February 2019 with the final pick from Eden Valley on 23rd March 2020. The fruit for this wine was grown over four sub regions in the Barossa & Eden Valley with Stonewell as the most prominent sub region. The fruit was sourced from six growers from vineyards in Stonewell, Light Pass, Eden Valley & Vine Vale. The oldest vineyard used in the Meta Shiraz is from the Light Pass vineyard at 90 years of age.
Winemaking
Individual parcels are predominantly handpicked with whole bunch portions used according to the desired outcome. In total, 18% of the wine was whole bunch. (Bunches of grapes added to the fermentation tank without the berries removed from the stalk. This process assists with tannin structure as the stalks break down in the fermentation process) All parcels were fermented in small open fermenters, with wild yeast (naturally occurring yeast) carrying out the duties.
Soft pump overs, hand plunges and foot stomping was carried out as required. Parcels were pressed and then transferred to French oak puncheons and hogsheads for maturation. (15% of the blend was matured in new French oak) Final blending occurred in June 2020. A vegan friendly wine with no fining or filtration.
Tasting Note
Serious Shiraz here, but with lift and life. Red and black cherry fruits interplay here with spices, tea, and wild herbal notes. A little veil of oak too, but all very well in check. Nice richness without being overly so, there’s a great presence of tannin on the palate indicating that for all its drinkability now it has a long life ahead of it.
Goes well with
Beef Bourguignon in the winter, BBQ meats in the summer.
Cellaring
Will continue to improve with careful cellaring for 5-7 years.
Don’t just take our word for it…
95 Points – Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
94 Points, 4 stars – Winestate Magazine Best of New Releases
Features
Varieties: Shiraz 100%
Colour: Red
ABV: 14.3%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Vintage: 2020
