Passing Clouds Bridgewater Shiraz 2022

This is a fascinating wine from the Bridgewater vineyard and, like the rest of the portfolio, receives 11 months in French oak. The cooler season has brought a degree of restraint, and yet the elegance and refinement here tend to conceal the deep concentration and richness of the fruit. Loaded with spicy peppery plums and even a hint of blue fruits in there. With a touch of licorice on the palate, you are immediately assailed by dark fruits, with those chewy tannins really providing the balance and the structural support. The wine was made largely traditionally and was a blend of only the best barrels from the vineyard. It’s certainly medium-bodied, but plenty is going on here.