Winemaker Notes
Blend: 67% Grenache, 23% Mataro, 10% Shiraz
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A blend of 67% grenache, 23% mataro and 10% shiraz. There’s a very bright, rich and spicy delivery of raspberry and red berry-pastry aromas here. The palate has such sweet, round fruit with raspberry flavors leading the charge.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The unoaked 2018 Cuvee Juveniles is a blend of 67% Grenache, 23% Mataro and 10% Shiraz. It's ripe and full, verging on jammy, with black cherry and black olive aromas and flavors, supple tannins and a mouthwatering finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
A bit reductive at first, this wine needs time in glass to open up. When it does, it offers appealing, tangy red and blue fruit accented by oatmeal, game, dried Mediterranean herbs and dried flowers. Currently young and on the lean and mean side, the acidity and tannins feel a touch aggressive, as does the alcohol, but there's plenty to like here, too.
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Wine Spectator
Supple and velvety, with wave after wave of pomegranate, kirsch and maraschino cherry flavors that have accents of red licorice, green tea and black walnut and lingering milk chocolate notes. Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Drink now through 2030.
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.