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AUSTRALIA
15
Shaw + Smith
WINERY OVERVIEW
Shaw + Smith was established in 1989 by the current owners, cousins Martin Shaw and Michael
Hill Smith. Michael had just completed his Master of Wine in the UK, and Martin was running
a “flying winemaker” business in Europe when they decided— somewhat on a whim—to make
wine together. While a family business, Shaw + Smith is more about a partnership of two
cousins with a unified vision and complimentary skills, now joined by a small team of bright
talented wine people who are dedicated to taking the business forward.
Shaw + Smith aims to make exciting, refined wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills that
rank amongst Australia’s best. They specialize in varieties suited to the cooler climate region,
namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.
LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Shaw + Smith own two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, with a
total of 136 acres (55 hectares) under vine.
The Balhannah vineyard, which surrounds the winery, was planted in 2000 with Sauvignon
Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. The soil is free-draining sandy loam over red clay, with
underlying quartzite and shale. The average altitude is 1,375 feet (420 meters).
The Lenswood vineyard was planted in 1999 primarily with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a
small amount of Sauvignon Blanc. The soil is brown loam over clay, as well as thinner topsoil
areas on the ridges with broken shale and stone. The property is undulating with some very
steep areas that provide east and west facing orientation and aspect. The property stands at
1,640 feet (500 meters) at its highest.