Amicus Reserve Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Walter Clappis Wines

Amicus is the Latin word for friend and is a venture between three buddies, Amanda Vanstone, Robert Hill, and well known winemaker and bon viveur Walter Clappis The Amicus winery is based in the McLaren Vale but the grapes are sourced from Amicus’ own vineyards in Langhorne Creek, just an hour to the east. Walter Clappis has been making outstanding wines for over 25 years and is the only Australian winemaker to have won the Dan Murphy Trophy three times. The emphasis of Amicus is tiny parcels of exclusive wines made using only traditional methods; biodynamic vineyards where neither pesticides nor herbicides are used, warm open top fermenters and basket presses. Unsurprisingly, Amicus wines have already achieved something approaching cult status amongst the Australian press. Walter Clappis has always made wine employing traditional methods and his own vineyards follow Biodynamic principles, eliminating the use of pesticides and herbicides. The fruit for the Reserve Shiraz is sourced from the flood plain region of Langhorne Creek. The soil of this lower lying area is darker and richer due to it being fundamentally alluvial in origin. The Amicus Reserve Shiraz is aged 18 months in French and American oak.