Shiraz Wine Reviews - Municipal Wines


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2019 Whitegate Shiraz Tasting Note a) Clear super bright crimson n) Very lifted and complex with lovely red fruits (raspberry, wild strawberry and satsuma plum), black pepper, cardamon, clove, nutmeg and a hint of star anise and cola p) Delicate and fresh, raspberry, rhubarb, cherry, cinnamon bark, fine tannins with excellent structure and fantastic length Wine Profile Region: Strathbogie Ranges Vineyard: Whitegate Vintage: 2019 Production: 230 Cases Harvested: 28/2/2019, 8/3/2019, 10/3/2019 pH: 3.6 T/A: 6.3 Alcohol: 13.1% Vinification: 4 day whole bunch wild fermentation in the vineyard with punch-downs daily, then destemed into tank for the completion of fermentation with punch-downs twice daily to extract tannin and colour with the temperature kept cool to retain the delicate aromas of cool climate Shiraz. The wine was pressed to barrel with MLF completed in barrel. Maturation: 12 months in second, third and fourth use French and Hungarian oak hogsheads and puncheons to avoid overpowering the delicate Shiraz characters yet provide some structure to the wine. Whitegate Vineyard Profile Block: Double Gate Size of Vineyard: 5 Ha Row Orientation: North/South Trellis System: Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) Pruning: Spur Planting Density: 1200 Vines/Ha Average Vine Age: 22 years Climate: Continental climate, warm days followed by very cool nights. MJT: 20.7 Growing Season Rainfall: 320mm-380mm Soil: Grey sandy loam giving way to Decomposed granite Altitude: 480 Meters. Review From Whitegate Vineyard and the Double Gate Block within. Strathbogie Ranges. A very unique producer, and good. This has heart and soul, meatiness, supple texture, density yet lift, stacks of perfume, fine, silky tannins and a persistence of a lip-smacking nature. Dark cherry, wild raspberry and wild herbs, some liquorice/aniseed characters, a touch of dried seaweed and then clove/cinnamon brown spices. Sticks to the gums nicely, a chew through the finish a coup for refreshing after each sip. Very delicious drinking. Mike Bennie - http://www.winefront.com.au

2020 Whitegate Syrah/Tempranillo Tasting Note Colour: Clear and bright crimson red with youthful pink edges. Aroma: Lifted and complex with red and blue fruits, black pepper, wild raspberry, all spice and a well integrated whole bunch dimension. Palate: Medium bodied with red fruits including red currents and satsuma plum, savoury and sweet spices, a lovely cola note from the Tempranillo, delicate tannins, good acid drive and amazing length. A fantastic red for any season. Wine Profile Region: Strathbogie Ranges Vineyard: Whitegate Vintage: 2020 Variety: 89.87% Shiraz / 10.13% Tempranillo Production: 422 Cases Harvested: 20/3/2020 Syrah, 3/2/2020 Tempranillo pH: 3.69 T/A: 6.26 Alcohol: 12.7% Vinification: 3 days in the vineyard post harvest to allow true wild fermentation to begin with punch-downs once per day, then destemed into tank for the completion of fermentation with punch-downs every 6 hours to extract tannin and colour with the temperature kept below 21 degrees to retain the delicate aromas of cool climate Shiraz. The wine was pressed to barrel with MLF completed in barrel. Maturation: 17 months in a mix of new French and Hungarian oak puncheons and older oak to avoid overpowering the delicacy of this wine yet provide structure. Bottled unfined and unfiltered Whitegate Syrah/Tempranillo Vineyard Profile Size of Vineyard Block: 4.9 ha Syrah & 0.5 Ha Tempranillo Row Orientation: East/West Syrah & North/South Tempranillo Trellis System: Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) Pruning: Spur Planting density: 1,200 Vines/Ha Average Vine Age: 16 years Climate: Continental climate, warm days followed by very cool nights. MJT: 20.7 Growing Season Rainfall: 320mm-380mm Soil: Sandy loam, giving way to decomposed granite. Altitude: 480 Meters Review From Whitegate Vineyard. Municipal Wines are a regular, repeat offender in our house, which is a rare thing as with the trappings of this job comes a scarcity of things drunk twice in a year, but lo and behold, Municipal Wines are bought over and again. A step up in interesting wines has occurred with recent releases. If you are interested in drinking broadly, and haven’t gone here, you should. Get a mixed six from winemaker Matt Froude and away you go. No affiliation here, just being a sophist about a great producer that flies under the radar. This is a belter of a drink. Carafe and tumblers ahoy! It’s sloshy and juicy, fresh and slightly savoury, dark cherry, cranberry, cola, liquorice and exotic spice, a bit of twiggy chew and finishes crisp then drying with fine, lacy tannin. You get the gist. It’s a fun wine at the same time as a very interesting wine. It took a chill well too. Shit yeah! Mike Bennie - http://www.winefront.com.au

