-
95
/ 100
Campbell Mattinson -
96
/ 100
Huon Hooke -
93
/ 100
Mike Bennie
Red
Classification
Shiraz
Variety
2018
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
Victoria, Yarra Valley
Region
13.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
95 / 100"Shiraz 95%, mataro 3%, viognier 1%, marsanne 1%. Impeccable form. There's a sweetness to the fruit and a savouriness to the finish, redcurrant and twists of herbs, with floral overtones and oak as garnish. It's smooth-skinned but not syrupy; it's a wine in complete control. Not a question mark in sight."
- Campbell Mattinson
96 / 100
"Deep red colour with a good purple tinge, and a very attractive range of aromas, with less spice and more oak than the Underhill, black fruits, tar and graphite, black olive/tapenade and a trace of black pepper. It's full-bodied, intensely-focused and piercing, with elegance as well as drive. A smart wine, highly nuanced as usual and really excellent. 26 JUL 2020"
- Huon Hooke
93 / 100
"Shiraz, viognier, marsanne, mataro; a blend for the ages. A wonder that others have’t had a crack at the same. A gauntlet thrown down. Slurpy, rich and fresh red of jolly, loose knit and spice-laden, come hither fruit character. Red plums, clove and cinnamon, dark chocolate-liquorice, faint game meat and dried herbs. Lots going on here in its meaty, fleshy feel. The lush slosh of flavour feels biggish and bold from front to mid palate, sweetish in that core, then finishes quite quickly to a powdery-tannin finish. Viognier in the driving seat. A chomp and chomp closes things each sip, nicely. A lively red of voluptuous feel, done well."
- Mike Bennie
Tasting Notes
A complex and layered wine; sweet and savoury all at once. The fragrance is melting pot of violets, plums, savoury spices and a whiff of bramble. Moderate in weight; the plum fruits come in all colours dialling up the flavour interest. There is cigar box and cardamom spice lending intrigue. Firm yet fine tannins ably support the fruit and texture drive the palate. This one is hard to put in a box, there is so much to love. Fruit was hand-picked, transferred across a sorting table and destemmed directly to the Yarra Yering half-tonne open-fermenters. As much whole berry as possible is retained to encourage perfume. A little stalk return to some of the fermenters in order to contribute structure and aroma.A portion of fermenters had frozen Viognier skins added to the bottom, some with Marsanne skins. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, 30% new before blending and bottling. Original 1969 plantings of Shiraz and Marsanne with additional Shiraz planted across the 1990’s, Mataro & Viognier drawn from vines planted from 1984 to 1995.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
- Smooth
- Complex