Sunday, August 29, 2010

2008 Angove Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon



Uncorking an Australian Cabernet on this wonderful Sunday afternoon. Hope you are having a good one. Here's some details on the wine:


REGION: Coonawarra, South Australia

VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:

The grapes for this wine were sourced from two distinct sites within the famed Coonawarra region. One vineyard on dark loam over limestone just north of Penola contributes distinctive rich fruit and spice. A second located on the eastern side of the Riddoch Highway has mixed dark loam and terra rossa soils which add aromatic flavours of mint and eucalyptus as well as a core of fruit. Together the vineyards produce a synergistic whole which shows off the elegant vibrancy of Coonawarra and its signature variety - Cabernet Sauvignon.

After the dreadful frosts and very low crops of 2007, a relatively normal vintage in 2008 was a welcome surprise. Good weather during flowering lead to average set and a prediction of balanced crop levels. The February heat wave brought harvest forward and reduced crops. Intense concentration was the result of the heat and harvested fruit showed typical flavours of blackcurrant and hall mark Coonawarra tannins.

The grapes were crushed in to 70 year old, 4 tonne concrete open fermenters in the 100 year old traditional cellars. Traditional techniques typically found in Bordeaux winemaking are used in managing this wine. Fermentation is conducted by indigenous yeasts and hand plunged daily. A three week post ferment maceration on skins provides depth complexity and firm tannin structure. Once pressed the wine spends 18 months in French oak barrels. Meticulous barrel selection by Angove winemakers ensure only the best components end up in the finished blend. The wine is estate bottled.

WINEMAKERS’ NOTES:

Deep blue black in colour. The nose has Blackcurrant, sandalwood and dried herbs. The palate delivers distinct blackcurrant, eucalyptus with typical richness and fine tannin structure. This stylish medium bodied wine is definitive Coonawarra.

TECHNICAL:

Alcohol: 14% Alc/Vol
Total Acidity: 5.5 g/L
Residual Sugar: <>

Wow - lotsa info! All I know is that after a few glasses - it all tastes good..

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