2015 No Intervention Home Vineyard Shiraz The vines in this vineyard are unirrigated and grown without the use of any chemicals. The wines are bottled unfined, unfiltered and without the use of pumps. Tasting Note Colour: Bright, medium plus intensity, crimson. Aroma: Very complex with medium plus intensity, blue fruits, sour plums, raspberry, violets, all spice, hints of pepper, an underlying French oak spicy note and a touch of sappyness from the whole bunch ferment. Palate: Medium body, high acid, fine powdery tannins, medium plus intensity with good structure and balance. The flavour profile includes red fruits, cinnamon and nutmeg, hints of black pepper, cardamom, and a touch of vanilla. The finish is long and persistent. Wine Profile Region: Strathbogie Ranges Vineyard: Home Vintage: 2015 Variety: 98% Shiraz, 2% Viognier Production: 98 Cases Harvested: 2/3/15, 14/3/15 and 12/4/15 pH: 3.42 T/A: 6.0 Alcohol: 12.7% Fermentation: The three picks were fermented and matured separately. The first pick included 15% whole bunch and was fermented for 14 days between 20 and 27 degrees to achieve great colour without harsh extraction. The second pick was 100% destemed, co fermented with 4% Viognier for 8 days between 22 and 32 degrees to achieve great colour extraction and give lift and perfume. The third pick was fermented 100% whole bunch for 13 days below 20 degrees to get great structure without harsh extraction. Concurrent malolactic fermentation was conducted prior to barrel maturation. Maturation: 16 months in oak 40% new French oak Radoux puncheon (400L) to provide structure and oak nuances without overwhelming the fruit and 60% oak greater than three years old to retain the varietal character. Home Vineyard Profile Size of Block: 0.81 Ha Row Orientation: North / South Trellis System: Single Wire Pruning: Unpruned Average Vine Age: 15 years Yield: 1.87 T/Ha Climate: Continental climate, warm days followed by very cool nights. MJT: 20.7 Growing Season Rainfall: 320mm-380mm Soil: Loam over sand Altitude: 200 Meters Review Great drinking experience and will mature short to pretty well, it feels. Fragrant with garam masala spice, touch of cedar, all woven through dark plummy fruit with whiffs of dark cherry. The palate is true medium weight, has quite surprising concentration of flavour, really bright, frisky acid profile that drives the wine long, true and through to a fine, puckering finish. Sleek and elegant, a smooth dark of dark fruit and woody spice, lingers well and feels pretty smart all up. Mike Bennie - http://www.winefront.com.au

2017 Whitegate Shiraz Tasting Note Colour: Clear, Bright, crimson red with youthful pink edges. Aroma: Very intense and complex with a lovely spicy character, red and black currents, black pepper, wild raspberry, clove, all spice and a well integrated whole bunch dimension. Think Syrah (specifically Cote Rotie) Palate: Medium body with black and white pepper, red fruits including red currents and satsuma plum, sweet spices, delicate tannins, good acid drive and amazing length. Ageing Capacity: Ten years plus Wine Profile Region: Strathbogie Ranges Vineyard: Whitegate Vintage: 2017 Variety: 100% Shiraz Production: 235 Cases Harvested: 14/4/2017 pH: 3.62 T/A: 5.9 Alcohol: 12.8% Vinification: 4 day wild fermentation in the vineyard (which was possible due to the cold April nights ) without punch-downs, then destemed into tank for the completion of fermentation with punch-downs every 6 hours to extract tannin and colour with the temperature kept below 24 degrees to retain the delicate aromas of cool climate Shiraz. The wine was pressed to barrel with MLF completed in barrel. Maturation: 12 months in second and third use French and Hungarian oak hogsheads and puncheons to avoid overpowering the delicacy of the 2017 Shiraz yet provide some structure to the wine. Whitegate Vineyard Profile Block: Rocky Hill Size of Vineyard: 7 Ha Row Orientation: East / West Trellis System: Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) Pruning: Spur Planting Density: 1200 Vines/Ha Average Vine Age: 20 years Yield: 4.35T/Ha Climate: Continental climate, warm days followed by very cool nights. MJT: 20.7 Growing Season Rainfall: 320mm-380mm Soil: Grey sandy loam giving way to Decomposed granite Altitude: 480 Meters. Review Smells like Australian bushwalks, eucalyptus, sweet earth, paperbark bark, old campfire, pretty bitter flowers and dried leaves. Nice. Savoury flavours too, autumnal, dark berries in there, dried plum, saline notes. Neat swish of light, lacy tannins emerge, some ferrous characters. Character filled, delicious, intriguing. Mike Bennie - http://www.winefront.com.au

2014 Whitegate Shiraz Tasting Note Colour: Bright, medium plus intensity, crimson. Aroma: Clean, medium plus intensity, blood plum, cardamom, white pepper, vanilla, and clove. Palate: Dry, high acid, balanced persistent tannins, medium intensity harmoniously structured body. Flavour profile includes plums, rhubarb, white pepper, clove, aniseed/liquorish, with prolonged opening, black fruits begin to appear. The finish is persistent and long. Wine Profile Region: Strathbogie Ranges Vineyard: Whitegate Vintage: 2014 Variety: 100% Shiraz Production: 133 Cases Harvested: 11/4/2014 & 18/4/2014 pH: 3.54 T/A: 6.34 Alcohol: 13.5% Fermentation: A 14 day ferment kept below 25 degrees, to achieve great colour without harsh extraction. Concurrent malolactic fermentation was conducted prior to barrel maturation. Maturation: 18 months in old hogsheads (3 years plus) to highlight the varietal character. This wine is a blend of the best four barrels of vintage 2014 Shiraz. Whitegate Vineyard Profile Size of Vineyard: 4.9 Ha Row Orientation: North / South Trellis System: Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) Pruning: Spur Planting Density: 1200 Vines/Ha Average Vine Age: 20 years Yield: 4.35T/Ha Climate: Continental climate, warm days followed by very cool nights. MJT: 20.7 Growing Season Rainfall: 320mm-380mm Soil: Grey sandy loam giving way to Decomposed granite Altitude: 480 Meters.