THE WINE

This current release is a medium crimson colour with aromas of ripe blood plums and dried herbs. These aromas follow through to the palate which has dark plum and berry fruit flavours with soft tannins and balanced acidity. It is an elegant medium-bodied wine that can be enjoyed now but will also cellar well for 4 – 6 years from vintage.

THE GRAPE VARIETY

Although little known or planted in Australia, Barbera is one of the most widely planted grape varieties in Italy. A native of the Piedmont region in the hilly north-west of the country, it is regarded with great fondness by local vignerons, as it is a generous bearer and produces elegant wines full of natural spicy fruit, crisp balancing acidity and relatively low tannin. These factors make it the perfect partner to the wide range of foods enjoyed through the seasons. Italian immigrants who settled here both before and immediately after the Second World War brought Barbera to Australian shores. In the 1970s some of these immigrants and their children brought the first plantings of the variety to the King Valley where it is gaining increasing recognition as a premium grape variety of enormous potential.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The Barbera grapes used to make this wine were grown at our Banksdale and Heathcote vineyards. The grapes were harvested in parcels from mid to late March at a range of baumé levels from 13.7° to 14.6°. After fermentation was completed the wine spent 12 months in predominantly 4 year old French oak barriques. It was bottled with an alcohol of 14.5%, a pH of 3.56 and an acid level of 6.2 g/L.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This delicious young red wine would make a wonderful partner to a rack of lamb infused with rosemary and served with crisp roasted vegetables. It would also compliment linguini tossed with proscuitto, garlic, anchovies, olives and breadcrumbs. Alternatively a cassoulet with chicken, pork and beef or grilled lamb and rosemary sausages served with a cherry tomato and black olive salad.

Cellaring of 4 to 6 years