The Solipsistic Snollygoster Shiraz
1898
“Every vineyard has a personality which we encourage to flourish with minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery. Through time honoured techniques this personality is allowed to shine.”
Solipsism is extreme egocentrism at its best. This 127 year old vineyard believes that nothing could match its excellence, so with snollygoster style, it unscrupulously sends its roots to absorb all the best benefits from the soil, which produces amazing fruit with great age-ability.
Deep, dark, compelling nose with game, spice and savoury black fruits. The palate is multi-layered and complex with stewed plum, rhubarb and undergrowth. This wine finishes long and precise with fine, spicy tannins. Secondary flavours are beginning to develop but it should continue to age for at least another ten years.
| Vineyard | Ege Vineyard |
| Planted | 1898 |
| Varietal | Shiraz |
| Subregion | Blewitt Springs |
| Soil Composition | Alluvial Loam |
| Altitude | 130m above Sea Level |
| Canopy Management | Two-wire vertical trellis. |
| Vine Aspect | East / West orientation with very slight undulations. |
| Irrigation | Dripper irrigation when necessary. |
| Fermentation | Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. These batches remain separate until final blending. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed. |
| Oak | A mixture of new and used French oak barriques for 20 months. Barrel ferments are aged on lees, and there is no racking until final blending. |
Chester Osborn and the late d’Arry Osborn.
Icon Custodian
Established in 1912, d’Arenberg began when Joseph Osborn, a teetotaler and racehorse owner, sold his stable of horses to purchase property in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Since then, each generation of the Osborn family has passed on knowledge and understanding of their land to the next generations as custodians of their precious soil.
Today fourth generation family member Chester makes distinctive wines using traditional methods both in the vineyard and the winery.
The personality of each vineyard is encouraged to flourish with minimal intervention: no fertiliser, minimal or no irrigation, no soil cultivation and no herbicide.
CHESTER OSBORN
Taking over the reigns as Chief Winemaker in 1984, Chester has focused his efforts on producing high quality and distinctive wines.
d’ARRY OSBORN (1926-2023)
After leaving school aged 16 to work in the family winery, d’Arry received many accolades for a lifetime of contributions to the Australian wine industry.
