2013 Tatiarra Caravan of Dreams Shiraz Pressings

2013 Tatiarra - The vintage we have been waiting for.

The 2013 vintage was an outstanding one throughout Central and Northern Victoria with the Heathcote region being one of the standouts producing fruit of spectacular quality. At Tatiarra good Winter rains were followed by a period from September right through to harvest in which virtually no rainfall occurred. Summer temperatures were high throughout this period. As a result of these warmer conditions vintage started on the 5th March, roughly 1 week ahead of schedule.

Dropping of fruit began earlier than usual and the controlling of canopy cover resulted in excellent flavour development. The diligent use of the limited water resources at critical times by vineyard manager Bob Wilson during this dry period meant the vineyard flourished. There’s no doubting that in years to come the 2013 wines will be considered to be up there with the best Tatiarra has produced if not the very best. Such has been the enthusiasm for these wines from the moment the fruit was picked that the anticipation of their release has been building by the month. Upon completion of tasting and compiling the final blends winemaker Ben Riggs commented…. “Wow and ouch. Wow because 2013 blends are crazy good and ouch cause geeze that’s a hard tasting, so concentrated and awesome.” But these are not just super concentrated fruit bombs, they also possesses an underlying structure that will see all of the wines have very long cellaring potentials.

The Caravan of Dreams takes its name from the aspirations of the vineyard’s founder, Bill Hepburn, who in the early 1990’s planted the original Tatiarra block consisting of ten acres of Shiraz vines. The early years of preparing the soil and planting the vineyard were difficult, with the only accommodation on the site being a caravan and a 'thunderbox'. However, when the cold winters in the caravan proved to be a strain on his health Bill Hepburn passed the dream onto Tatiarra.

Unashamedly individual and unfettered by fashion or convention, Caravan of Dreams has captured the hearts of wine lovers world wide and frequently approached the mythical three digit rating from more than a few critics. The catch 22 is that there's no potential to dramatically increase volumes due to the very nature of a pressings wine.

An Out of This World Vinous Experience.

Featuring a level of glass staining colour saturation that’s comparable only to the 2013 Warrabilla’s this wine displays an impenetrable midnight black core with a very deep dark purple black hue. Heady and intoxicating, aromatics of ripe blackberries, liquorice, cassis like characters and ripe dark plum flood the olfactory senses followed by dark chocolate, vanillin oak and spice. Outrageously rich and concentrated the palate drives like a V12 engine with controlled high octane power at its best. Opulent fruit flavours of ripe blackberries, liquorice, cassis and black plum completely saturate every corner of the palate with underlying nuances of vanilln oak, meaty crushed rock like characters and blackpepper. Huge muscular tannins take on an almost velvet like appearance beneath the massive core of fruit. Exceptionally long aftertaste of ripe blackberries, liquorice, black cherries, crushed rock, toasty vanillin oak and blackpepper. A very special wine – Do not miss out.
Cellar 20 years plus.
Alc 15%

Other Reviews.....
Made by winemaker Ben Riggs, unashamedly bombastic in style, but well balanced. For lovers of the style, it dials it right into the slot. Incredible length. Incredible depth of flavour. Incredible concentration and sopping up of fancy oak characters. It's a wine that will warm the cockles but also thrill for its presence.
95 points
Mike Bennie - WBM