Explorateur Shiraz 2005
The Colonial Estate
Barossa Valley, South Australia
Classic ripe Shiraz that is handpicked from old Shiraz Vines based in the north of the Barossa Valley. The grapes are double-sorted – by bunch and then by grape - on arrival at the winery and, after fermentation, aged in French oak for a year. Purple in colour with a round, enveloping taste.
Grapes are sourced from blocks of old vines situated around the North of the Barossa Valley: Marananga, Ebenezer, Light Pass, Greenock, Angaston and Stockwell. Viticultural practises include minimal irrigation, low cropping and canopy management to maximise fruit maturation under optimum conditions. When judged flavour-ripe the grapes were handpicked into shallow trays.
Each block is vinified separately in order to optimise its individual characteristics. On arrival at the winery the grapes are sorted pre- and post-destemming (double triage) and crushed on entry into the vats. After a short pre-fermentation maceration period in which colour and fresh fruit aromas are extracted, the fermentation is started. The wine is rotation pumped during primary fermentation and also during the maceration period, which may be up to 3 weeks, after which the wine is run-off into French barrels.
12 months on average in a blend of new, one and two year old French oak casks. After tasting, the final blend is determined a month or so before bottling.
Dense plum/crimson colour. Sweet berry fruit with a lovely nutty, toasty uplift of oak on the nose. Good fruit with fat, chewy tannins and a lingering, flavoursome finish.
95, Robert Parker
The blockbuster, inky/ruby/purple-hued 2005 Explorateur Shiraz offers sweet aromas of blackberries, white pepper, licorice, and graphite. While full-bodied, powerful, and rich, it also displays striking finesse and elegance, no doubt because of its aging in French oak. It should last for 15 or more years. Drink 2006-2021.
93, Stephen Tanzer
Inky violet. Rich, powerful aromas of dark cherry, licorice, espresso and printer’s ink. A big, dense shiraz with a serious, brooding quality to the dark fruit. Substantial dusty tannins come up with aeration, further emphasizing the wine’s masculine side. Finishes with notes of sweet dark berry liqueur and licorice.”
90, Wine Spectator
Supple and silky in texture, with a lovely range of red plum and blackberry flavors, which linger on the plush finish, but without excess weight. Drink now through 2015
Noel Young
“This is a full throttle Shiraz from the impressive Colonial Estate. This is another really impressive young wine. Full rich berry fruit on the nose, spice, oak and some chocolatey oak. Really rich on the palate lovely high toned cassis and plum. Quite a roasted and meaty flavour with black cherry, plum, coffee and toasty oak. It’s got a lovely texture with loads of fruit, spice, and integrated oak. Tannins too, but very ripe. It’s a pretty hedonistic, voluptuois style - but not just a fruit bomb - it’s structured, layered and long, though needs 2-3 years to really flesh out.”
