1998 Bleasdale Frank Potts Dry Red

AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN - AN EXCEPTIONAL WINE

Bleasdale wines don’t exactly stir the hearts or minds of wine connoisseurs or collectors, being generally viewed as ‘honest and representing good value for money.’ Historically, the Potts family and the Bleasdale Vineyards are one of Australia’s great treasures.The founder, the highly inventive, industrious and resourceful Frank Potts is a 19th century genius, and a pioneer who has been described as being “made of the right stuff and well worthy of the grand old land that gave him birth.” Frank Potts arrived in Australia as a 21 year old, having set sail from Plymouth England, and landing late in 1836. By the 1860’s, he had planted the original 30 acres of vineyard on the banks of the Bremmer Creek. Frank Potts was highly admired “One meets with extraordinary characters through life, but I doubt whether his equal could be found. In appearance a stranger would take him to be a poor labourer, with a thin, spare figure and long unkempt hair and invariably wearing his shirt sleeves tucked up. Although a most uncouth-looking person, and yet this man is a perfect genius! There is not a single thing mechanical or otherwise undertaken by him which he does not succeed in...” So remarked Inspector Tolmer, who was later to become Commissioner of Police, South Australia.

Today Michael Potts is the fifth generation winemaker, and with the release of the 1998 Bleasdale Frank Potts Red Blend will change the perception from a ‘sleepy’ vineyard to a super premium producer. In the year of Federation, no individual could better represent the pioneering spirit of the past than Frank Potts. The quality of the 1998 vintage needs no further comment, except to say that it was clearly the ‘Vintage of the Century.’ The Frank Potts blend is an exceptional wine which displays great complexity of flavour, in part due to the ‘Bordeaux inspired’ blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. At the time of writing, it would appear that Australian Wine Show judges concur with our assessment of this exceptional red, having awarded the wine 8 Gold Medals and 3 Trophies.

“CONSIDERING THE QUALITY OF THE 1998 VINTAGE & THE FORTHCOMING PRICE RISES ON MANY OF THE 1999 RELEASES, THIS WINE REPRESENTS REMARKABLE VALUE FOR MONEY. ”

TASTING NOTES: Opaque crimson mauve colour. The nose delivers a superb sniff with aromas of blackcurrant, violets, vanilla, blackberry and spice. Outstanding fruit flavours on the palate, mouthfilling, with flavours of spice, blackcurrants, cedar and pepper. Very intense and concentrated, with excellent depth and length. Fine grained tannins, firm, but balanced, dry, followed by a very long aftertaste of spice, blackpepper, blackcurrant and cedar. Cellar 5-8 years. The Frank Potts blend is a rare opportunity to acquire a wine with immense history and considerable drinking and investment upside. Stocks Are Limited!

RATING: 95/100

VALUE: XXXXX/5