Description
"This is an Amarone style wine made from Shiraz grapes. The grapes are hand-picked, just before flavour ripeness, into individual 10kg buckets and then laid out onto separate racks to dry. The drying is carried out in a purpose built, fully insulated shed complete with high intensity air fans to aid the drying process. The length of drying time varies each year and is influenced by a variety of factors including the ripeness of the grape, the ambient heat and humidity and the flavour on tasting. The drying process intensifies the flavours of the grape without losing any of the natural acids present in the grape on picking. The Baumé of the grape is increased during this process by between 0.5 ° and 1.5 °. After drying the grapes are processed into wine." - Winemaker Notes
"Always an intriguing style with Barossa Ranges Shiraz semi-dried in the manner we see in certain Italian regions, known as ‘appassimento’. This method dries the grapes and concentrates sugars and flavours – think Amarone, as one example. Under diam, 450 dozen made. The colour is deep red, maroon. This wine offers such an appealing ripeness and plushness. We have notes of mocha, coffee beans, chocolate, licorice and a lovely quite spicy, even slightly peppery note. The palate sees strong Ouzo notes emerge. A sleek texture, good balance, satiny tannins and a long finish combine seamlessly. Possibly, this will be a little too much in-your-face for some, but I suspect most of us will revel in this delicious effort. Enjoy this for at least the next ten to fifteen years." - 95 Points, Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
