Cracker Barrels

The extremely limited Cracker Barrels is the result of winemaker Ashleigh Seymour selecting up to 4 barrels which she considers to be of the highest quality or ‘Crackers’ each vintage.

• RegionMcLaren Vale, South Australia
• Vintage2022
• TypeRed Wine
• VarietyShiraz Cabernet
• Variety Composition

  Organic | Biodynamic

• Vegan Friendly✔
• Organic Wine✔
• Volume750ml
• Alcohol Volume14%
• PH

  3.59

• Standard Drinks8.3
• Acidity

  6.12

• Sugar

  3.2

• ClosureScrewCap
• Vintage Notes

  Well, you thought 2021 was good but I bet you hadn’t heard about 2022 yet! With most of the country experiencing extreme La Niña conditions, in McLaren Vale we were hit with the lucky stick and enjoyed plenty of soil moistening rain through the winter but no extreme events. Budburst was a breath of new life after a long cool Winter and conditions were ideal up to flowering where things went a bit haywire. Crazy Melbourne type weather blew a lot of the flowers away before they could turn into fruit… but less fruit, more quality and coming off a bumper 2021 vintage it helped balance things out. We had a lovely cool summer, which helped ripening happen nice and slow, just the way we like it. Vintage was well spread out with fine days through most of March allowing us to choose when to pick and preserve stunning, natural acidity.

• Vineyard Notes

  Shiraz Thomas Block EJ, Cabernet Jones Block Don’s Corner

• Tasting Notes

  Paxton 2022 Cracker Barrels.pdf

• Colour

  Deep aubergine

• Bouquet

  The nose of this wine tantalises the senses with a mesmerizing bouquet. Like walking into a pastry shop, aromas of plum crostata and salted caramel mingle with the earthy allure of sandalwood and bay thyme. Notes of cracked coriander seeds and curry leaf add an exotic twist, while hints of loganberries and grenadine dance in the background, promising a symphony of flavours.

• Palate

  Building like a suspense thriller, louder and louder until the inevitable explosion and post-chaotic calm. Initially chewy, tight and grippy tannins build to a crescendo before mellowing out to hints of biochar, heady musk, dusty sandalwood and a moreish acid touch.

• Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

  GOOD: 2024-2025 - BETTER: 2026-2029 - BEST: 2030-2040

• Vinification

  The Biodynamic Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon single vineyard parcels are hand-picked and fermented separately in small open fermenters, delicately hand plunged and tasted daily until beautiful balance is achieved. After pressing, the wine is racked into French oak barriques of varying ages for malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing. After 15 months resting, each barrel is carefully evaluated by our winemaking team to determine the perfect match 
for this quintessential Australian blend.

• Music Match

  Simply the Best — Tina Turner

• Winemaker

  Ashleigh Seymour