Wine

Keeping the Faith with Metala

Metala's latest releases takes Langhorne Creek wine to the next level.

The things that endure are the things that we treasure - or perhaps they endure because they are treasured. That’s certainly true of Metala, which after decades of ownership in the hands of others, returned to its originating family and founding vineyards thanks to the tireless efforts of Guy and Liz Adams. 

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The restoration of the Metala legacy has been their mission since, and the latest wine from this storied Langhorne Creek icon encapsulates and expresses not only the region, but the grit and glory behind one the great brands in Australian wine with the re-release of Metalas flagship, the Semper Fidelis. 

Indeed, the 2021 Semper Fidelis Shiraz Cabernet tells a tale centuries in the making, from the 1891 Ancestor Shiraz and Cabernet vines to the multi-generational relationship between winery mentor Nigel Dolan - Metala winemaker for some two decades from the early 1990s - and father Bryan, winner of the first ever Jimmy Watson Trophy for the 1961 Metala Cabernet Shiraz. 

The story of the wine and of the winery itself is also in the name: Semper Fidelis - Latin for 'always faithful’ - is the Adams’ family motto, and it’s this faith that no doubt sustained Guy and Liz as they worked to restore Metala to its Langhorne Creek home. It is a wine befitting a generational saga - iconic, made entirely from the fruit off the 1891 plantings and only ever released in the most outstanding vintages. 

Winemaker Jim Urlwin details the composition of the wine and the care that has gone into its crafting. "It's sourced from our two oldest blocks, both planted in 1891, from the stunning 2021 vintage,” he says. “The blend is 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet, and the making of it has been intentionally kept simple. 

Hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel, both primary and malolactic fermentation were completed in tank. On completion, the wine was then transferred to 500 litre French oak puncheons (25 per cent new) for 18 months. “The wine has seen minimal intervention in order to preserve and showcase the unique character of these old vines,” says Urlwin. 

It’s a wine for making memories, for pouring while sharing stories and shaping new ones. Raise a glass, and remember: keep the faith, always. 

metala.com.au