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Major Sir Thomas Mitchell left more than just an invaluable bequeth of our nation's most detailed frontier maps. Mitchell distinguished himself in Wellington's army during the Napoleonic wars in the renowned 95th Baker Rifles. A gifted draftsman, he found his way to the nascent colonies of Australia, where his acumen at mapmaking won him the office of Surveyor General. During one of Mitchell's historical expeditions, he charted the fertile lands around Victoria's Goulburn Valley, establishing the colonial fruitgrowing township of Mitchell's Town. The district's auspicious orchards flourished until Colin Preece identified the region as an opportune place to grow world class wine. Vineyards thusly planted around the Goulburn billabongs, came to be known as Mitchelton. Now a half century of age, the vines remain one of Victoria's venerable sources of superbly structured, deeply flavoursome wines... Barriques between the billabongs»
One of the Australian west's most enduring marques, the illustrious vineyards of Howard Park are now in their fourth and fifth decade. Langton's Listed and recipient of the most prestigious accolades, Grande Medialle d'Or Concours Mondial and London International Wine & Spirits Competition. Howard Park were established from the ground up with a strict adherence to sustainable, holistic viticulture. Planted to sheep studs along Margaret River's Wilyabrup Creek, drawing fruit from the oldest Cabernet vines on Mount Barker, renowned for opulence and structure, they continue to deliver a range of superlative single vineyard bottlings with each vintage... The virtuous vines of howard park»

Cape Barren Old Vine Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia
From fruit grown exclusively to the prestigious Blewitt Springs Vineyard, previously the source of Shiraz grapes for several icon wines. Located at an altitude of 300 feet, Blewitt Springs is a small site enjoying cooler climes and longer ripening period than the nearby mesoclimes of Willunga and McLaren Vale. These exceptional, low yielding vines at The Springs are eighty to a hundred twenty years of age and at best yield a precious two tonnes per acre. The unique terroir of the site translates into an elegant single vineyard Shiraz with a profound depth of flavour.
The precious old vineyard at Blewitt Springs is protected on all sides from strong winds by native forest and mature tree windbreaks. The vines were planted some eighty to eighty five years ago and produce very small yields of the most intensely flavoured Shiraz. Fruit is vinified for several days in upright static fermenters at around 25C to 27C. Batches are pumped over twice daily, run off skins and pressed at near dryness. A third is transferred to new French oak hogsheads for completion. The balance is filled to oak after fermenting to dry. Components are matured up to eighteen months in a combination new and seasoned French and American oak barriques and hogsheads.
Richly coloured, dense with purple hues. Intense lift of dark chocolate and plum characters with hints of five spice excite the senses. Blackberry intensity immediately fills the palate, mixing seamlessly with dark chocolate and mocha. Powerful soft tannins are harmoniously in balance, achieving the holy grail of power and finesse. A long, persistent finish is supported by a subtle oak accent and soft, supple tannins.
Cape Barren
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Cape Barren
Cape Barren Wines create generous and profound wines, sourced from some of South Australia's finest vineyard sites

Located in the renowned McLaren Vale region of South Australia, the Cape Barren vineyards benefit from the unique maritime climate of long warm summers cooled by afternoon ocean breezes, ideal conditions for grapes destined for full-bodied red wines. Starting from humble beginnings with the first vintage in 1999, Cape Barren Wines is the result of a 35 year friendship between Peter Matthews, who has 30 years experience in executive Sales and General Management, and Brian Ledgard, a third generation grape grower, and their lifelong interest in vineyards and wine. Their ambition was and is, to produce full bodied wine of uncompromised quality and excellence.

Cape Barren

Cape Barren Wines are made from fruit parcels carefully selected from premium estate vineyards throughout the McLaren Vale. Cape Barren first produced the Old Vine Shiraz, and as the name suggests, the fruit was selected from the 70 year old vines at Blewitt Springs. This wine quickly gained a reputation and was followed by the introduction of the Native Goose Grenache Shiraz Mourvédre and the Native Goose Shiraz. Most recently was the addition of Silly Goose, a blend of Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc and McLaren Vale Semillon and Viognier.

Cape Barren is comprised of over 150 acres of quality vineyards across the McLaren Vale region of South Australia, including Willunga and the premium Blewitt Springs area. Slightly elevated, the Blewitt Springs sub-region is bordered by the Adelaide foothills. At around 150m above sea level the higher altitude promotes slower ripening, allowing the fruit to mature over a longer time frame, promoting superior flavour development. The Blewitt Springs vineyard is gently undulating with a unique soil structure of very deep sand over ironstone.

The precious vines at Blewitt Springs are protected on all sides from strong winds by native forest and mature tree windbreaks. These 25 acres of vines were planted some 70 years ago, the old vines produce a low yield of approximately two tonne per acre. Only select parcels of fruit from this vineyard make it into the Reserve Release Old Vine Shiraz. The unique terroir of this vineyard allows the crafting of an elegant Shiraz that possesses a profound depth of flavour.

Cape Barren

McLaren Vale is only 37km from the heart of Adelaide CBD and situated on the beautiful and geographically diverse Fleurieu Peninsula. Known for its mild climate McLaren Vale is home to some of the best wine grapes in the country. The Willunga sub-region of McLaren Vale is located on the coastal plain, near the southern ocean providing a strong maritime influence. The fertile soils are red brown alluvial loams, sandy and darker soils with a climate typically of cool wet winters and warm dry summers.

In recent years Australian and International wine critics have sung the praises of McLaren Vale Shiraz, earmarking McLaren Vale as one of the best Shiraz producing regions in the world. The estate's winemaking team crafts abundantly flavoured wines which are supported by a structure and backbone that will deliver improvement with a decade in the cellar. The reds are matured in French oak hogsheads and American oak barriques for many months, with a policy of minimal handling.

Cape Barren Old Vine Shiraz is a wine of uncompromising quality and rare excellence. The warm summers at the Blewitt Springs vineyard are often accompanied by the arrival of magnificent Cape Barren Geese. These rare and striking birds, once feared near extinction, are welcome visitors to the vineyard, and Cape Barren have named their immensely successful flagship wine after them. Cape Barren Old Vine Shiraz is being recognised as a benchmark McLaren red. This generously flavoured wine shows the plum, black fruit and spice flavours of Shiraz combined with an earthy complexity faithful to its McLaren Vale origins.

Cape Barren