Margan Family Shiraz 2006
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Winemaker Notes
The grapes for this wine were picked from forty year old vines growing on the red basalt volcanic clay of our Timbervines Vineyard. With an average yield of only one tonne per acre the fruit for this wine was intensely concentrated in flavour. The drought vintage coupled with our use of 30% of the juice for our saignee has increased the concentration of this wine. The grapes were picked at full ripeness and were fermented under cool conditions using cultured aromatic yeast. After fermentation the wine was placed in older oak hogsheads for a period of eighteen months to allow it to soften and mature without gaining overt oak characters. The wine was bottled in January 2008
Other Vintages
2002-
Robert
Parker
Old Vines, Young Minds, Great Wines...
I enjoy making wines that show their sense of place. The Hunter Valley produces some of the most regionally unique styles of wine in the world. Every variety I grow has its own unique set of characters and structure that are affected significantly by the climate they enjoy, the soil they are produced from and the winemaking style I prefer. The quality of Margan is controlled from the vineyard right through to the consumer.
All of our wines are produced from our old vine, low yielding vineyards. The volcanic soils of the Fordwich Sill that nourish our vines produce excellent quality grapes that achieve optimal ripeness of flavour, colour and tannin. The wines that I can make from these grapes have great texture, structure and richness which are a true expression of the vineyard they come from. We produce a richer, softer Hunter style of wine.
In most cases I prefer to not interfere too much with what nature has provided and as such allow the flavour and characters of the fruit shine through to the wine. Minimal use of oak ensures that it is fruit intensity and natural structure that underpin my wines. The wines of the Hunter generally have excellent natural acidity which ensures they mature well and drink well with food. On the whole, I choose to not blend wines from different vineyards or varieties because I firmly believe that each wine should be true expressions of its variety and region.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Most admired for citrus-driven, mineral-rich and often age-worthy Semillon wines, Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and was home to its very first commercial vineyards. The region’s warm summer nights coupled with autumn cloud cover and cool sea breezes allow full ripening and healthy acidity levels for Semillon; its diverse soils of volcanic basalt and white alluvial sands promote the development of Semillon’s delicate aromas. Hunter Valley Semillons can certainly be enjoyed in their youth but with 10 to 20 years in the cellar, the best examples develop intriguing notes of honey, browned butter and roasted nuts.
Chardonnay and Shiraz also do well in Hunter Valley.