2006 Single Vineyard Series Shiraz Mourvedre Grenache
|
Baile an Gharraí, Clare Valley
|
|
REGION
Clare Valley, South Australia
VINEYARD
The Edwards family’s Ballingarry vineyard in Armagh to the north-west of the town of Clare itself. The vines are planted in a north south orientation on the sandy, clay loam soils at 450 metres above sea level. The grapes were picked in March and April.
GROWING CONDITIONS
The 2006 growing season in Clare was widely considered to be near perfect. Good winter and spring rains were followed by mild weather until January when temperatures soared. A cooler than usual February followed bringing vine growth and fruit ripening back into balance with a warm March concluding an excellent vintage.
WINEMAKING
The three varieties were picked and fermented separately with the resultant wines pressed off and run to barrel in a mixture of older French and American oak. Older oak was used to gain the positive effects of barrel maturation without any obvious oak influence on the taste. After seven months in barrel the wines were blended to achieve a balance of flavours from the individual components. No additional fining or filtration was carried out prior to bottling.
WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES
This wine is a combination of the three classic southern Rhône varieties that have traditionally been blended to produce soft, rich and flavoursome wines. A harmonious union of Shiraz (45%), Mourvèdre (35%) and Grenache (20%) highlighting the synergy of these three varieties. It exhibits ripe blackberry and green pepper spice characters from the Shiraz and Mourvèdre with sweet cherry fruit and a textural richness from the Grenache. There is a hint of smoky oak on the long, smooth finish. Although drinking well now, this is a wine which will benefit from medium term cellaring.
RELEASED
June 2007
|