2023 Shy Susan Tempranillo

**New Shy Susan Wines and new vintages released with the next Shy Susan Wine Club annually in September (ONE 6 pack per year)!

“Shy Susan (Tetratheca gunnii) is a critically endangered Australian wildflower. Her survival depends completely on a little native bee, who alone is capable of pollination. Their fate is forever entwined”.

 After working with Tasmanian fruit for nearly two decades Glenn James with his wife, Jo Marsh began crafting wines under their newly created Shy Susan label in 2015. The couple lived in Porepunkah in the Alpine Valleys region and Glenn commuted to Tasmania weekly for his role as Chief Winemaker at Winemaking Tasmania. When Jo fell pregnant in late 2019 Glenn made the decision to leave his role and work fulltime with Jo in the Alpine Valleys. Having many years to experience the quality of fruit the Alpine Valleys had to offer they decided to continue the Shy Susan brand with local fruit. Select small parcels of fruit are crafted to reflect variety, vineyard and the stylistic approach forged from Glenn’s skill and experience.

Vintage Snapshot

Although 2023 was a cool year for the region the resulting wine is concentrated with abundant black fruits. Greenacres vineyard has a number of different clones planted, which means different clones standout each year depending on the vintage conditions.  This year clones 776 (new clone) and D8V12 were earmarked for this wine.

Production Notes

Components were crushed and destemmed to open top fermenters. The ferments were inoculated with selected yeast, were hand plunged twice a day and pressed off when primary fermentation was complete.  The wine was then allowed a further 20 months in barrel to integrate and mature.

Tasting Note

Concentrated and brambly. A supple and textural palate with layers of blackberry and black cherry tangled with wild herbs and a graphite edge that provides an undercurrent of earthiness.  Generous tannins bring a structured firmness to the palate.  An enticing wine with lovely texture and a long finish.

Optimal Drink Window – now until 2035

Technical details

Reviews

"This is the kind of wine that you make when you really know your vineyard sources. There’s a seriousness to the tannin, a depth to the fruit, an inbuilt herbal complexity, and great extension. It’s silken, meaty and complex with berried fruit, twiggy herbs, toast and pepper characters rippling throughout. There’s lots going on with this wine and yet it’s fruit-filled and welcoming. The tannin – which is not overly assertive – then takes it to the next level, courtesy of the fact that it helps pull the fruit-and-spice flavours out through the finish. This wine is not excessive or overblown; it’s medium weight, and just plain terrific." 95 points. Campbell Mattinson 30 September 2025

"Clearly, tempranillo loves its new home in the Alpine Valleys. It is capable of meeting any price point and here it shows its effortlessly stylish, super-premium credentials. Alpine herbs, undergrowth, black fruits and blueberries, woody spices and smart, vanillin oak make for an impressive, integrated wine. Palate is assertive and succulent, rolling in fine tannins and gathering pace through the finish. Slice some accompanying jamón Ibérico and you will be in heaven." Awarded 95 points, Halliday Wine Companion, Jeni Port - Published 20 August 2025

SILVER medal winner at the 2025 North East Victorian Wine Challenge