Vintage
An ideal lead up to vintage 2005 was had at Edgehill Vineyard: good winter rains with cool temperatures preceded a perfectly timed spring rain prior to flowering. Budburst occurred at its usual time (mid – late August), followed by a slightly earlier flowering than normally experienced. In the lead up to vintage there was a very even ripening period with few temperature extremes which resulted in the vines photosynthesising longer each day, bringing vintage forward by at least a couple of weeks. 2005 was almost a textbook vintage –Shiraz followed Chardonnay, Cabernet followed Shiraz. Overall, excellent quality grapes resulted from what in hindsight was a very cool summer (reminiscent of 2002) with minimal temperature extremes.
Winemaking
The 2005 Shiraz Viognier was traditionally made in open fermenters, finishing fermentation in a mixture of old and new French and American oak. Both Shiraz and Viognier were picked at the same time with the Shiraz at approximately 14.5 degrees Baumé and the Viognier at about 14 degrees Baumé. Shiraz and Viognier were then co-fermented, leaving the final blend at about 90% Shiraz and 10% Viognier.
Tasting Notes
Wonderful lifted floral characters emerge on the nose, with blackberry, fresh liquorice and forest ‘funk’ following on after a few minutes in the glass. With a classic McLaren Vale palate, the Shiraz Viognier has soft tannins, great structure and dark berries that follow through from the nose. There is a definite hint of musk from the Viognier, which, combined with excellent length make this a wine of balance, texture and great flavour.
Technical Details
| Picking Date | 15th March 2005 |
|---|---|
| pH Level | 3.49 |
| Total Acidity | 6.76g/L |
| Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
Awards
- Gold Medal and Trophy and Best Wine in Show – 2006 Australia and New Zealand Organic Wine Show
- Top 100 – 100 Best Australian Wines Matthew Jukes 2006