Place: Geelong, VIC

Variety: Shiraz

Farming: Sustainable

Words from the distributor, Bibendum

Planted in 2007, lies on higher ground above the De La Terre slope, so essentially it's a westerly extension of the Serré vineyard. The vines came from cuttings taken from Best's and Tahbilk, and were planted on a mix of rootstock and own roots. The name 'Of the Rocks' alludes to the plethora of volcanic rocks that litter the soil of this parcel. Fermented with 50% whole bunches and pressed off after two weeks on skins and stems, this was raised in 500 litre puncheons (25% new) for 16 months. As always this is a super complex, layered wine brimming with deep, lifted blackberry and ripe plum fruit with black olive and a roasted meat-like complexity. It's a mouth-filling and fleshy wine, yet at the same time, quite firm and fresh on the finish with that racy, saline minerality that is so very Bannockburn.