About Houdini
The Houdini is the easy drinking introductory range for Smidge Wines. This 100% Shiraz comes from both the northern Seaview and southern Willunga regions of McLaren Vale. Although the introductory level to Smidge, this wine was matured in both bar- riques and hogsheads which were predominantly French (5% new) and a small amount of American for 18 months.
Tasting Notes
McLaren Vale Houdini has a black core with a deep red rim. The nose is quintessential McLaren Vale Shiraz with a perfumed array of dark berries, plums, dark liqueur chocolate, vanilla bean and spice. On the palate the dark fruits jump to the fore and generously flow through to the long finish, balanced with spicy dark chocolate and slightly chewy yet fine tannins. This wine screams for a juicy steak or some hard cheese.
Cellaring
Smidge recommends drinking this wine within the next 6 to 8 years.
Viticulture
This Shiraz was sourced from two immaculate vineyards. The block in the northern subregion of Seaview is approximately 25 years old whose soil profile is dark sand over red clay. Even with its double cordon, yields are consistently 2t per acre. The second block is on the western fringes of Willunga adjacent to White’s Valley. The vines are 10 years old and the vines are single cordon producing con- sistent yields of 2.5t per acre. The soil profile here is red / brown clay / loam mottled with quartz and ironstone.
Vinification & Maturation
Fermentation was even and on average lasted 7 days with a maximum temperature of 280C. Total average time on skins was 15 days. Upon pressing, the free run and pressings were blended to tank. After 24 hours, the wine was racked to new to 4 year old barriques and hogsheads, which were predominantly French with some American for 14 months, during which time malo- lactic fermentation occurred and the wines were racked twice. Prior to bottling the batches were blended and fined, but not filtered.
