1997 Balnaves Coonawarra Shiraz

The fruit for this wine came from 22 year old vines of the original Balnaves Shiraz block. Various fermentation techniques were employed to give the wine added complexity. Some parcels were hand plunged in small one tonne fermenters, whilst others were fermented in conventional vinomatic fermenters. The wine was matured for 14 months in American Hogsheads. Opaque crimson mauve colour. Superb nose with aromas of vanilla, plum, violets, chocolate, blackberry and spice. Mouthfilling, generous ripe fruit flavours filled with blackberry, spice and chocolate. Excellent length and persistence, perfect balance, fine grained firmish tannins and very long chocolate, plum, liquorice and blackberry aftertaste. An excellent example of Coonawarra Shiraz.