A world without Australian Shiraz?!

A world without Australian Shiraz?! The boutique Australian winery was rated among the top 100 for 10 years running, from 2003 to 2012.

Welcoming a new estate to the Mumbai-based Wine Park family (www.thewinepark.com) is always a joyous milestone. It becomes all the more momentous when the producers nestle in one of the best red wine regions on the planet.

There is an epic now available with the boutique Two Hands Wines from South Australia’s Barossa Valley that makes the New World’s finest expression of Shiraz.

According to Vishal Kadakia, Founder of Wine Park, the journey began with a question contemplated over a bottle of Australian Shiraz: if that is what the world wants, how are we going to give it to them?

Emblazoned on their website, this pivotal moment went on to yield 20 vintages of some stunningly good Shiraz vintages. Two Hands Winery is powered by Michael Twelftree and his American partner, Tim Hower, and their collective objective is a clear as harvest day – showcase the impressive diversity of Aussie Shiraz by sourcing fruit from six of Australia’s finest regions.

Their Barossa winery in Marananga has been custom-built to harvest small batches of fruit. In fact, the name ‘Two Hands’ is symbolic of the deeply personal attention given to every bunch of grapes that the estate makes into wines.

Every parcel, irrespective of size, is crushed, fermented and barrel-matured separately. This boutique approach shows up on the palate of their staggering range of wines that lay accent on the characteristics of the region and precise vineyard the fruit is picked from.

Soils of black and red clays with siliceous sands enable the vines to nurture fruit of sublime balance and concentration. No surprise then that Two Hands has been amply lauded for nailing the classic Barossa Shiraz style – full bodied balance of plum and berries, lifted by rich texture and long tannins.

And generous praise of the highest order followed – the legendary American critic and writer, Robert Parker, called Two Hands the finest negociant south of the Equator.

Wine Spectator named the Australian winery as one of Top 100 for 10 years running, from 2003 to 2012! Michael Twelftree best captures Two Hands distinction and success in his own words: “I have walked every vineyard, made every picking decision, and tasted every individual barrel of each wine we’ve ever produced. So we proudly invite you to be the first to taste Two Hands picture range, hand-made Aussie style.”

Wine Park now offers the following wines from this Aussie producer (price in Maharashtra only):

  • Two Hands, Angels Share, Shiraz 2020 (Rs 3,975): a gorgeous silky rich Shiraz style, barrel-aged to perfection and drinking of bright red fruit and soft spice.
  • Two Hands, Brave Faces, GMS 2020 (Rs 3,975): an Aussie take on the classic Rhone Valley blend, beaming with cherry, herbs and touch of pepper, finishing impressively long.
  • Two Hands, Gnarly Dudes, Shiraz 2020 (Rs 3,795): a beautifully balanced Barossa Shiraz marries hearty fruit and smooth tannins with delicious texture.