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GEELONG |
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January Release |
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Pinot Noir |
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| It is quite remarkable that with this most fickle of grape varieties Gary Farr has carved out a reputation for consistency. The quality level seems to go up a notch with each subsequent vintage. 1997 was obviously a very successful year, at least for quality, as this is one of the best examples of Australian Pinot Noir, let alone from Bannockburn.... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Italian Varietals |
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| Australian Winemakers have been somewhat reluctant to embrace Italian varieties, preferring to attempt to master the French ones. The nature of our climate, in both grape growing regions and where the population base lives, is in many ways very similar to Italy. Recent changes to the style of food we prepare and enjoy has looked towards Italy for inspiration, so it naturally follows that we should explore Italian grape varieties...... |
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AUBURN, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Bordeaux Blends |
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| This has always been a serious wines. What does that mean? Well some wines you can easily knock back a glass or two, even finish the bottle without realizing that you have been drinking it, however as soon a you take one sip of the Gaia you are forced to take notice and contemplate the wine. Grapes grow, actually they battle for life in this high altitude vineyard, the highest in the Clare Valley. The yields are low because the vineyard has lots of slate and is dry grown...... |
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NURIOOTPA, BAROSSA VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
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| The warm and mild climate of the Barossa Valley means that grapes have no difficulty ripening. The key to making the best possible wine from these conditions is to ensure the vines are not stressed by heat and are allowed a little extra time on the vines to further develop flavor. This is particularly true for Cabernet Sauvignon in the Barossa Valley. It would be fair to say that it generally is not as successful as Shiraz across all producers. Elderton have always had great quality Cabernets and this release is one of their best...... |
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CLARENDON |
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November Release |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
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| For the majority of Australian wine producers if they had a Cabernet Sauvignon of this quality they would be jumping out of their skins telling everyone how wonderful the wine is. If you are Roman Bratasiuk and have a stable full of Australia's finest Shiraz, Grenache and Merlot, many people would think this is pushing belief to say this Cabernet Sauvignon is also one of Australia's best. Well try the wine and I'm sure you will agree this is a great wine...... |
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LOWER HUNTER VALLEY |
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| When Brokenwood was established it trail blazed the way for producers in the Hunter Valley to augment their wines in both style and quantity by blending fruit from other areas. This wine continues that trend although the unusual point about this wine is that the fruit has been sourced entirely from other premium regions. In this case it is from the McLaren Vale and King Valley regions...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| This wine has made a huge impact wherever it has been tasted. There have only been 4 vintages of this wine, although the great quality of the wine comes from vineyards that are much older. The question everyone must be asking is ……can the Astralis maintain the quality vintage after vintage? Well it can and it has...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| Recognising the very distinct differences between the small parcels of fruit Roman Bratasiuk procures for his Shiraz, he has decided from this vintage to keep them separate. The consumer will now benefit as there will be a whole range of Clarendon Hills Shiraz, each displaying their own characters from the terroir...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| The quality of Roman Bratasiuk’s Shiraz is undisputed. Each year Roman has seen the variation in the fruit from each of the vineyards and he has desired to keep them separate but the marketplace loved his Shiraz so much he did not dare change. The success of the 1997 vintage forced him to re-consider. Here we have the Brookman Vineyard, and we can certainly say that Roman is a wise man...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| Having several fully mature vineyards of "Bush Vine" Shiraz to pick fruit from is Roman Bratasiuk’s absolute pleasure. As these fully mature vines continue to age they produce less fruit but the fruit has greater concentration and the particular qualities of the vineyard are magnified each succeeding year. This wine, the product of the "Piggott Range Vineyard" has an abundance of its own individual character...... |
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CANBERRA DISTRICT |
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| This is a winery that is barely known in Australia, yet. Only those who are always searching for the best new wines and indeed the best new regions will have prior knowledge on the quality of this superb wine. Its anonymity will be very brief however...... |
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FRANKLAND, GREAT SOUTHERN |
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| Given the great success of the Shiraz variety throughout Australia it is somewhat surprising that it is not more widely planted in Western Australia. Judi Cullam and Barrie Smith of Frankland Estate have produced some very fine wines under this label, showing that Shiraz is just as suited in the West as other locations throughout Australia...... |
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MCLAREN VALE |
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| This is very exciting wine. Old vine Shiraz is rare and precious. It needs to be handled with care. Too many winemakers over work the fruit and put the wine in all new barrels. The net effect is certainly great wines, but wines that need at least 10 years in the cellar before they achieve a balance between all the components. With a slightly more delicate touch Dean Hewitson has produced a wine with all the intensity of old vine Shiraz, but it is approachable and enjoyable whilst it is youthful...... |
