Colour:
2023 Moppa Shiraz is deep purple black in colour.
Aroma:
Aromatically it is classic Moppa. There are engaging notes of dark blue fruits, sweet spice, floral lift, and a hint of toasty oak, all in concert with each other
Palate:
The prototypicality continues to the rich, full-bodied, and wholly balanced palate. There is a beautiful mesh of blue and black fruits, with ripe generosity neatly proportional with fresh vinosity. It is very richly flavoured, with integrated natural, yet notable, tannins giving a solid backbone and pleasant dryness. The oak barrel maturation is classy and well-unified providing another band of flavour. Completing this harmonic wine is a long, fruit-driven finish.
Recommended Drinking:
Moppa 2023 is an expressive Shiraz that can be enjoyed now or will cellar well in the medium to long term.
Vintage 2023 has produced exceptional wines. It was the longest and latest on record, stretching from mid-March to early-May. The vines got off to a superb start with a wet and cool Spring providing plenty of sub-soil moisture for the growing season ahead. Summer typically brought average temperatures and was generally dry with occasional finite rain. The vines were in fantastic condition for slow and steady ripening into Autumn with its mild days, cool nights, and isolated light rain. Yields from 2023 are good and quality is excellent.
Moppa is predominantly Shiraz with a trace of Petit Verdot (6%) and Viognier (4%) blended in for added complexity. Grapes are from ten different blocks on the Kalleske’s organic farm, with the oldest of these blocks planted in 1961. The vines are low-yielding and are grown in shallow, sandy loam soil over superb deep red clay, providing ideal conditions for these varieties.
The Shiraz was harvested in numerous batches from March to April. One lot of Shiraz was co-fermented on the skins of Viognier. The Petit Verdot is a late ripener and was harvested late April. All batches were wild fermented in open top fermenters with hand pump-overs twice a day during fermentation. After 7 to 14 days on skins the fermented grapes were traditionally pressed. The wine was aged in hogshead barrels for thirteen months. Approximately 20% new French, American and Hungarian oak was used with the balance seasoned barrels. On completion of maturation, a portion of Petit Verdot and Shiraz/Viognier was blended for added complexity.