2019 Whicher Ridge Tapalinga Shiraz (Malbec)
2019 Whicher Ridge Tapalinga Shiraz (Malbec)
The Shiraz grapes for this wine are grown in the Tapalinga vineyard in Cowaramup which we are leasing, in the Margaret River region. The 8% of Malbec is from the Knotting Hill Vineyard, also in Margaret River.
The way we handle our shiraz ferments is very labour intensive, but the end results in terms of colour and flavour extraction is well worth the hard work. We ferment our reds in open topped fermenters, with alternating hand plunging, followed by draining off skins into a tank, then returning onto skins with lots of splashing and aeration, happening 2 to 3 times a day. The wine completes fermentation through to dryness on skins then it’s pressed off skins using a basket press. (Still more shovelling!)
We then mature this wine in tank, about 1/3, and in a mix of new to older french oak barrels for 18 months.
Our 2019 Tapalinga Shiraz has juicy flavours of blueberry, plums and cherries, fragrant white pepper, savoury spices and hints of fragrant mocha and chocolate. On the palate, the red and dark berry flavours continue, balanced by soft velvety tannins. This wine is refined and elegant in style, and it will age for a for a number of years too if desired.
This wine is a blend of 92% shiraz and 8% malbec. The Margaret River Wine Region consistently produces intensely flavoured shiraz that’s perfect for making a soft, fruity, textured wine. the Malbec intensifies the dark berry flavours and add a firmer tannin structure.
Vintage in the Margaret River and Geographe Wine Regions started late due to the mild and cool spring weather experienced all across the southern part of Western Australia. The cooler weather continued on into Summer and the milder temperatures during ripening helped to maintain the fresh, floral and fruity aromas in the earlier white varieties. The Shiraz from 2019 is quite stunning in their liveliness and intensity of flavours. The Malbec adds some firmer tannins and flavour length.
The Shiraz and malbec grapes come from two vineyards, the Tapalinga Vineyard in Cowaramup, and the Knotting Hill Knotting Hill vineyard in the Metricup region of Margaret River. The soils are gravelly ironstone with sandy loams and gently undulating terrain, delivers shiraz that is quite distinctive to the Cowaramup sub-region with a mix of riper blueberry and raspberry flavours, and in warmer years more cherry, balckeberry jam and blood plum flavours.
Tomato, squash, cumin, sage, white beans, cloves, saffron, black olives, fennel, pepper, juniper berries, anise, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate, radicchio, thai mint, basil , cinnamon basil, chervil
$25.60 every 6 months
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