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WATERVALE, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Just a few short years ago the Clare Valley was regarded as a fine area to grow grapes, but they made white wine, most notably Riesling. The reds of the area had always been good sturdy wines but not considered exciting. Things have dramatically changed with both Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignons' regularly produced that are rated alongside the finest anywhere in the country...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Each year Neil and Andrew Pike release exceptional wine. Always their wines have great charm and drinkability at an early age, and many will age further and develop into great wines. They have surpassed their own high standards with this superb wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| This is a truly exciting addition to the Pikes range. The Clare Valley is simply a great area to grow grapes and the success Neil and Andrew Pike have had with Shiraz led them to experiment with the other varieties of the Rhone Valley usually blended with each other in the Southern Rhone. It has been a very successful experiment...... |
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SUNBURY |
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| Pat Carmody has consistently produced wonderful wines from his cool vineyard. His Shiraz has provided a benchmark for cool climate examples of the variety in Australia. He reaches new and slightly different heights with this awarding winning and highly acclaimed 1997 vintage...... |
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GEELONG |
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| This wine has been a revelation for Bannockburn's loyal supporters in recent years. The Winemaking style has been dramatically altered with outstanding success. Once again this vintage of the wine is a triumph...... |
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BLEWITT SPRINGS, MCLAREN VALE |
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| Of the three individual vineyard Grenache wines produced by Roman Bratasiuk at Clarendon Hills, this is the most concentrated, the longest living, the most powerful. This vintage does not disappoint...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| This is typically the lighter style of Roman’s three individual vineyard Grenache varietals. Again this is the same story with this vintage. This is his ready to consume, delicate and dainty Grenache. However if you are familiar with Clarendon Hills Grenache you know that those descriptive words are used almost in jest, as all the wines have power and depth beyond any other producer in Australia...... |
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KANGARILLA, MCLAREN VALE |
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| Another year and yet another Roman Bratasiuk single vineyard Grenache. Not content with the huge success of his Clarendon and Blewitt Springs vineyards, released as separate wines for the 1995 vintage, Roman has secured another small parcel of fruit from a vineyard with old bush trellised Grenache located in the Clarendon sub-region...... |
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CLARE VALLEY |
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| The true spirit of Australian red wine is captured with this traditional Grenache Shiraz blend. Fruit is carefully sourced from premium areas and skilfully blended to produce a wine that has immense appeal as an early drinking, but full bodied red wine...... |
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CLARENDON |
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| Given the attention the media and merchants, and the public seem to lavish on Roman Bratasiuk's amazing Shiraz and Grenache wines, it is easy to think that perhaps he does not make anything else, let alone wines of the quality of this Merlot. Yet this is quite clearly one of the finest if not the best example of Merlot produced in Australia...... |
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ADELAIDE PLAINS |
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| Again this wine continues Joe Grilli's super impressive array of long living red wines under this flagship label. The vast majority of the wine is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, 90% whilst the remainder is Merlot. Parcels of fruit were taken from premium vineyards in the McLaren Vale and Coonawarra to make this exciting wine...... |
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WATERVALE, CLARE VALLEY |
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| The Clare Valley sits nicely climatically speaking, but not geographically, between the warm areas such as the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, and the cooler areas such as the Coonawarra. The Cabernet Sauvignon produced in these different zones is very much reflective of the climate...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Typical of Pikes wines this new release Cabernet Merlot has generous fruit and therefore an easy drinking style, but still retains the potential to age and develop further...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Sauvignon Blanc |
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| In typical Pikes fashion this wine is very clean and fresh with clearly defined flavors. The warm days of the ripening period are contrasted with cool evenings, due to the high altitude of the Clare Valley. This diurnal fluctuation prolongs the development of flavor in the berries and when eventually picked they contain the maximum of varietal impact...... |
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FRANKLAND, GREAT SOUTHERN |
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| The potential of this superb grape growing region is now being realized. Great Riesling has virtually been the sole domain of the Clare and Eden Valleys in South Australia, and rightfully so. However, the Lower Great Southern provides some worthy competition. Indeed this wine is a fine example of top quality Riesling that does not come from the traditional classic regions...... |
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AUBURN, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Few wine lovers in Australia would argue with this wine's lofty reputation as the finest example of the Riesling variety produced in the country. This reputation has been established prior to this exciting wine, which in Jeff Grosset's most humble manner well be his finest Riesling to date...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| The consistency of this line of wines is staggering. The Clare Valley was blessed with damn near perfect ripening conditions for the 1997 harvest. It was warm in the summer but substantially cooler in the fall, but most importantly very dry as the grapes were going through the final stages of ripening. This enabled low yielding vines to produce very healthy grapes that were crammed with flavor...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Many of the wine critics in Australia have hailed 1997 in the Clare Valley as one of the greatest vintages ever for Riesling. High praise indeed, and certainly there have been some memorable wines. The vintage has produced wines with superior aging potential than is the norm, and with that objective in mind Neil Pike selected the best parcels of fruit for long term cellaring potential. The result is his Reserve Riesling and it is truly magnificent...... |
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NORTON SUMMIT, ADELAIDE HILLS |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| Last years vintage of this wine was described as being the lighter, more delicate of Roman’s two individual vineyard Chardonnays. The difference in terms of weight for this years vintage is much less, however the more fragrant herbal notes on this wine set the two wines quite apart in terms of style...... |
