Sharing Shiraz
Shiraz is the most popular and preferred wine variety by Australian’s, and of course is closely followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir and who could forget - what the Clare Valley is best known for - Riesling.
Clare Valley Shiraz and Clare Valley Riesling are the jewels of South Australian Wine and Clare in its entirety competes to produce some of the best wine varieties in Australia.
Perhaps it’s the Shiraz’s full bodied complexity, taste of berries, cherry and plum on the palate that makes the wine so popular. The finely balanced sweet and spicy taste is reflected in our 2018 Sharegarden Shiraz. The Sharegarden is a legacy to some of Clare Valley’s most industrious grapegrowers, including my father, Mort, who in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s began share gardens - these were small vineyards in Leasingham, owned by the Stanley Wine company and a co-op led by an entrepreneurial bunch of grape growers that lasted for three decades. The simple concept of community gardens on public land dates back to the early 19th century including large greening projects, to small curbside gardens - community gardening has taken many forms. The turn of the 20th century in Australia saw an emergence of community gardens as a response to war and food shortages. From these early beginnings, community gardens became increasingly popular and today sustainable food production is returning to many suburbs and neighbourhoods around the globe.
So a big cheers to some of Clare Valley’s earliest entrepreneurial share garden viticulturalists because the fruit from Leasingham Vineyards proudly makes up the new 2018 Sharegarden Shiraz.
2018 was an excellent year for Clare Valley Red Wines. Our Sharegarden Shiraz is richly coloured and boldly flavoured, featuring dark plums, red cherries, some savoury nuances and subtle French oak complexities. A wine to share now with friends, family over your favourite meal, or will benefit from up to 10 years in the cellar.
Cheers, and happy sharing.