Hewitson Monopole Mother Vine Shiraz 2019 (3pk) - GOING GOING

This Shiraz comes from heritage vines planted in 1853, making them among the world's oldest Shiraz plantings. These ancient vines in the Barossa produce incredibly concentrated fruit with exceptional depth and complexity that simply cannot be replicated from younger plantings. The age of these vines contributes to the wine's remarkable intensity and the distinctive terroir expression that has earned it such outstanding critical acclaim.

The wine has garnered an impressive array of scores, including 98 points from Melissa Moore and multiple 96-97 point ratings from respected critics like James Suckling and Ray Jordan. This consistent high scoring reflects the wine's exceptional quality, complexity, and the rarity of fruit from 170-year-old vines. The combination of heritage fruit, expert winemaking, and the outstanding 2019 vintage has created a wine that critics recognise as truly exceptional.

Serve this powerful Shiraz at 16-18°C and decant it for at least an hour to allow its complex flavours to fully develop. The wine's full-bodied nature and firm tannins make it perfect for pairing with rich, flavourful dishes like slow-cooked lamb, aged beef, or strong cheeses. Given its heritage fruit and exceptional quality, this wine will benefit from careful cellaring and can age gracefully for many years.

Expect a symphony of dark fruits including mulberry and raspberry, complemented by rich chocolate notes and distinctive Barossan spice. The wine showcases the classic Barossa Shiraz profile with added complexity from the ancient vines - think velvety dark chocolate texture, forest berry complexity, and earthy undertones. The firm but ripe tannins provide structure while the full-bodied palate delivers waves of concentrated flavour that build with each sip.

While this 2019 Shiraz is drinking beautifully now, its exceptional quality and heritage fruit make it an excellent candidate for cellaring. The wine's firm tannin structure and concentrated fruit will allow it to develop additional complexity over the next 10-15 years. However, given the extremely limited production and the 'GOING GOING' status, many collectors choose to secure bottles now and enjoy the evolution of this rare wine over time.