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CLARENDON |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| These are controversial wines, make no mistake about it. Roman Bratasiuk’s Chardonnay’s are not I the Auastralian genre, nor for the faint-hearted. Think White Burgundy when approaching either of his two single vineyard cuvees...... |
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FRANKLAND, GREAT SOUTHERN |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| Each year there is a marked improvement in the quality of Frankland Estate wines. The wines have always been good, due no doubt, to the superb piece of land on which the vines are planted and the supreme climate of the region. Barrie Smith and Judi Cullam are the real improvers. As they have become more experienced with their fruit they have been able to translate that into wines that not only express the pure varietal character but also display added nuances of complexity...... |
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AUBURN, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| Now firmly established as Australia’s master of Riesling, Jeffrey Grossett has, in recent years turned his attention to towards Chardonnay in order to make another great white wine. The fruit is sourced from a vineyard in Piccadilly, in the Adelaide Hills. Here the climate is cooler than Jeffrey’s Riesling vineyards in the Clare Valley, as the altitude is slightly higher and the prevailing weather patterns moderated by the maritime influence of Port Lincoln...... |
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MCLAREN VALE/ADELAIDE HILLS |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| This is quite a unique regional blend. All the fruit is Chardonnay but two distinctly different climatic areas are used to balance the wine. The majority of the fruit is drawn from the warmth of the McLaren Vale, whilst a significant proportion of cool climate fruit from the Adelaide Hills is employed to add delicacy and length to the wine. The resulting wine is a joy to drink now with the potential to develop further over the next few years...... |
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WATERVALE, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| Stephanie Toole, proprietor/Winemaker of Mount Horrocks is always looking towards pushing the boundaries. Her "Cordon Cut" dessert style has won great acclaim wherever and whenever it has been tasted. More recently her Shiraz has turned heads. Now it is the turn for this superb wine. Last years wine was a great success and perhaps this vintage takes the wine up another notch...... |
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GEELONG |
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January Release |
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Chardonnay |
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| Firmly perched amongst the finest Chardonnay produced in the country it is refreshing to see that Winemaker Gary Farr is not resting on his laurels. This release is quite possibly the finest yet released in this distinguished line...... |
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WATERVALE, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Dessert Wine |
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| This is yet another great dessert wine made using the unique method of cutting the grape bearing vines, or cordons, therefore allowing accelerated ripening and dehydration of the berries...... |
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RIVERINA |
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January Release |
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Dessert Wine |
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| This is a great example of the rich luscious Australian dessert wine style. It is far removed from Sauternes as it has far more sweetness and softer acid. These wines must be assessed as their own style rather than be compared to wine from another country...... |
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NURIOOTPA, BAROSSA VALLEY |
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| This variety continues to grow in importance in Australia and whilst it is fair to say the definitive Merlot style has yet to be revealed, the quality of the evolutionary wines is very high indeed. Good wineries produce good wine, and Elderton’s consistency is once again evident with this superb Merlot...... |
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FRANKLAND, GREAT SOUTHERN |
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January Release |
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Bordeaux Blends |
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| This is yet another superb wine from Frankland Estate who continue to impress with wine that is both varietally true and correct yet displays an abundance of distinctive regional characters. The blend employs all five Bordeaux varieties with Merlot being the most prominent, followed by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and finally just a trace of Petit Verdot. Wines using all five varieties are very rare in Australia with most producers going for the more obvious varietal characters. This wine is far more subtle and complex by a long way...... |
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NURIOOTPA, BAROSSA VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Bordeaux Blends |
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| This wine blends three varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Shiraz (30%) and Merlot (10%). Generally the full bodied monsters from Elderton demand lengthy periods in the cellar, unless you are brave, but this wine has many of the big rich flavors yet it is packaged in a slightly softer finish to allow you to enjoy the wine as a youngster. The key to the softening is the use of both Shiraz and Merlot...... |
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NURIOOTPA, BAROSSA VALLEY |
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| The status of this flagship wine continues to grow. This release will only further the reputation. The Barossa Valley has shown itself to be a region that is perfectly suited to ripen varieties suited to warmer conditions. Shiraz fits into this category, and only fully mature vines with low yields are selected for the Command label...... |
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GEELONG/VICTORIA |
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January Release |
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Case Size: 6/750ml |
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Bordeaux Blends |
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| This 90% Cabernet Sauvignon/10% Merlot blend is very Bordeaux-esque in style. Cool climate aromatics of violets, herbs, a little spice box, and well defined red currants are in evidence. On the palate, there are more fruit nuances, from boysenberry to blackcurrant and even cherry. Elegance is the hallmark of this wine. Its certainly out of the mainstream, and has years to go...... |
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LOWER HUNTER VALLEY |
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Case Size: 12/750ml |
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Semillon |
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