THE STUMP JUMP Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre  McLaren Vale, 2019  The Name  It is rumoured that the inventor of the  Stump Jump plough, which enabled a  ploughshare to jump over tree roots, had  poor eyesight and required regular tests to  ensure he could still operate machinery.  The design of this label is inspired by an  optometrist’s eyechart and serves as a  makeshift sobriety test. If you can hold the  bottle at arm’s length and still read the front  label, you can enjoy another glass.  The Winemaking  The grapes used in this wine are mostly  from very old bush vines, and underwent  gentle crushing, traditional open tank  fermentation, basket pressing and oak  maturation prior to bottling.  Chief Winemaker Chester Osborn  The Vintage  Winter was quite dry, with sporadic light  showers that didn’t penetrate the soil very  deeply. This impacted budburst but was  managed with some irrigation. During  spring there was quite a strong wind event  around the time of flowering, which upset  some of the growth, especially in Shiraz.  Summer was hot, with an extreme heat  wave and a record high temperature of  46.6C, which burnt some varieties like Petit  Verdot. Most other varies managed to escape  unscathed, which was surprising. Yields  were down on most varieties. The quality,  however, was excellent, exhibiting very  varietal characteristics. Ferments had to be  taken off a little earlier with higher sugar  levels because of these strong tannins.  The Wine  A ruby red hue. The nose is fresh with red  berries and Indian spices that make for a  very approachable wine. A green note sits in  the back, bringing a sense of liveliness. Some  maraschino cherries, fresh capsicum and a  herbaceous touch adds a vibrant lift to the  palate. A little softer, and a little lighter than  is typical of this wine, making this an easy  drinking and approachable vintage to enjoy.  Drinking well above its price point.