Curtis Ancestor McLaren Vale Shiraz

Curtis Ancestor
McLaren Vale Shiraz

We dated our family tree to 1471 when Paolo Curtis started wine production on the original Curtis Family property “La Cavata” near Cassino, Central Italy.

We made this wine to commemorate the sacrifice & toil of centuries of hard work that have led us to now.

The Ancestor Shiraz fruit was hand-picked from 80-year-old vines, gently destemmed & cold-soaked on skins for 14 days,
and fermented slowly for a further 14 days. Giving time to allow slow extraction of colour & silky tannins.
This extra time allows the wine to develop a great depth of flavour & palate structure.

The ferment is slowly pressed directly into a mixture of French & American oak barrels.
The magic happens over the next 24 months where the wine will develop & integrate into a special montage of flavourful delights.
Aromas of ripe red berries, vanilla & coconut. Full-bodied palate structure with a complex mix of flavours, ripe red berries, coconut, chocolate & spice. Great middle palate sweetness with well-integrated oak characters. Well balanced & long silky tannin finish.

Best National Producer Of The Year 2024

AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge

Trophy - AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge - Vintage 2021

Gold Medal - AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge - Vintage 2021

Gold Medal - London Wine Competition - Vintage 2020

Gold Medal - Melbourne International Wine Competition - Vintage 2021

Gold Medal - AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge - Vintage 2020

97 points - Sam Kim Wine Orbit - Vintage 2021

97 points - Sam Kim Wine Orbit - Vintage 2018

96 points - Ken Gargett - The Wine Pilot - Vintage 2021

96 points - Ray Jordan - The Wine Pilot - Vintage 2021

95 points - Mike Bennie - Australian Wine Business Magazine - Vintage 2021