Inkwell Road to Joy Shiraz Primitivo 2023
The Wine
Wild-fermented, gently handled, with only minimum SO₂ added at bottling. Barrel matured for sixteen months in a blend of French and American oak. The fruit is grown on thin loam over the Pirramimma Sandstone formation — a site that gives the wine a refined minerality and fine structure.
Tasting Note
Bright, inviting and layered. On the nose you’ll find a swirl of blackberry, plum and dark cherry softened by a hint of raspberries — the signature warmth of Primitivo. That fruit generosity is lifted by subtle peppery spice, a touch of liquorice, and gentle oak-derived whispers of vanilla and dark chocolate, adding depth without heaviness.
On the palate it’s supple and smooth, with medium-plus body rather than an on-the-nose “brick wall” Shiraz. The plush berry fruits — think juicy blackberries and brambly blueberries — combine with a warm, spicy undercurrent: black pepper, clove, perhaps a hint of dried herbs or leather. The Primitivo contributes lift and brightness, giving the wine a lively acidity and freshness that keeps it drinking easily, while the Shiraz brings savoury depth, a touch of dark-chocolate richness, and a fine-grained tannin backbone that lengthens the finish.
This is a wine of balance: the friendly, fruit-forward side ideal for a pizza, a smoky BBQ, or grilled sausages; but also, the complexity and oak-derived warmth to complement a roast, a hearty stew or a winter-evening fire. Serve lightly chilled (15-17 °C) to emphasize the freshness — but don’t hesitate to decant or open early to let the darker spice and oak elements emerge. INKWELL
4670 bottles produced
The Details
Variety - Shiraz, Primitivo
Country - Australia
Region - South Australia
Sub Region - McLaren Vale
Extra - Screwcap
Year - 2023
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Inkwell Wines. Real. Different. McLaren Vale.
As Australia’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyard, we farm 12 hectares of amazingly delicious wine grapes to produce wines that express the "fingerprint of place" from our iconic McLaren Vale vineyard.
For twelve years our vision has been to be Australia’s must sustainable super premium estate winery while also becoming a “net negative” carbon producer.
Since 2005 we have fermented our wines naturally using indigenous yeasts and without making additions or corrections to produce age-worthy wines that retain natural freshness and intensity.
Our approach is keep things simple: one tractor, one de-stemmer, one press, small fermenters that don’t need artificial cooling and one dog. INKWELL
Inkwell, under the impeccable guidance of Dudley and Dr Irina Santiago-Brown (contributor to the Oxford Companion to Wine 6th edition), is producing what many consider ‘modern McLaren Vale wines’: estate-only fruit with no additions other than minimal so2 at bottling, made from meticulously, organically grown fruit, picked early.
A true artisan approach to all they do results in wines that speak of the special piece of land they tend with much TLC. Full flavoured yet fresh, pure varietal expressions from Australia’s leading region for sustainable viticultural innovation.
