2005 Cigale Shiraz another tremendous effort - 91 pts Wine Spectator & The Wine Advocate

Tasting Notes

3/14/07
Cigale is a new entity based out of the Barossa established by Kiwi Peter Schell and his French born wife Magali Gely. Peter was assistant winemaker at Turkey Flat for a number of years but broke out on his own with the release of the 2004 vintage of Cigale. Fruit for his Shiraz is sourced from a combination of older vine fruit from a single vineyard in the Barossa and production is quite small,with only around 350 cases total being made. The wines that Pete and his wife are producing are stellar which is reflected in the reviews that have come their way. Last year the 2004 Shiraz got 90 pts from the Wine Spectator and with the strength of the 2005 vintage, except at least the same review if not better. We personally think it’s better as it has a touch more intensity and cling to the palate.
Beautifully aromatic, expressive fruit on the nose, blueberry, dark plum and black cherry with notes of cherry whip licorice and loam/asphalt on the nose. The fruit is quite primary and bright with flavors of black plum and blueberry coming to the fore, displaying excellent concentration and intensity. Ripe, dense and juicy but the weight isn’t big in Barossa terms, finishing with ripe tannins on the exceptionally long finish. This needs another year to really come together and should drink beautifully for 4-5 years after that.

Food Accompaniments

Leg of lamb

Awards, Reviews and other Notes

91 pts Wine Spectator Insider 4/4/07
Rich in texture, but it has a crispness to balance the ink-dark plum and blackberry flavors, lingering beautifully on the refined finish. Drink now through 2015.
91 pts The Wine Advocate Issue #173 Oct 2007
The 2005 Shiraz spent 14 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads. It is purple-colored with aromas of cedar, tobacco, wood smoke, pepper, plum, and blueberry. Full-bodied, structured, and tightly wound, this intense Shiraz will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and drink well through 2015.

6 Bottle price

Price

SKU

Varietal

$17.99

$21.99

6517

Shiraz