2003 MadFish Shiraz Tasting Notes

The 2003 growing season was unusually dry, with the lack of rain extending through to late March. The summer was also warm with several days in March reaching an uncharacteristic 40°C in the Great Southern. This combination resulted in an incredibly compact vintage with 99% of the whites harvested, at optimum ripeness, by the end of March and Shiraz following immediately after in late March and early April. The lack of summer rain produced fruit that was also completely disease free and rich in flavour and colour.
Selected Shiraz was fermented in open stainless steel tanks with twice daily pumpovers to aid fruit tannin development. Maturation in new, 1, 2 and 3 year old French oak for 12 months aided wine development and structural complexity. The objective was to produce an elegant Shiraz with complex aromas and characters and with texture and structure that would reward cellaring, the use of French oak instead of traditional American oak gives rise to a wine of greater sophistication.

The 2003 MadFish Shiraz is an intense dark wine with dark blood red to black colour hue. The nose is full of dark cherry fruits with the spicy, peppery hints that have become signature characteristics of MadFish Shiraz. The palate is rich and concentrated without being heavy and tannic allowing the wine to be enjoyed in it’s youth without gripping astringency.

The 2003 MadFish Shiraz has sufficient fruit to allow early consumption but would benefit from short to medium term (5 years) aging.