The 2005 exhibits a bright, dark red colour, saturated to the rim with ruby ripe plum colours indicative of youthful freshness. The intense primary fruit aroma reveals elegance and sophistication in its balance of concentrated, regional purity of fresh cranberry, cherry, blackberry and spice backed by judicious cedary oak. The palate is full of vibrant charm unfolding with fresh red fruits, cranberry and cherry, followed by aniseed, liquorice, spices and coffee. The structure supports the flavours with a well controlled volume of silky grape and subtle fine-grained oak tannins giving length in a tight structure all the way to the finish revealing the definition and authority of a complex wine capable of extended ageing.
The wine requires opening and decanting some 6-10 hours prior to drinking as a young wine. It will reward those with the appropriate cellar conditions for extended maturation of 20 years o more. Check yearly from 2010 onwards.
Songlines is handcrafted by David Fatches and John Duval from the best Shiraz vines in the McLaren Vale, ageing from 40 - 110 years old. McLaren Vale's unique warm Mediterranean climate cooled by the southern ocean provides the foundation for Songlines. Combine this with the areas huge diversity of quality viticultural soils, altitudes and aspects and you have Shiraz fruit with amazing depth of intensity and purity of fruit. The Songlines vineyards are unirrigated and all yields are below 2 tonnes an acre. All blocks are pruned and picked by hand. This careful organisation allows them to pick not vineyards but row or even vine by vine to ensure optimum harvest time for all fruit.
The winemaking behind Songlines is extremely sophisticated as no individual vineyard parcel is given the same complete treatment. Each vineyard is separated into a minimum of 2 discrete batches for fermentation and different techniques are then applied. All the decisions are made at the time of harvest and not predetermined to a recipe. Each individual parcel is tasted daily and expertly assessed before being acted on to respond to its needs. The result is an amazing process, which builds layers of complexity into Songlines and allows for development in years to come. Fermentation may be hot around 30C or cool around 24C, i may be in open fermentors with piage by hand or with "heading" boards. A ferment may be warmed as it begins to cool or maceration on skins extended for up to 3 weeks. Wild ferments are encouraged although for parcels with higher potential alcohols cultured yeast is used to ensure complete fermentation. 25% of the total is fermented in barrel, giving more intense but softer rounder extraction of oak flavour and tannins. Before being assembled batches are matured for a minimum of 18 months in new oak barrel, 100% French oak.
John Duval & David Fatches, Winemakers
Country:
Australia
Region:
SA- McLaren Vale
Variety:
Wine Red - Shiraz
Size:
750mL
