This Weekend's Pick

Wine of the Weekend

Elderton Barossa Estate Shiraz 2016

Some of the world’s best wines resemble a recipe. Take a little of this, add a bit of that, and a pinch of something else. That’s where terroir comes into play. Some vineyard sites will produce grapes with one set of characteristics while another will bring different attributes into play. The soil type, amount of sunshine, precipitation and temperature all play a part. This week’s wine, Elderton Barossa Estate Shiraz, uses grapes from three different vineyards, with each adding something a little different to the final wine. It’s proof positive that the sum is greater than the parts.

Tasting Notes: Elderton Barossa Estate Shiraz is 100% Shiraz, showing dense black fruit, baking spices and chocolate aromatics. Plum, berries, chocolate and oak spices dominate the palate which melds seamlessly with supple tannins. This wine is perfectly balanced and can be enjoyed now or over the next 15 years.

Enjoy With: Lamb dishes, especially roast lamb, but also with other roasted or grilled red meats and cheeses like gouda or edam.

Style: A dry, rich, full-bodied red wine.

Terroir/Region: Taken from key, winery-owned vineyards in the Barossa region of Australia, the Ashmead family is able to use the diverse microclimates of the region to create a balanced Shiraz which is hailed as a benchmark of the region. Many of their vineyards have important blocks of old vines, some reaching the ripe old age of 100! These ‘Centurions’ only produce a small number of intensely flavoured grapes which add an extra richness to the wine.

Producer: First planted in the 1890s by German settlers, then purchased by Samuel Elderton Tolly, the vineyards now owned by the Ashmead family (who kept the winery’s original name of Elderton) have seen it all over the years. In the 1970s, they were left to grow wild as the land became derelict, but after these vineyards were purchased by the Ashmeads, they received the highest level of care and now produce top fruit as a result.

Availability: Elderton Barossa Estate Shiraz will be available in the Vintages section of your local LCBO this weekend, but a few stores may already have it on shelf.

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Price: $24.95

LCBO#: #713024

Size: 750mL

Alcohol Content: 14.5% alc./vol.

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