Two Hands 2013 Angels’ Share Shiraz
Two Hands Wines was founded in early 1999 by Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz. The original aim shared by Michael and Richard was to make the best possible Shiraz-based wines from prized Shiraz growing regions throughout Australia. Their intention was, and still is, to showcase the diversity of Australian Shiraz by highlighting regional characteristics and allowing the fruit to be the primary feature of the wines. Two Hands refers to the very personable approach taken with each parcel of grapes, no matter how big or small. Two Hands’ first vintage was in 2000, starting with just 17 tonnes of fruit. In 2004 a state-of-the-art winery was built in the picturesque Barossa Valley in South Australia, specifically designed for small batch handling. To maximise the individual regional and varietal characteristics and to allow for greater quality control, every parcel of fruit, no matter how small, is handled separately from crushing through to fermentation and oak maturation.
Opening a bottle of the 2013 Angels’ Share Shiraz (Angels’ Share refers to the portion of wine that evaporates during the fermentation process), I noticed a clean deep and dark reddish purple color with aromas of fresh blue fruits with an earthy mineral nuance. The palate revealed rich ripe fruit, blackberries, blueberries and also noting some hints of plum and dried cherries. The wine is well balanced with firm tannins and lively acidity. The finish shows some cacao and fresh oak with earthy herbs in a medium length. Should improve with a few more years. Very nice Shiraz!
Cheers!