John Duval Plexus Barossa Valley Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre
One of the world’s great winemakers, John Duval was given the ‘Grange’ torch by Max Schubert, the man who created Australia’s most famous wine. John passed it on to his successor when he left Penfolds in 2003 to start his own label. He sources fruit from longtime friends in the Barossa, all of whom own vineyards with vines aged from 50 to 100 years old. The wines are made with minimal intervention and showcase the best of the Barossa.
The Shiraz grapes were sourced from old vineyards in the Krondorf, Marananga and Ebenezer sub-regions of Barossa, with a parcel from Eden Valley included for its vibrant aromatics and flavour, while the Grenache grapes were sourced from vineyards located at Tanunda and Ebenezer, and the Mourvèdre from Light Pass and Ebenezer.
Dry conditions for the second year in a row presented some challenges, with yields again well down. Despite the dry conditions, February and March were cooler than average, providing a long and even ripening period. The resulting wines are of very high quality, with great purity and depth of fruit characters.
The parcels of fruit were fermented separately with a submerged cap in small open stainless-steel fermenters. A portion of the Grenache ferment included whole bunches to accentuate the savoury aspects of the variety. The wines were matured in barrel for 15 months, with 15% in new fine grain French oak hogsheads and 85% in older seasoned hogsheads.
This Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre blend has lifted vibrant black fruits on the nose with underlying notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and smoke. Generous, velvety layers of red and black fruits abound on the palate, with abundant savoury spice, fine, soft tannins, and bright acidity ensuring a long and pure finish.
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