2016 Breaking Ground Tempranillo Graciano Shiraz

NEW RELEASE

Wine Profile

Our Breaking Ground Range celebrates our focus on innovation pioneering alternative wines and wine styles.

We pioneered the inter-planting (field blend) of these 3 varieties together here in the Hunter Valley in 2010. Picked at the same time and vinified together as a single wine we find the Tempranillo provides the rich fruit, Graciano gives the necessary acid and the Shiraz provides the tannin. The vineyard is planted on the red volcanic soil of the Fordwich Sill and this gives the wine it’s Hunter earthiness along with its savoury fruit and rustic tannins, typical of a Spanish wine.

Region      Broke Fordwich, Hunter Valley

Vineyard   Timbervines Vineyard

Tasting Notes  Rich dark berries, fine acidity and well integrated tannins

Colour    Deep Purple

Nose  Purple fruits, violets, cassis, charred oak and warm spice

Palate  Cherry and black current, hints of oak with subtle tannins and balanced acidity to finish

Food Match Spiced duck breast, farro and mustard cherries

Cellaring  Cellar for 3 years or up to 15 for best enjoyment

Winemakers Notes  The 2016 vintage was a cooler vintage but a good vintage for reds in the Hunter, making more elegant and spicy reds. The grapes were picked at full ripeness and were fermented under cool conditions using cultured aromatic yeast.  After fermentation the wine was placed in a mixture of new and used French and American oak barriques where it matured for 20 months prior to bottling. Savoury fruit and soft tannins coupled with the well defined acid strength of the Graciano fill out the palate of this wine ensuring wonderfully crafted medium bodied wine.

Alcohol – 14.0 %               pH- 3.72                  TA – 6.7 g/l