Port Phillip Estate Shiraz 2009
Tasting Notes

Vineyard

The wines of Port Phillip Estate aim to manifest terroir, an integration of our geology and soils, with the macroclimate of our region, the mesoclimates of the various sites within our vineyard and the weather of the annual grape growing season. Our cultural operations in the vineyard and our husbandry in the winery endeavour at all times to articulate these unique characteristics diligently, respectfully and without artifice. The Port Phillip Estate Shiraz is a single vineyard wine produced from 0.53 hectares of estate fruit.

Vintage

Rains in the Winter of 2008 were encouraging and although budburst was early, conditions were more typical for Spring and early Summer than for the previous several years. The cool weather did compromise flowering and fruit set however, so the yield potential was low. Concurrent days of extreme heatwave conditions in early February had an understandably severe impact, sunburning fruit on the western sides of the vine rows. However, for the growth stage of the fruit at Port Phillip Estate this simply resulted in shrivel and drop of scorched berries, reducing yield further but not compromising quality. The resulting harvest was about 50% less than what is considered appropriate for Port Phillip Estate but asides from the week of freakish heat, the 2008 – 2009 growing season was essentially benign, with amenable temperatures and rainfall events occurring at appropriate intervals. The tiny yields produced wines of high natural acidity and unusually intense varietal fruit character.

Winemaking

The fruit is fermented with indigenous yeasts in an open pot, and matured in French oak (25% new). Malolactic fermentation is also indigenous, and the period of elévage is 18 months. This wine is bottled without fining or filtration and only 100 dozen were produced in the 2009 vintage.

Wine Analysis

Alcohol – 13.0%

Tasting Note - March 2011

A deep purplish-maroon. The nose shows powerful lift with an attractive roast-meatiness, notes of black pepper, savoury spice, sous-bois and dusty earth. The palate is medium bodied and savoury yet rich, with a red to blue fruit attack and an attractive plumpness to complement the tannin spectrum.

Cellaring

With careful cellaring, this wine has very good potential for ageing.

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2009 (PDF)

2008 (PDF)

2007 (PDF)

Port Phillip Estate Shiraz 2009
Reviews

THE AGE GOOD WINE GUIDE, 2012

When this region gets the spice and ripeness going, it’s a very alluring proposition. There’s plenty of that here, along with a very handy whole-bunch character that makes for engaging fragrant perfume: bright plum and blackberry, and a little pepper too. The palate delivers juicy, sapid tang, with a web of fine tannin, dark chocolate and ripe red and blue fruits. Sandro Mosele has delivered a very compelling stylistic development here – truly inspired!. Rating 94

NICK STOCK

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