Since 1944, the St Hallett name has been synonymous with Barossa shiraz. With over 70 years of history in the region, the St Hallett winemaking team has built a strong reputation for crafting styles of exceptional quality that demonstrate the beauty and variability of the Barossa. With the appointment of senior winemaker Helen McCarthy in 2019, the winery's portfolio has gone from strength to strength. This year, St Hallett unveils a new vintage release that will feature the acclaimed 2016 Old Block Shiraz and the highly anticipated 2018 Blackwell Shiraz – plus three brand new, premium styles.
In 2019, Helen McCarthy joined the St Hallett team, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and over 20 years of experience in the winemaking industry. A seasoned wine judge, awarded winemaker and recipient of the coveted Len Evans Tutorial scholarship, Helen’s love for the Barossa region made her a perfect fit for the historic South Australian winery. “The St Hallett winemaking philosophy is relatively simple, minimal intervention and maximum attention,” says Helen. “We tailor fermentation and maturation to each parcel of the highest quality fruit to reveal the rich textures, depth and diversity of Barossa fruit. With every vintage our winemaking team learn more about the influence of the site on the flavour and quality of the wines. We are thrilled to be sharing some of our best wines yet in the 2020 annual vintage release.”
This year marks the first of the St Hallett annual vintage release program. On November 12, the winery will unveil the 2016 vintage of the awarded Old Block Shiraz and the 2018 vintage of the similarly famed Blackwell Shiraz. In addition to these best-selling styles, three brand new wines will also be added to the St Hallett portfolio – the 2018 Higher Earth Syrah, 2018 Mighty Ox Shiraz (1,5L) and the luxurious, Planted 1919 Shiraz, a wine sourced from ancient vines over 100 years old that produce fruit of incredible quality, intensity and flavour. Read on to discover more about these highly anticipated new release wines.
2015 St Hallett Planted 1919 Shiraz
Fine flavours of dark fruits and dried herbs, giving way to a flirty and wet stone texture. The tannins are fine and polished, folding into layer after layer of flavour with a long-balanced finish. RRP $450.
2018 St Hallett Mighty Ox Shiraz
A lush, full-bodied wine with good fruit intensity of blackberry and black cherry. The wine has prominent oak characters of vanilla and dark chocolate and excellent persistence long after it leaves the mouth. RRP $210.
2018 St Hallett Higher Earth Syrah
A fine wine of texture and substance with a long length of flavour. Dark cherry and raspberry fruit, with pepper characters stimulate the nose while dark berry fruits and white pepper create a fresh fine palate. RRP $60.
2016 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz
An elegant, seamless full-bodied wine complete with a silky palate and immaculate oak. Layers of dark cherry, blackberries, anise and white pepper slowly unfolds across the palate. The acid and tannin are in perfect balance which is reflected in the wine cellaring potential. RRP $159.
2018 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz
This full-bodied wine exerts blackberry and black cherry fruit flavours with hints of dark chocolate and vanilla characters. The wine has a soft opulent and balanced palate with good structure and texture. RRP $55.
This article was produced in partnership with the featured winery.
St Hallett senior winemaker, Helen McCarthy, samples the 2018 Blackwell Shiraz.
In 2019, Helen McCarthy joined the St Hallett team, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and over 20 years of experience in the winemaking industry. A seasoned wine judge, awarded winemaker and recipient of the coveted Len Evans Tutorial scholarship, Helen’s love for the Barossa region made her a perfect fit for the historic South Australian winery. “The St Hallett winemaking philosophy is relatively simple, minimal intervention and maximum attention,” says Helen. “We tailor fermentation and maturation to each parcel of the highest quality fruit to reveal the rich textures, depth and diversity of Barossa fruit. With every vintage our winemaking team learn more about the influence of the site on the flavour and quality of the wines. We are thrilled to be sharing some of our best wines yet in the 2020 annual vintage release.”
This year marks the first of the St Hallett annual vintage release program. On November 12, the winery will unveil the 2016 vintage of the awarded Old Block Shiraz and the 2018 vintage of the similarly famed Blackwell Shiraz. In addition to these best-selling styles, three brand new wines will also be added to the St Hallett portfolio – the 2018 Higher Earth Syrah, 2018 Mighty Ox Shiraz (1,5L) and the luxurious, Planted 1919 Shiraz, a wine sourced from ancient vines over 100 years old that produce fruit of incredible quality, intensity and flavour. Read on to discover more about these highly anticipated new release wines.
2015 St Hallett Planted 1919 Shiraz
Fine flavours of dark fruits and dried herbs, giving way to a flirty and wet stone texture. The tannins are fine and polished, folding into layer after layer of flavour with a long-balanced finish. RRP $450.
2018 St Hallett Mighty Ox Shiraz
A lush, full-bodied wine with good fruit intensity of blackberry and black cherry. The wine has prominent oak characters of vanilla and dark chocolate and excellent persistence long after it leaves the mouth. RRP $210.
2018 St Hallett Higher Earth Syrah
A fine wine of texture and substance with a long length of flavour. Dark cherry and raspberry fruit, with pepper characters stimulate the nose while dark berry fruits and white pepper create a fresh fine palate. RRP $60.
2016 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz
An elegant, seamless full-bodied wine complete with a silky palate and immaculate oak. Layers of dark cherry, blackberries, anise and white pepper slowly unfolds across the palate. The acid and tannin are in perfect balance which is reflected in the wine cellaring potential. RRP $159.
2018 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz
This full-bodied wine exerts blackberry and black cherry fruit flavours with hints of dark chocolate and vanilla characters. The wine has a soft opulent and balanced palate with good structure and texture. RRP $55.
Find out more about the St Hallett 2020 release here.
This article was produced in partnership with the featured winery.
