The Hillside Shiraz is one of the flagship wines of Kay Brothers’ Amery Vineyard, showcasing the estate’s deep connection to Shiraz and its traditional, hands-on winemaking. First produced in the 1980s, it sits just below the legendary Block 6 Shiraz in the portfolio, offering a wine of depth, authenticity, and approachability that captures the essence of McLaren Vale.
The fruit comes from the hillside blocks of the Amery Vineyard, where ironstone and clay soils, combined with cooling breezes, produce grapes of natural richness balanced by freshness. Old-vine material is at the core of this bottling, giving concentration and intensity, while careful vineyard management ensures low yields and high-quality fruit.
In the glass, Hillside Shiraz is generous and deeply flavoured. Aromas of ripe blackberry, plum, and mulberry are laced with spice, mocha, and hints of eucalyptus. The palate is plush and full-bodied, with velvety tannins framing layers of dark fruit, savoury earth, and subtle oak from maturation in both French and American barrels.
While approachable when young, the Hillside Shiraz has the structure and balance to develop further complexity over a decade or more. With age, it evolves into a wine of savoury richness, offering notes of leather, dried herbs, and warm spice, always anchored by the signature power and warmth of McLaren Vale.
Kay Brothers’ Hillside Shiraz embodies what the estate does best: bold, traditional Australian Shiraz with a sense of place and history. It is a wine that honours the estate’s 19th-century roots while continuing to delight modern drinkers with its depth, character, and longevity.