A unique wine from the 36 years old, low yielding bush vines of the Cape Mentelle's original Estate Vineyard. This Zinfandel exudes flavours of plum pudding, black cherry and sweet spices on a rich, mouth filling palate. Hand picked, basket pressed and matured in the finest oak it is. Australias leading example of this bold and generous variety. Crunchy red cherries and an enticing blend of Asian all-spice, red liquorice and star anise, developing into warm mocha notes carried by fine grain savoury tannins and graphite notes characteristic of the Cape Mentelle's Wallcliffe vineyard.
The Savaterre vineyard is elevated at 430m above sea level and is farmed along organic principles. No pesticides are used. An incredibly complex, lifted, lively and intense nose. Exotic aromas of smoked meats, dried red rose, allspice, clove, dark plum, dark cherry ,blackberry, mulberry, mandarin, violets, sandalwood, bay and funky undergrowth. This aroma really revs me up, it continues to evolve as time goes by. This wine is alive! Complexity, poise, sinewy acid, fine tannins wrapped around a sleek core of pristine dark fruit. A wine thats slightly reduced and smelling of undergrowth now that transforms in the glass and continues to seduce. This is Terroir. This is Savaterre.
This wonderfully elegant Shiraz shows intense, pristine, blackberry fruit and ripe, silky tannins. It almost has a Pinot Noir elegance to it and, luckily, the quality of future vintages will only be getting better too as Voyager's new clones come on line.
Vanya Cullen is relentless in her pursuit of excellence and commitment to low-yielding, biodynamically managed vineyards. This wine is 54% Petit Verdot and 46% Malbec from the Mangan Vineyard. It's deep red in colour, and vibrant purple/crimson at the rim. The nose combines mulberry, violets and roses. On the palate it's rich and intense with satsuma plum flavours complemented by fine-grained tannins. Long and full flavoured, it has all the signs of developing greater complexity with age.
A high quality wine from the first whiff of the bouquet through to the long finish...has a tapestry of flavours from the base of Cabernet...all supported by persistent but ripe tannins, the oak absorbed by the fruit. Winning the prestigious Decanter International Trophy, we snaffled as much of this wine as we could. Very limited.
Blackberries, cherry and dark chocolate combine to create a layered, complex nose. The wine reveals an intense dark berry fruit spectrum coupled with a rich and lush mouthfeel. High quality French oak has given the wine great definition and a long, soft tannin structure and finish.
The citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. Cape Mentelle Chardonnay had this distinctive minerally line too, apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuancesof soft nougat and cashews also add to what is a harmonious balance and an elegant and length finish.
Meshach William Burge was Grant's great grandfather and was a central figure in establishing the Burge family in the Barossa Valley. This Shiraz named in his honour is sourced from old vines, some nearing 100 years old, and shows aromas and flavours of complex swiss chocolate, savoury spices and red currant. Grant Burge's flagship shiraz will reward the patient cellarer with 20 years in the bottle in front of it.
Blackcurrants, cherries, dried cranberries and Satsuma plums feature on the nose at the forefront. Bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamon, cedar and clove combine with heightened lavender notes and hints of fresh tobacco. The palate is fine with a mineral thread. It is elegant and delicately layered. Blackcurrant and cherries feature again with a subtle cassis edge. The mid palate has supple flesh with cocoa, coffee bean and cassia leading to a graphite line and powdery tannins.
Margaret River is an under appreciated region for Australian Shiraz, and it's hard to see why with Cape Mentelle's Shiraz showing a vibrant core of blueberry, mulberry and hints of raspberry. It is well balanced with cocoa and savoury oak. The palate yet, is fine, elegant and focussed, finishing with chalky and structural tannins.
Forester Estate Margaret River Yelverton Reserve Chardonnay
Grape variety - 100% Chardonnay - Gin Gin clone Oak maturation - 10 months - 56% new and 44% 2 year old French oak barriques and puncheons. Colour - Pale green, straw. Aroma - Intense, rich and complex with nougat, roasted nuts, lime and butter. There`s a hint of fennel with struck match and smokey lanolin. Palate -A very fine and firm palate with a creamy texture. The fresh citrus and white peach are supported by rich nougat and a nutty-lanolin complexity. A super elegant an