Winemaker Notes
Mild-purple to purple-red; a more opaque rim edge. On the nose, a bag of boiled lollies mixed with a roadside of dusty blackberry bushes in full fruit. Earth, rose petals, fresh and dried herbs; fennel and sandalwood, and - having said that - the faintest hint of older French oak bouquet. Deep aromatics above which spice exotica floats shimmeringly. Each whiff is something new, as if the wine is toying with you. Grip and texture on the palate. A lesson in grip and texture... Peppercorns atop plummy, dark berry fruit flavors and cherry pith and a pastis/aniseed kick. Dry, very dry; but there underlying the dark and determined berry fruit foundation runs a ripe, sliding, slinking acidity. This is a playful mouthful of red wine as much as it is a fully, quietly qualified one. Drinking it is a study in the dialectic.
Blend: 70% Grenache, 25% Shiraz, 5% Mataro
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a modern, fresh and affordable Rhone red blend. The open-knit nose offers fistfuls of cherry, plum, licorice, dried rose and earthy, savory spice with a subtle backbone of oak. The palate is nicely structured and powerfully wound, with chiseled, talc-like tannins and juicy fruit remains at the fore.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.