2008 HEAD RED Shiraz Viognier - Barossa Valley (130 cases)At the end of each vintage it is time to reflect upon what Mother Nature has given us. Time is spent tasting each barrel in the winery and decisions are made about their future. In keeping the quality levels as high as possible for The Blonde and The Brunette, I declassified 5 barrels to make a wine called ‘HEAD RED’. The final blend ended up containing 2% co-fermented Viognier skins. The 2008 Blonde will have around 3%. This wine allows a sneak peek of what is to come from the single vineyard wines of the same year, but at a fraction of the cost. Essentially, 2008 was the 1 in 10 year for big, powerful Shiraz in the Barossa Valley. The year produced wines with monstrous levels of extract. If you like power - then this is the vintage for you. Tasting Note for the Head Red:Deep, inky purple, glass staining, almost black in colour. On the nose; sweet blue/black fruits, mulberry spice, some lifted stone fruit developing. The palate has refreshingly high acid with loads of black plum and soft fruit tannin running through the mid and back palate. Chewy, but bright this wine will pair well with any fat/protein dishes and drink marvelously on its own. Will live long in the cellar, but cleverly tamed for drinking now. 2009-2016.
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