Shiraz is the most widely planted grape variety in Australia. It currently represents 40% of the total red grape crush and constitutes 20% of all wine grape production in Australia. Offering a range of styles often defined by the terroir of the region no other grape has such a uniquely Australian character.

With its soft ripe tannins, it can be crafted into wines suitable for immediate consumption or by the artistry of the winemaker, sculptured into a wine with longevity that show layers of intoxicating complexity with age.

Ranging from softer styles with ripe blackberry, plums, licorice and distinctive black pepper tones to fuller bodied wines, packed with flavours of spice, plum, blueberry, and chocolate where oak and alcohol form an integral part of the sensory appeal. It is without doubt Australia's flagship variety, both domestically and internationally.

In recent years, with the availability of increased plantings of Viognier in Australia, winemakers have increasingly blended Shiraz Viognier combinations.  Typically, Shiraz Viognier blends have a perfumed aroma and softer tannins which make these wines suitable to enjoy while relatively young.

Australia produces a distinct array of Cabernet Sauvignon styles, with climate having a significant impact on the sensory characteristics of the variety. The underlying characters common to all Cabernet Sauvignons are drying, mouth puckering tannins which whether combined with the minty and leafy characters intermingled with blackcurrant and red berries from cooler climates or  the chocolate and tobacco characters expressed in warmer climates, the end result are wines unlike any others found throughout the world.

A classic Australian blend is that of Cabernet and Shiraz. Fleshy Shiraz fruit weaves itself into Cabernets framework, producing a wine with fabulous structure and flavour. But whether it's a component of a blend, or a stand-alone varietal, the quality and character of Cabernet Sauvignon shines through.

Merlot is most famous in its homeland of Bordeaux in France, where it is used to make some of the world's greatest and most expensive wines. It is most suited to  appellations of Pomerol and St Emilion, and with its characteristic fleshy, supple mid-palate its inclusion improves the balance and structure of a wine Cabernet dominant wines in the appellations of the Medoc.

It is a versatile variety, playing an important role in blends as well as being successful as a straight varietal. When seen on its own, it will be full of attractive primary fruit flavours of plums, red currant, mint, pimento, game, earth and leather. Its tannins are invariably soft and velvety making Merlot a good early drinking style

Merlot makes a perfect partner for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sangiovese with its beginnings thought to predate Roman times, is considered one of the top two red grapes (the other being Nebbiolo) in Italy. It is extensively planted - particulary in the central and southern regions and is believed to have originated in Tuscany, where it dominates today. The name is derived from 'sanguis Jovis' meaning "the blood of Jove (Jupiter)" and the wine is most noted for the production of Tuscany's Chianti, Brunello di Monalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano.

Sangiovese is a large family of grapevines with a lot of variation between regions and clones. The Sangiovese vines are initially broadly divided into two main groups distinguished by having big berries (Sangiovese Grosso) or small berries (Sangiovese Piccolo), and they are further categorised by the regions from which they originate, or by other qualities. The best Sangiovese wines are made from clones of Sangiovese Grosso - type vines.

This Italian Variety does best in low fertility soils and a warm dry climate and because of the similarity of the McLaren Vale climate to that of Italy, the region is vigorously exploring new Italian varieties. The general climatic conditions and the manipulation of the micro-climate in the vineyard is leading to the production of some wonderful new wines that offer wine drinkers new experiences.

THE WINE
Sangiovese wines tends to be a bright, deep garnet, often showing a brown edge, even when young. They display aromas of raspberry, dark cherries and plums underlined with earthy characters and nuances of tobacco, licorice and old leather. The flavours are savoury and complex with moderate levels of fruit tannin and clean acidity.

With aging these wines tend towards a brick red colour and take on a velvety texture with a rich, multi-layered complexity that echoes the nuances of coffee, cedar and a floral bouquet.

SERVING
Sangiovese can be rather subdued when first opened, and may taste quite dry and even slightly sour or bitter. Ideally, after pouring, allow the wine to aerate in the glass for a short time or, better still, decant the bottle an hour prior to serving to lift the fruit flavours and bring out the wines earthy, rustic characters.

Barbera is the principle grapevine variety planted in the Piedmonte region of north-western Italy, and is one of the country’s most commonly planted red varieties.  It is a moderately late ripening variety which maintains good fruity flavours, good colour, lower levels of tannins and high levels of natural acidity at full ripeness.

Barbera is generally regarded as a vine that will regularily and consistently produce good quality fruit in many different regions and a wide variety of management systems. Because of its naturally lower levels of tannins, it is considered to be an excellent wine for oak treatment.

  DOUBLE GOLD

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION

2003

--------

HYATT/ADVERTISER WINE OF THE YEAR AWARD

CONSUMERS CHOICE (OTHER REDS)

2003

The Petit Verdot grape variety is one of the six approved grapes for making red wines in the Bordeaux region of France. One of Bordeaux’s classic red grape varieties, it has long been established in the Medoc, probable longer than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Because Petit Verdot tends to ripen late in the season and is often lost to rains during harvest, it is following another variety, Carmenere, into near extinction in the Bordeaux region.  Plantings of this variety are on the rise in Australia because the weather there allows for consistent ripening of the grapes.

It is a very dark, thick-skinned  grape that produces a wine of considerable depth with the colour intensity and spice similar to that of Shiraz. Much like Shiraz the wines often display peppery and fragrant aromas but with added nuiances of ‘violets’ which makes the nose very attractive. 

In McLaren Vale, vintages characterized by a long, warm growing season produce wines from Petit Verdot that are deep in color, with a superb aroma, bouquet, and rich flavour.

Cabernet Franc is thought to be one of the parent grape varieites that gave rise to the Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar in bordeaux in the late 17th century. Just like Cabenret Sauvignon it is full of tannin, but less outspoken in aroma and taste, and somewhat more herbal and spicy.

While it has come to play an important though minor role in Bordeaux blends otherwise dominated by Cabenret Sauvignon and Merlot, it is a major grape variety of the Loire Valley in France where it is considered the foundation grape for the best red wines from the region. These wines are fruity, violet and raspberry scented, with medium body and exceptional charm.

Cabernet Franc is also planted in Italy, notable as a contributor to some great super tuscan wines, and more widely in Fruili-Venezia-Giulia, Trentino Alti-Adige and Veneto where it contributes to 25 different D.O.C. Blends.