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.
"The 2006 Plexus is composed of 52% Shiraz, 30% Grenache, and 18% Mourvedre. Purple-colored, it offers up an exotic concoction of underbrush, violets, leather, black cherry, and blueberry pie. On the palate, this sexy effort is opulent, succulent, incipiently complex, and altogether hedonistic. It should perform well for a decade. In the scheme of things, it is also a terrific value. John Duval was the principal winemaker at Penfolds Grange from 1986 to 2002."
-Wine Advocate
Professional Ratings
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.