The Wine Advocate | RP 91+
Published: Aug 24, 2023

The 2022 Angel's Share Shiraz is saturated with black cherry, raspberry, licorice and pink peppercorn-rolled pastrami. In the mouth, it is all of this: silky and spicy and concentrated but not heavy. Nicely done. 14.4% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Twohandswines.com

ANGELS’ SHARE, A GORGEOUS SILKY RICH SHIRAZ. APPEALING TO ANGELS AND MORTALS ALIKE SINCE THE 2000 VINTAGE.

2022 Angel’s Share flows from the bottle with colours of magenta to black. Interesting aromas of dried herbs, fresh mint, clove, coffee, chocolate and sauteed plums.
McLaren Vale is the birthplace of South Australia’s wine industry and home to
some of the world’s oldest vineyards. Shiraz is the most important varietal for
McLaren Vale; generous, plum-mulberry fruit profiles, sometimes chocolate/mocha
characters with notes of earth and spice and soft, supple tannins.

Every wine in the Picture Series has its own inspiration, our own take on popular culture.
With some old school polaroid imagery by friend and photographer Don Brice and a quirky back label descriptor, the aim is to bring a smile to your face when you pick up the bottle, reminding you that wines should be approachable and of course… fun.

Tasting Notes (Michael Twelftree):
The rich and powerful fruits burst out of the gate, setting up the palate. This initial burst creates a wave of juice and long fruits which are slowly reined in by the broad tannins. this wine is a little bit too easy to drink, it announces itself and then gives you a whole hearted effort, the creaminess of the fruit holds the succulent mouthfeel and the tannins have a lovely brightness to the effortless finish. This is a wine that will offer loads of
immediate pleasure and will also age for the moderate term under optimal cellaring conditions.

THE GROWING SEASON
After our second La Niña year I a row, the vineyards received an above average winter rainfall, we then progressed into a very mild spring and an equally mild summer with only one day recorded over 40oC. Due to slightly later flowering, the vines were set up
to mature at a slower than usual pace, this put the start of vintage back around 3 weeks on average, these mild ripening conditions allowed for slower than usual favour development, this matched with lower yield across the board has resulted in another quality harvest.

VINIFICATION
The fruit was crushed into and fermented in 5, 7 and 10 tonne open fermenters. During the peak of fermentation the batches received regular pump overs 2-3 times daily. The average time on skins was 15 days. Maturation occured in 12% new French oak hogsheads for 14 months, the balance in 1 to 8 year old. After maturation the final blend was lightly fined and unfiltered prior to bottling.