Kaesler the Bogan Shiraz 2022

Kaesler's flagship-adjacent shiraz from an assemblage of estate vines dating to 1899 and the 1960s. Bright, deep crimson with a purple hue; dark plum and blueberry dominate the nose with hints of charcuterie and char from well-integrated oak. The palate is full-bodied, dense and rich, layered with dark fruits before a soft finish on pure, fine tannins — power and elegance in the same glass, with cellaring headroom measured in decades.

The two blocks behind The Bogan sit on loam over clay in the Barossa Valley, one planted in 1899 and the other in 1965. Kaesler puts the average vine age at 65 years and farms them regeneratively, aiming to leave the soil better than it found it.

The lead-up to 2022 was wet. Winter rain ran 48 percent above average after three dry years. The season started cool and finished warm, which is good ripening weather. A hailstorm on 28 October hit some vines hard. Most recovered on secondary shoots, which carry less fruit, so yields were down. The grapes were picked by hand and the wine spent 16 months in French oak under Tim Dolan and Stephen Dew.

Kaesler likens it to a favourite flannelette shirt. Open it with beef bourguignon or lamb shanks, or hold it. The house window runs from 2025 to 2037.