Shining lights of the wine world team up

LOOKING UP: Grapes were planted as early as 1839, but it was not until 1979 that viticulture was revived in the Adelaide Hills.

IF YOU’RE going to create the wine equivalent of a supergroup like the Travelling Wilburys, Shaw and Smith in the Adelaide Hills may well be the prototype. It was started in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Robert Hill Smith MW (Master of Wine).

Hill Smith was the first Australian to gain the title and there are still only 24 Australian MWs.

Along the way, they’ve added David LeMire (also an MW) as head of sales and marketing plus Winemaker of the Year finalist and Young Gun of Wine nominee Adam Wadewitz. Only producing sauvignon blanc, riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz, they consistently achieve excellence.

Sauvignon Blanc, 2017

Newly released. Arguably Australia’s best sauvignon blanc. Clean aromas of linen, lime, light passionfruit, green apple and greengage plum. Fruit driven with delicious acidity to provide balance.

◗ RATING: 8.5/10 ◗ RRP: $27 ◗ ALC: 12%

M3 Chardonnay, 2015

Elegant aromas of nectarine stone fruit, light citrus pith, lime, wheatmeal, almond husk and cumquat. The palate is a coiled expression of bright acidity bouncing off the white stone fruit flavours, with a quartz-like minerality. Such a youthful thing, so refined and restrained that you must simply wait another few years yet before it will blossom fully.

◗ RATING: 9/10 ◗ RRP: $46 ◗ ALC: 13%

Shiraz, 2015

This vintage is 50% whole bunch fermentation (that’s with all the stalks on the bunch rather than just the berries). This has spiced bacon bits, coffee, raspberry, licorice bullets and blueberry. Kalamata olive savoury notes linger with slick and subtle tannins. It’s slightly dank but in a good way.

◗ RATING: 9/10 ◗ RRP: $46 ◗ ALC: 14.5% More at vinonotebook.com. All wines available at major retailers.