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2019 SAXONVALE WHITE LABEL SHIRAZ MOURVEDRE
These two varieties are planted as a Field Blend on the Saxonvale Vineyard. The entire Hunter has Shiraz vines, but we are not sure who had the foresight to plant the Mourvèdre back in the late 1960’s. However, we now have this vineyard and are glad they did. The original plantings were trained as ‘bush vines’ and the variety mix is about 85% Shiraz and 15% Mourvèdre. We first released this wine in 2005 and it is a consistent favourite with a real cult following.
Growing Season
Small bunches and intensely flavoured fruit with bright aromatics was a characteristic of the 2019 vintage, resulting in beautifully ripe and healthy fruit that we hand picked in mid January. Fruit quality was exceptionally high.
Vineyard
Planted as a field blend, the grapes were picked from a 3 hectare block on our Saxonvale vineyard. Mourvèdre thrives in a hot, dry climate and produces small bunches of intensely flavoured berries. The Mourvèdre ripens later than the Shiraz so we wait until it is ready and pick it all together. The Shiraz is very ripe at this stage, so the style of wine is bigger and has a higher potential alcohol than our other reds.
Winemaking
The grapes were picked and co-fermented under cool conditions using cultured aromatic yeast. The wine was then placed in new and old French oak barriques where it matured for 12 months prior to bottling. The intense tannins of the Mourvèdre help lift the spicy notes of the Shiraz.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of mulberry and black currants, followed by a palate of cocoa and rich forest fruits. Fine tannins and subtle oak frame the fruit providing a fuller style of Hunter Valley Shiraz with lifted aromatics from the Mourvèdre.
Wine Composition
pH 3.42
Titratable Acidity 7.1g/L
Alcohol 14%
Residual Sugar < 1g/L
Vine Age
60 years
Food Match
Wagyu Sirloin with roasted fennel and roasted beetroots
Cellaring Potential
20 + years
Accolades
Gold medal 2020 Hunter Valley Wine Show
Gold medal 2020 NSW Wine Show
93 points The Real Review Stuart Knox
James Halliday 5 Star Winery 2009 - 2021
$50.00 |