Shaw + Smith

Brand Description

Shaw + Smith was established in 1989 by the current owners, cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith. Michael had just completed his Master of Wine in the UK, and Martin was running a “flying winemaker” business in Europe when they decided – somewhat on a whim – to make wine together. While a family business, Shaw + Smith is more about a partnership of two cousins with a unified vision and complimentary skills, now joined by a small team of bright talented wine people who are dedicated to taking the business forward. Shaw + Smith aims to make exciting, refined wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills that rank amongst Australia’s best. They specialize in varieties suited to the cooler climate region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.

Location of Vineyard

Shaw + Smith owns two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, with a total of 136 acres (55 hectares) under vine. The Balhannah vineyard, which surrounds the winery, was planted in 2000 with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. The soil is free-draining sandy loam over red clay, with underlying quartzite and shale. The average altitude is 1,375 feet (420 meters). The Lenswood vineyard was planted in 1999 primarily with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc. The soil is brown loam over clay, as well as thinner topsoil areas on the ridges with broken shale and stone. The property is undulating with some very steep areas that provide east and west facing orientation and aspect. The property stands at 1,640 feet (500 meters) at its highest.

Winemaking Philosophy

Growing outstanding grapes, working with the best growers, and using minimal intervention to make exciting wines with a strong sense of place is the core philosophy of Shaw + Smith. Stylistically, a slow evolution of the wines over time has occurred. Sauvignon Blanc winemaking has changed little, although the quality of fruit has improved significantly as the plantings have gone higher and cooler. Chardonnay continues to refine and evolve due to access to better vineyards, earlier picking to protect valuable acidity, whole bunch pressing, a preference for wild yeasts, less malolactic, and less battonage. Pinot Noir has improved as the vines have aged, and as they move to more whole-bunch and whole-berry in fermentations. The refinements for Shiraz are ongoing: better vineyards and a move to whole-bunch and whole-berry, along with less reliance on new oak.

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“From a Lenswood site at 500m elevation, produced from three chardonnay grape clones. A beautiful, poised and energetic white wine that marries minerality, fine-boned fruit character, the sweet spice of oak seasoning, freshness and textural nuance with aplomb. An ultra-appealing perfume of stone fruits, cinnamon, sea spray, nougat, ginger biscuits and halva meets a flavour profile of similar descriptors lifted on a gentle wash of green apple and fino sherry saline/savoury notes that follow through with more flinty minerality. It sits even, succulent and deeply flavoured, yet fresh through its ultra-persistent course across the palate. Seductive, superb wine.” — acclaim for 2022 Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay from James Halliday, Apr 2024

“It's got bold perfume, hallmark cherry and cranberry fruit characters, a sketch of dried herbs, black pepper, charry spices and some new leather characters. While pinot descriptors roll off the tongue, per se, there's also a darker, more brooding note in the wine, a teetering into dry red territory over more pure and flowing pinosity – a niggle for some seeking gloss and silkiness over a more guttural, firm experience. And in that, a stake in the ground has to be made.” — acclaim for 2023 Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir from James Halliday, Apr 2024

“The 2022 Pinot Noir is incredibly aromatic on the nose, with sweet strawberry and cherry, layers of red apple and spice and lashings of abundant fruit. The wine is spicy and luscious, with loads of flavor up front that gently spools out through the finish, which is spicy, with some garden mint, clove and licorice nuances laced throughout.” — acclaim for 2022 Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir from Decanter, Mar 2024

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