Appearance
Very bright deep crimson in colour
Bouquet
Perfumed bouquet of dark red fruits, peppercorn and lifted spice.
Palate
Light to medium bodied, with fresh acidity and juicy fruit driving the palate. Red cherry, raspberry, soft pippy tannin, and spice to close. Can be served slightly chilled on a warm day.
Fermentation
Shiraz (80%) and Merlot (20%) was destemmed, and then fermented in small open vats using cultured yeast, then pressed off early to tank for malolactic fermentation to maintain fruit and a softer tannin profile. The wine was then blended and bottled unfined in November 2023.
Conclusion
Enjoy now or cellar for 2 to 4 years.
REVIEWS & RATINGS
93 Points & Special Value Red Star, Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion - 'A blend of 80/20% shiraz/merlot, destemmed and matured in mainly older French barriques. A deep, bright crimson. Like the 2022, this needs a few good swirls, or even a quick decant for it to show off a fragrant bouquet redolent of dark cherry, green peppercorns and lifted spice. The palate is juicy and nicely balanced and there's enough tannin to suggest that it will still be in good shape 3–5 years from now'.
90 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 'Smoky/funky reductive aromas at first sniff, with intense black pepper aromas beneath, adding to the complexity. Bright, bold, youthful and slightly raw fruit flavours predominate, with definite cool-grown fragrant spices to the fore. The pepperiness is almost shrill and may be too much for some. I'd like to imagine this will mellow and soften, and build complexity with time, but who knows? The price is nice'.
90 Points, Gary Walshe, Winefront - 'Cherry, plum, green pepper gravy, assorted spice, and a slight rubbery top note. It’s plush, juicy and quite spicy, a bit meaty, soft gummy tannin, with a spicy nutty finish of good length. Nice wine. Slurpy and fun'.