Winemaker Notes
The 2005 Avignon is blended as a medium bodied wine, for early consumption or medium term cellaring. The 2005 however will definitely need 6-12 months for its components to marry and should cellar well for at least 5-8 years.
Garnet with a youthful edge. Ripe dark berries, with earthy, charry overtones
Entry displays plum and blackberry fruit with fine tannin and tasty acidity. As the wine moves through the palate, the mouth feel widens and becomes quite savoury. The palate has great length. The aftertaste is very Mourvedre with a strong flavour of dark chocolate.
The 2005 GSM Avignon, a Provencal look-alike made from 41% Grenache, 40% Shiraz, and 19% Mourvedre aged 12 months in old French oak, reveals an attractive peppery, herbal, sweet cherry, and raspberry-scented bouquet with plenty of spice and cedar. Ripe, opulent, and full-bodied with a Mediterranean character, it will offer tremendous flexibility with a variety of cuisines. The Grenache and Mourvedre are from 70-year-old vines, and the Shiraz from 105-year-old vines - 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.