2002 Tatiarra Cambrian Shiraz

The Shiraz wines from Tatiarra Vineyard have been put through the most rigorous tasting schedule that we can recall. The masked wines were 'cross examined' against some of Australia's great Shiraz wines including the 1998 Penfolds Grange, 2002 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock, 2001 Red Edge, 2001 Gibson's Australian Old Vine Collection and 2001 Summerfield Reserve. The reason for such a vigorous approach is because our Chairman, NICK CHLEBNIKOWSKI has shares in this public company which he co-founded with his friend and Tatiarra C.E.O., BILL SPRING. We must stress that from the outset when we learnt that the 'ol’man' was going to start a vineyard we made it very clear that we would NOT grant him any favours, or allow NICKS WINE MERCHANTS - VINTAGE DIRECT to be used as a selling vehicle for wine that we did not consider worthy. We told them both that their wines would be subjected to more scrutiny than any other. Nicks Wine Merchants - Vintage Direct had too much to lose by selling an ordinary wine just because the 'ol’man' was involved. Nick and Bill went on to raise funds from wine lovers and purchased an existing Shiraz vineyard in the Heathcote district. The key objective of Tatiarra Limited was to be a world class niche player producing extraordinary Shiraz. That is the story that Nick and Bill sold - and that's what they had to live up to. The Tatiarra Vineyard consists of 143 acres of Cambrian Earth, North facing on the Western face of Mount Camel in the Heathcote District. The vines were planted by BILL HEPBURN in the early 1990's. The existing vineyard consists of 10 acres of low cropping vines, with the 2002 vintage yielding a miniscule 1.6 tonnes per acre.

The vineyard is managed by IAN RATHJEN, whose own WHISTLING EAGLE VINEYARD has achieved cult status overnight. The vines are managed in such a way to produce intensely black, highly concentrated fruit. Planting of a further 13 acres of shiraz should be completed by the end of November 2003. Water is applied judiciously and only when required to reduce vine stress which can occur at flowering, variason or sometimes during the growing season. The grapes are hand picked in the morning and transferred that afternoon to Pettavel Winery in Geelong where they are immediately crushed. Tatiarra winemaker BEN RIGGS selects a range of French and American new and used barrels thus ensuring maximum complexity of flavour by creating layers in the wine. Different fermentation techniques are also employed. Pettavel winemaker PETER FLEWELLYN manages the wines progress on a day to day basis. Each barrel is progressively tasted and the final selection is made by a tasting team including the two winemakers. Wine not up to the exacting standards required for Tatiarra is sold off as TATIARRA CULLED BARREL.

Still alive and kicking the 2002 has an abundance of rich fruit that saturates the palate over a background of tertiary characters.

Re-tasted 18/03/2016:
The colour is holding up very well exhibiting a totally opaque black dark red core and a deep very dark red hue. Intense aromas of liquorice and ripe blackberries are overlaid by scorched earth and spicy leather with blackpepper end notes. Rich and powerful, there’s certainly no shortage of fruit here. Concentrated flavours of liquorice, black cherries and blackberries burst onto the palate with underlying nuances of scorched earth, spicy leather and a long peppery finish. Velvet smooth tannins. Excellent length with a very long aftertaste of liquorice, black cherry, scorched earth, smoky leather and blackpepper.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc 15.5% 

Originally tasted October 2003:
The grapes for this wine were cropped at 1.6 tonnes per acre, producing a wine of immense power and concentration. Totally opaque black purple colour. It would be impossible to extract any more colour from Shiraz. Magnificent nose of liquorice, plum, spice and blackberry over a very distinctive black pepper end note. The palate flavours are powerful, forceful yet completely balanced. Layers of blackberries, black pepper, liquorice, plums and spice are overlayed with cedar and vanilla. The tannins are distinctive, assertive but perfectly necessary to support the volumes of fruit that lay abundant on the palate. Exceptionally long aftertaste of liquorice, spice and black pepper.
Alc./Vol.15.5%
Cellar 15-20 years (2018-2023)
98 points 

Other Reviews....
The beautiful 2002 Shiraz Cambrian First Release, produced from yields of 1.3 tons of fruit per acre and aged 18 months in new French oak, reveals aromas of lavender, dusty earth, sweet black currants, and blackberries. With a gorgeous texture, full body, and wonderful ripeness as well as length, this impressive Shiraz should hit its prime in 2-4 years, and age for 12-15.
91 points
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #155