Winemaker Notes
This wine is a Rhône-style blend from vineyards dating back to 1800s, with an average age of 75 years. Traditional wine making, very much aligned with our ethos of old world inspired winemaking with a new world attitude.
Blend: 35% Grenache, 33% Shiraz, 32% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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Australian Wine Companion
35/33/32% grenache/shiraz/mourvèdre; 48% whole bunch, 12 months in old French barriques. Red cherry, red plum and a touch of cranberry here with hints of spice, dried herbs, pressed purple flowers, almond blossom, dried citrus rind and earth. Medium-bodied, spacious and energetic; fine sandy tannins lend support, leaning savoury on the medium-length finish. There is a lot to like here and it's very easy to drink.
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.