Domenica Estate Shiraz 2023

Beechworth's altitude gives this real freshness and pepper. Different from any flat-country Aussie Shiraz.

The vineyard sits at 460 metres on the granite ridge south-west of Beechworth, four hectares of Shiraz, Chardonnay, Nebbiolo and Gamay. The Estate Shiraz comes off the south-sloping side of that ridge. The 2023 season was long and cool, and the wine shows it: blue fruit, violets and a cool stone earthiness.

Peter Graham makes it on site by taste rather than numbers, keeping pressings, solids and lees in the mix. This vintage carried some whole bunches and went into French hogsheads, 30 percent of them new. Graham is the sole owner and winemaker. The business grew out of Ergo Sum, his joint venture with Rick Kinzbrunner of Giaconda and Michel Chapoutier. Output is around 1,500 dozen a year.

Cooler vintages of Domenica keep improving for ten years and more in bottle. Open one now and put the rest away.