Product Description
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Sanguine Estate, D’Orsa, Shiraz, 2018, Heathcote, Victoria, Australia
Producer Profile
“From the moment we laid eyes on the land, we knew we had discovered something special..”
That something special was rich undulating fields in the shadows of Mt Ida, Heathcote, Central Victoria. Tony and Linda Hunter’s vision was to create a family-run boutique vineyard where quality, passion and energy were reflected in the wine.
Tony’s great great grandfather, Pietro D’Orsa had a vineyard! Saguine’s first vintage had already been bottled before the family discovered that their heir had planted vines nearby in the late 1800’s. On visiting this site, the Hunter family found 6 remnant vines and had them DNA checked to determine their origin.
One remains a mystery, so the family planted a special vineyard from it. For this ancient survivor it will be a new spring, another youth, a sanguine rebirth. So, with this special place comes this very special wine, named after their ancestor…It was in the blood all along.
Viticulture
Like their highly successful 2012 vintage, the 2018 vintage is shaping up to be one of Sanguine’s most exceptional vintages. This is because the 2012 and 2018 vintages followed cooler and wetter years. As an example, the 2017 vintage had the biggest canopies and biggest crops that the Estate had ever experienced and as there was no long heat periods or massive heat spikes during summer it meant the vines remained healthy and could carry the fruit without any trouble.
Although the 2018 vintage that followed was a particularly hot and dry year, there was plenty of subsoil moisture and very healthy vines with lots of energy carried over from 2017 resulting in great yields, strong canopies and tiny grape bunches that could withstand the heat spikes.
Winemaking
All batches are destemmed and lightly crushed and then naturally fermented with wild indigenous yeasts in small open fermenters. At 6 to 8 days, a portion of the wine is transferred to new French oak barriques for barrel fermentation.
The remaining wine is kept on skins for an average of 12 days. All wine is moved around the cellars by gravity to avoid pump shock. The best batches from each harvest are selected and matured in French Oak barriques (60% new) for 24 months and then left to rest in bottle before release.
Tasting Note
This shiraz is a classic with dark purple inky colour eluding to the power of this wine. Very aromatic lifted aromas of black fruits and spice with the 70% stylish, expensive new French oak taking the aromas to the next level of complexity.
The palate is rich and long with blackberry fruit layered throughout. The D’Orsa shiraz from Sanguine are blended to reward the patient but the 2018 is one of the most drinkable vintages to come out of the Sanguine winery.
Goes well with
Beef wellington and mature hard cheeses.
Cellaring
Features
Varieties: Shiraz 100%
Colour: Red
ABV: 14.9%
Closure: Natural Cork
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 6 x 75cl
Country: Australia
Region: Victoria
Vintage: 2018
