89 pts Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - Ripe and plush, with cherry-vanilla and coconut flavors complemented by a subtle spicy quality.
Tasting
Notes
A seamless wine that is rich, yet soft and sumptuous. Vibrant berry fruits with sweet spice and balanced oak.
Food
Accompaniments
Steak. Lamb, veal, barbeques and hearty stews.
Awards,
Reviews and other Notes
89 pts Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Sept. 2011 (JR) Deep ruby. More extroverted than the grenache, with deep scents and flavors of dark berries and vanillin oak. Ripe and plush, with cherry-vanilla and coconut flavors complemented by a subtle spicy quality. Tannins build on the finish, which clings with good tenacity.
Winemaker Notes
The 2009 Vintage was warm and dry, which allowed the Shiraz grapes to ripen early and be harvested before any shrivel occurred in the vineyard. The fruit was intense and fruit driven. All sections of the vineyard were machine harvested in the cool of the morning and fermented at cool temperatures to retain fruit purity in open top fermenters, which were hand worked twice a day. Each batch remained separate, till final blending, and in barrels for 18 months. The wine received a polishing filtration prior to being bottled under a screwcap closure.
