Cabernets Shiraz Merlot 2005

Published on April 17,2008

tasting notes

Deep red colour, still showing some purple.
Ripe dark fruits on the nose - blackberry, a little blackcurrant - with savoury notes from subtle, spicy oak and a hint of dried herbs.
Full-bodied palate with concentrated flavour and plenty of weight, yet with fine dry tannins giving an impression of elegance. Very good length.
The wine is developing quite slowly. It should gain complexity over at least another six years and could be very long-lived.
- Nick Bulleid, MW (Master of Wine); April 2008

best drinking

2008 – 2012 or more

accolades

  • Gold medal Gippsland Wine Show 2008.

vineyard

Sarsfield Estate Vineyard is located in the Lakes and Wilderness area of East Gippsland, Victoria. Vines and crop levels are carefully managed to produce grapes of the highest quality.

vintage

After a cold, dry and windy spring the 2004-5 growing season gave us a lush summer cooled by good rainfall. A warm, sunny autumn ripened the grapes to perfection. One of the easiest seasons we ever had.

winemaking

The 2005 Sarsfield Estate Cabernets Shiraz Merlot is a single vineyard blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 24% Shiraz and 12% Merlot.
Grapes were fermented in open vats and pressed in a hand-operated wooden press. The wine has been matured for 18 months in French (90%) and American (10%) oak barrels.
Alcohol: 14.2%, Titr. Acidity: 6.6 g/L, pH 3.58