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1995 Petaluma Coonawarra Red

Coonawarra, South Australia, AUSTRALIA
$39. 95
Bottle
$479.4 Dozen
Closure: Cork

Croser is very defensive of the 1995 Coonawarra vintage and raises the important issues of yield, picking date and grape varieties. The 1995 vintage was cool, that can't be denied, with a heat summation of 1345C days. This compares with 1373C days in 1993, 1336C days in 1984 and 1384C days in 1980. The average in Coonawarra is 1413C days, and in Bordeaux it is 1326C. Cool years certainly require a close eye to be kept on yield, and these were kept low. It is also important to maximise the use of early ripening varieties, such as Merlot. The 1995 Petaluma Coonawarra has a 27% Merlot component and 73% Cabernet, however, even more importantly the crop was picked prior to the Easter rains, so that as far as possible Croser managed to get his viticulture practise spot on. The wine has Croser's signature all over it. A combination of superb ripe fruit and expensive top quality French oak. Opaque crimson colour with mauve edges. The nose is outstanding, driven by aromas of ripe blackcurrant and mulberry with confectionary spice overtones. The palate requires some time to completely fill out - it is not the voluptuous wine of 1992, but will blossom within 5 years. Dusty Cabernet and liquorice flavours linger, and are supported by plum and blackcurrants. Very fine grained tannin structure, excellent balance and long plum blackcurrant aftertaste. Cellar 5 - 8 years.