Hope Estate The Ripper Shiraz, Western Australia

Description

Hope Estate was established in 1994 when Michael Hope gave up his pharmacy career to do something he loved – to make wine. The winery, adjoining the new Fordwich vineyard, was purchased in 1996 and occupies the site of the former Saxonvale Winery which lay dormant for a number of years. Renamed the Hill of Hope, after years of standing as en empty shell, the winery once again became operational after having been refitted for his first vintage of Hope Estate in 1997. Taking a giant leap forward Michael acquired the Kyneton based Virgin Hills wine business in Victoria and the 45 acre Donnybrook vineyard in Western Australia in 2000. All wine from these interstate vineyards being bottled, warehoused and distributed from his Hunter headquarters at Broke.Since then he’s built one of the Hunter’s most successful family owned wineries. Shiraz grapes are crushed on the west coast and then transported by truck across the Nullabor Plains to the Hunter Valley on the east coast where they are fermented and bottled. The must is chilled for this three day road trip and arrives with amazing colour and tannin extraction. Hope Ripper Shiraz undergoes fermentation and maturation for 12-15 months in 30% French oak and 70% American oak.