Winemaker Notes
Traditional winemaking practices and sixteen months in French oak barriques will ensure the age worthiness of this third release. Enjoy the 2005 vintage now or cellar it for 8-10 years to garner additional complexity.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Plexus is composed of 50% Shiraz, 34% Grenache, and 16% Mourvedre aged for 15 months in 17% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it offers up an enticing bouquet of cedar, spice box, tobacco, smoked meat and game, black cherry, and blueberry. This is followed by a full-bodied wine with lush, opulent fruit, mouth-filling flavors, and a seamless, forward style.
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Wine Spectator
Smooth and round, this is polished in texture and ripe, with plum and blackberry fruit, hinting at creamy spices as the finish lingers. Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre.
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Wine Enthusiast
With only 10% new oak used for this cuvée, there’s just a hint of vanilla here; the aromas are dominated by black cherries and dusty spice notes. The flavors follow suit, picking up a bit of blueberry as well, delivered via a silky-textured palate. Finishes crisp, making it a good candidate with burgers or chops.
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.