Carlei Estate Nord Root Day Shiraz 2020

Carlei Estate Nord Root Day Shiraz 2020
$59, 14.5% alcohol, screwcap, Heathcote.

This wine was grown biodynamically. and picked according to the biodynamic calendar, hence the name Root Day. I tasted it alongside its partner wine, which goes under the same name save for the fact that it was picked on a Fruit Day (review here). It’s an interesting comparison. I wasn’t sure whether I’d notice much difference, or whether I’d have a preference, but I did and I do.

I expected that the Fruit Day wine would be the more lifted and lively, but counter-intuitively it’s this Root Day version that is the more up-and-about. This wine has excellent depth but doesn’t seem brooding at all; it seems lively and ready to tuck into now. It tastes of plums, spices, red licorice and hay, and it’s these hay-like notes that are more overt here, and arguably more delicious as well. This is a crackerjack shiraz from Carlei Estate. 94 points.