The Colonial Estate
Exile Barossa Shiraz 2015

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Barossa

Winemaker's Notes:

Colour: Deep and dark centre with maroon and cherry red colour hue.

Bouquet: Lusciously provocative with cherry and blackberry notes on the nose followed by layers of earth, dark plums, coffee and pepper.

Palate: Still very youthful upon release bright and concentrated which reflects it will cellar well so suggest decanting well before consumption if drunk early. There is fresh cut plum, blackberry, juicy cassis, dried spice and melted dark chocolate notes. The underlying earthy character becomes more apparent when allowed to breathe; this also allows the layers of tannin to become more apparent whilst a slight touch of natural fruit acid and the solid core of well integrated oak will ensure longevity and development in the bottle.

Cellaring Potential: Should evolve beautifully in bottle over the next couple of decades.

Winemaking Details: 2016 was a stunning vintage we were blessed with perfect conditions, which ensured excellent quality fruit, despite yields being well below average. The bulk of the fruit was sourced from an old vineyard in Marananga, which is dry grown and includes a block of vines over 110 years in age. The vines that make up Exile were pruned severely and received a run of green harvesting finally producing just one and a half tonne to the acre maximum.

The fruit was basket pressed and fermented in small 1 and 2 tonne fermenters, it was hand plunged daily, the wine was matured for an extended period on lees to maintain the fruit profile and ensure it’s a pure reflection of the vineyard. We matured the wine in Hogheads and Puncheon barrels for 24 months prior to being bottled with minimal filtration.