$36.90
Tasting Notes
As soon as this wine is poured into the glass the colour is black to the core, with aromas of red/black fruits especially blackcurrants with an attractive ash note, a subtle herbal lift with cedar and char. Once on the palate this wine is full of lively red fruits and blackcurrants, chocolate and ash. The finish is long and juicy balanced by firm fine tannins.
Cellaring
Drink now until 2025 with careful cellaring.
Viticulture
This Cabernet sauvignon was sourced from our Estate vineyard in the Willunga area to the South of McLaren Vale on a block of deep red clay/loam with an even spread of quartz and slate shale. The vineyard is 40 years old and is trellised with two cordons approximately 600mm apart. This structure allows ensure an open canopy allowing light ingress and air movement resulting in even ripening and low disease pressure. In 2012 this block yielded just over 2.5t/acre, which we were happy with considering some blocks in the northern zone of Seaview were hit by a heavy hail storm in late 2011 losing a significant level of fruit. In saying that, the resultant wines from these blocks were still rich and long.
McLaren Vale received a much needed drink in early February and then another on the 1st March (60mm/2”). After a challenging 2011, due to rain, some growers became extremely nervous with this second rain event, but thankfully there were no negative effects seen. This second rain was just what the vines needed and the following dry mild weather helped finish this Cabernet’s ripening perfectly.
Vinification & Maturation
Fermentation was even and on average lasted roughly 9 days with a maximum temperature of 28oC. Total time on skins was 16 days. Upon pressing, the free run and pressings were blended to tank. After 24 hours, the wine was racked to 2-4 year old French barriques for 12 months, during which malolactic fermentation occurred and the wines were racked twice. Prior to bottling the batches were blended and lightly fined, but not filtered.
Technical
Harvested – March 2012
Bottled – April 2013
Alcohol – 14.8%
$118.90
Tasting Notes
Colour – black core with deep red rim.
Nose – is full of dark fruits and spice with fresh charcuterie, graphite, subtle earth and peppery
Palate – the most restrained of the Barossa Valley trio, the 2013 Moppa exhibits a backbone of fresh and juicy dark fruits with subtle spice and earth notes that carry through to the late palate, balanced with fine savoury tannins giving a long seamless finish.
Cellaring Drink now to 2030 if cellared well.
Viticulture Situated on the south eastern slope of Mt Moppa, vineyard is at an altitude of approximately 400m above sea level, and a soil profile of deep red/ brown loam, mottled with quartz and ironstone fragments. The rows run north-south, and the combined elevation and southerly aspect contribute to the softness and spiciness of this Shiraz, with Moppa being the most elegant and restrained of the 3 wines.
$23.90
Winemaker Matt Wenk
Tasting Notes
In the glass this wine is a pale straw with a green hue, initially the nose is full of citrus, honeydew and kiwi fruit, which then evolves showing hints of straw, minerals and subtle oyster shell and sandlewood. Once on the palate, the 2017 is dominated by citrus and passionfruit, coupled with some herbal straw characters and balanced with mineral mouthwatering acidity, fine texture and has great length.
Cellaring
Smidge recommends drinking this wine over the next 3 to 4 years.
Viticulture
The 2017 growing season was mainly warm and dry leading up to the start of the ripening period at which time, the mercury rose deliver- ing some very hot weather, making us all very nervous. In mid Feb- ruary, a much needed day long downpour was experienced, with a few lazy showers over the following days. This event reset the ripen- ing cycle, resulting in many blocks, including this Sauvignon blanc, ripening evenly over the following weeks in near perfect dry and mild conditions.
Vinification & Maturation
This wine was produced from fruit that was pressed lightly, with the free run only being used. The juice components were then settled before separately being cold fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts. This year approximately 2% barrel fermented fruit was blended. All parcels were blended, fined and filtered prior to being bottled.
$23.90
Houdini 2017 McLaren Vale Grenache Rosé