2020 Elderton Command Shiraz

Winemakers Comments

Our Command from 2020 is a wine to savour. Whilst we could say that about every Command, in 2020 we had a tiny harvest, on the back of a frost year in 2019. Fortunately, after tricky weather at flowering, we didn’t need to contend with frost also for 2020. With such small volumes, the 2020 Command is a story about intense concentration and depth of flavour. From the vineyard, we could see the intensity of fruit we had to work with for our release of Command. Spanning from the North Para River on the western side of our Command vineyard to Cellar Door at the eastern end, we see a gradual increase in clay content which corresponds with a decrease in vigour over the vineyard. For this reason we harvest the Command fruit in a couple of picks, aiming to achieve the perfect balance in each pick. Destemmed fruit was fermented in open cement vats for 7-14 days. Post-pressing, the new Command was transferred to a combination of new French and American oak from coopers we know and trust. The wine went through malolactic fermentation and further maturation, allowing the powerful fruit to come together with the long and savoury edged tannin profile. – Jules Ashmead & Brock Harrison

• Style: Bold, structured, rich, powerful and elegant
• Colour Deep crimson
• Aroma Brooding fruit with hints of roasted coffee bean
• Palate Spiced plums with cloves and a lovely blackforest note. Bold yet restrained layers of tannin carry the fruit to a long and seamless finish laced with the power of fruit.
• Maturation 30 months in new French and American puncheons
• Drink Drink now or cellar confidently for 15 – 20 years
• Alcohol/Volume 14.8%