Menagerie of the Barossa GSM
Tasting Notes
Colour
Purple violet, medium-hued, welcoming.
Nose
Aniseed, liquorice, grated dark chocolate with mocha powder dusted atop. Black pepper just ground, bay leaf and nutmeg. And some vanilla sneaking in – hence a neat marriage of the grapes’ aromatics and our lady- winemaker’s judicious use of oak barrels.
Palate
Clean, clear, long and brightly flavoured and textured. An uplifting red wine, displaying grenache’s berry fruit joy, shiraz’s powdery earthiness, and mataro’s peasant’s twinkling eye. The palate ping-pongs with hits of deep, dark fruit, spikes of acidity, and sliding streams of ripe tannins. Barossa – all so eloquently.
Drink
Rhone style blends need few observable protocols. If it is a cold day, roast some root vegetables and some chicken. If it is a hot day then ratatouille and some cold roast chicken – with the wine held in some ice and water. Is this simple seasonal dichotomy the zenith of human achievement?
Background
Dandelion Vineyards is a unique fusion of vineyards and vignerons. Our wines represent decades of experience, blending the fruit of our old vine gardens with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. Dandelion Vineyards are proven plantings that have stood the test of time. Our wish is to nurture the unique character of these vineyards and express their terroir in our wines. Dandelion Vineyards is a unique fusion of vineyards and vignerons. Our wines represent decades of experience, blending the fruit of our old vine gardens with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. At the end of our old vine garden path there is a historic ‘Menagerie’ of three grape varieties,
adjoining blocks of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro at Gomersal in the Barossa. After hand picking selected bunches of our Menagerie field blend in mid March our winemaker Elena Brooks let the whole bunches ferment together in open top fermenters with ambient or ‘other people’s’ yeasts and hand plunging for 14 days, before basket pressing into old French Oak barriques, to then mature for a further 12 months in the same oak, before bottling with minimal winemaking artifact, to capture the essence of our vinous Menagerie of the Barossa.
This vintage of our Menagerie of the Barossa has a high level of natural acidity, and bone dry, it is ménage à trois that makes wine truly of its time and place, a wish come true and a looking glass, if you will, and although ready to drink immediately it will also reward cellaring and decanting.
To find out more about this winery go to the website by clicking here
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Menagerie of the Barossa GSM
We have two other websites supplying specialist quality wines. For the best in Vegan wines go to www.veganwineonline.co.uk, and to see our range of South African wines go to www.southafricanwines.co.uk
£16.49 a bottle
8 in stock
Dandelion Vineyards are proven plantings that have stood the test of time. We grow our own grapes and source from the best of family vineyards. Our wish is to nurture the unique character of these vineyards and express their terroir in our wines.
We believe that to capture variety, vintage and vineyard requires an enlightened approach. Separating single sites, and even single soil types, vine by vine if need be.
Five Red Star Winery: James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
“This is a highly impressive partnership… It brings together vineyards spread across the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Fleurieu Peninsula. Elena is not only the beautiful wife of industry dilettante Zar Brooks, but also an exceptionally gifted winemaker
The Barossa Valley is one of the major regions in Australia, where many of the major wine companies are based. It is believed the first vineyards were planted in the 1840s by Silesian migrants (who settled in Bethany). There followed a rapid expansion of plantations. The early styles of wines produced were heavy dry red wines and fortified wines that were popular both domestically and in Britain. After the Second World War the styles shifted to lighter table wines with production of Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Barossa Valley is home to some very well known names such as Seppelt, Wolf Blass and Penfolds as well as many smaller producers. The climate is Mediterranean with hot dry summers and cool wet winters, making it ideal for viticulture. The main wine styles: White – Semillon, Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon-Chardonnay blend; Red – Shiraz (full bodied & ripe) with Old Vine Shiraz a speciality of many vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Shiraz-Grenache-Mataro blend, Cabernet-Merlot blend.
Red grape varieties and blend styles other than the ones mentioned.
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