1998 Vintage Fortified

Spiced & full of life

At 27 years of age, the 1998 Vintage Fortified is a wine of real character and complexity, crafted by Chris Killeen at a time when the S&K style was finding its new footing. This blend of Shiraz 26%, Touriga 26%, Durif 20%, Tinto Cao 13%, Tinta Barroca 13% and Cabernet Sauvignon 2% sits at an exciting crossroads, carrying the weight and warmth of the traditional Rutherglen style while the Portuguese varieties are beginning to bring their signature lift and fragrance to the fore.

The colour presents as a beautiful cherry red with a developing tawny hue, a sign of graceful evolution in the bottle.

The bouquet is perfumed and inviting, with rose petal, lifted cinnamon, earth and cedar spice weaving together alongside clean, fragrant spirit aromas and a cherry and light chocolate fruit character that draws you in with real charm.

On the palate, the wine opens with big, full upfront freshness and generous mulberry tones, underpinned by chunky, substantial tannins that give the wine its backbone and presence. Rich, ripe and mouth filling, the flavours carry real depth and generosity, yet there is a finesse of structure running beneath the surface that keeps everything in balance and points clearly to many more years of rewarding development ahead.

Smooth, spiced and deeply satisfying, this is a Vintage Fortified that only becomes more voluptuous with age. Drink it now for its warmth and complexity, or cellar it until 2030 and let it continue to reward your patience.

Buying it as a gift? Be sure to purchase one of our wooden VF gift boxes.

Allocation for 2026-2027. Allocation resets August 1st, 2027