Availability

Available in Vintages

Background

Paxton Vineyards Pty Ltd is one of South Australia's leading producers of quality fruit for the wine industry.
David Paxton has been growing grapes in McLaren Vale for almost 30 years. In this time he has developed and managed vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, Yarra Valley, regions of Western Australia and has consulted to growers across the country. David's company Paxton Vineyards owns approximately 200 acres of premium McLaren Vale vineyards and manages over 500 acres in the region as well as over 25 on Kangaroo Island. Whilst the majority of the grapes grown by Paxton are sold to wine companies, a small portion is utilised for the Paxton label.
For decades Paxton have nurtured their vineyards in the McLaren Vale. During this time the philosophy and reputation has been built on growing grapes of exceptional quality. The Paxton mission now is to showcase quality, varietal expression and natural regional diversity within a range of wines that will indulge lovers of the finest drop.
In Paxton's home of McLaren Vale South Australia, their vineyards are spread across a number of sites and soil types which are managed without compromise from planting to harvest. The Paxton winemaker's mission is to produce and showcase the region's fruit quality, varietal expression and natural diversity, particularly with Shiraz, which is now well recognised as the region's top performing variety.
It involves combining traditional, hands-on management, integrated and complimented with modern technology. The Paxton winemakers choose to propagate vines from old pre-clonal selection vineyards to benefit from stock with a history of low-yield and high quality. The vineyard site characteristics that the Paxton winemaking team target have soil profiles that allow perfect control of soil moisture content via irrigation, maximising fruit quality and intensity.

AAA is a vibrant blend of approximately 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache from some special little pockets amongst our vineyards. The Shiraz was selected from the ‘Gateway' and ‘Jones Block’ vineyards, renowned for producing some of the best fruit in the region. These select parcels were blended with complimentary Grenache to create a wine that is engaging to a wide range of drinkers. Our blend is fun, appealing and, unlike some members of Paxton, not over the top.

Tasting Notes

COLOUR: Medium intensity ruby red with purple hues
BOUQUET: Lifted, bright, spicy red berry fruit with some floral notes.
PALATE: Bright spicy berry fruit, flavour filled with a fine tannin profile and a lingering savoury back palate. Smooth, even and balanced.

Awards

BLUE-GOLD MEDAL: Sydney International Wine Competition 2008

Reviews

Rating: 93 points - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront (2007 vintage)
"Talk about in the groove! Last year’s release was outstanding and this is schmick too. There’s a flavoursome brightness here that really gets you in. I guess you’d describe it as tasting of raspberries and aniseed though there’s a chocolaty creaminess there too and a mesmerising smoothness. Wines that taste like this often seem a little overdone, but this one doesn’t. It’s a gorgeous example of McLaren Vale shiraz."
Rating: 92 points - Nick Stock, The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide (2007 vintage)
"It may bear a borrowed triple-A rating but it’s absolutely worthy. Attractive peppery fragrance, plenty of spice and rich dark berry fruits, with oak riding across on a smoky wave, some faint tar too. A dense and supple palate, well made and modern with plum and berry flavour, fine ferrous savoury tannins, finishing with resolve and balance."
Rating: 90 points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion (2007 vintage)
"Light but fresh crimson colour announces an even fresher and brighter wine on the palate, with juicy raspberry notes from the grenache (33%) adding life to the quality shiraz (67%)."
Rating: 92 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Big Red Wine Book (2006 vintage)
"This has got the lot: flavours of meat, chocolate, minerals and crushed blackberries, the main ticket being the richness of McLaren Vale red grapes – rather than the excessive oak. Elements of it taste like dry licorice, and it lingers tastily, and lengthily, in your mouth long after you’ve swallowed it. A beauty. Drink 2008 – 2014"
Ray Gordon, The West Australian (2006 vintage)
"You can almost taste the vineyard here – without the wire and posts and odd animal droppings. Powerful opulent fruit is gracefully restrained, yet still immensely long and mouth-filling. A classy wine from McLaren Vale, from a maker with a thankfully increasing presence in WA."
Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller (2006 vintage)
"This has slightly meaty, earthy aromas with some feral aspects. In the mouth it’s a wine of good weight and richness, with balanced alcohol and mid-palate richness. The shiraz lends a good tannin grip to the finish."

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