Description
Martin Shaw in the 1980s was a pioneering Australian flying winemaker, with significant winemaking experience in various countries. Together with his first cousin Michael Hill Smith MW, the first Australian Master of Wine with whom they have always had very close relations, in 1989, they established a model winery in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia under the name Shaw+Smith. Over the last 30 years, Shaw+Smith has built a loyal following worldwide.
Why Adelaide Hills? “Because it is wetter, colder, and higher”, Michael says. They aimed to create flexible wines, with finesse, delicacy, intensity, and character, capturing in them the coolness of the Adelaide Hills region. Their natural acidity and restrained alcohol make them uniquely food-friendly, while the cultivated varieties are ideally expressed in the cold vineyards of the region. The various expressions of the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz varieties are the main focus of the winery, while their first wine, a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc for the region and a distinctive Riesling, completes the picture. For the creation of the wines, grapes are used exclusively from three privately owned vineyards: Balhannah Vineyard, Lenswood Vineyard, and Piccadilly Vineyard, with a total area of 600 hectares, which are located at an altitude of 350 to 500 meters.