The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Wine Description
The Story
From some of the oldest grenache blocks in McLaren Vale, came the opportunity to create a wine whose heritage dates back to our founder Robert Strangways Wigley’s time. Wigley was an eccentric whose lust for life had at times seen him fall foul of the law in his home town. In fact, one episode involving the ‘acquisition’ of the famous Adelaide pie-cart and a joy ride through the city streets was the catalyst for banishment to McLaren Vale. However Wigley did not abscond into the wilderness. He became known for his world class wines - including fortifieds made with the grenache of the day - and helped to build the reputation of McLaren Vale.
Oak Maturation – Seasoned french oak puncheons (500L) up to ten years old.
Vinification – Fruit was hand-picked in the last week of March at optimal fruit flavour and tannin ripeness. At the winery, grapes were then gently crushed and destemmed to two-tonne open fermentation vessels, some of which had a small component of whole bunches. Ferments lasted around nine days, through this time fruit was hand plunged and pumped over to extract the desired level of tannin, colour and flavour. After 15 to 16 days on skins, wines were basket pressed to stainless steel and on the completion of primary fermentation, filled to seasoned French oak puncheons. After nine months on malo lees in oak, select barrels were blended to tank, lightly fined and filtered in the lead-up to bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Colour – Brilliant crimson.
Bouquet – Heady and exotic, the wine is redolent with raspberry and red licorice as well as rose water and an array of spices: star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg with hints of galangal and black pepper. There is also a whiff of thyme and leather.
Palate – Luscious red fruits give a succulent quality to the texture. The palate is generously fleshy with a line of fine, sandy tannins running its length. Darker fruits, florals and spices are very expressive and persistent at the finish.
Food Pairing – Spiced slow roast duck.
Professional Reviews
… I am convinced that this will be a firm favourite with its torpedo-shaped delivery of black and red fruit coupled with one of the silkiest grenache chassis you will ever find. – Matthew Jukes, 100 Best Australian Wines 2019/20
Wirra’s top grenache has a wild-raspberry edge with baked biscuit and red plums, as well as a fragrant rose and pastry edge. The freshness is attractive and the juicy core of raspberries here is impressively long. Drink or hold. –Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com 95
Wine Information
Technical Details
pH 3.59
T.A. 5.3g/L
RS Dry
ALC 14.5%
Winemakers – Paul Smith, Tom Ravech and Kelly Wellingto
Vintage 2018
AUSTRALIA: Very promising quality with the most optimistic reviewers declaring 2018 great in every region and for every variety. The more cautious view is that early frosts reduced yields, but that consistent good weather throughout the second half of the growing season actually resulted in great potential.
Barossa 2018 vintage to savor
The 2018 Barossa vintage was completed at the end of April 2018, with growers and winemakers satisfied with a high quality vintage and good yields.
“The flavors and colors of the reds are wonderful, and the natural acids in the Eden Valley whites surprisingly high, with early varieties this year including Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet,” said Louisa Rose, head of winemaking at Yalumba.
The growing season is off to a good start, with winter 2017 precipitation about 10% above average. However, spring rainfall was only 78% of average in the Barossa Valley (BV) and 98% in the Eden Valley (EV), and December rainfall was only 57%. % of average in BV (88% in EV).
Drier soils, combined with warmer than average days in October and November (October 2ºC above average in VB (1.8ºC in EV) and November 1.1ºC above average in BV (1.6 ºC in EV), allowed the vine canopies to grow quickly, to flower well and to form a good number of clusters.
January and February were hot and dry, with very hot temperatures in February slowing the rate of ripening. January was slightly above average (1.4°C during the day but closer to average at night) and February was about average during the day, but with nighttime temperatures significantly warmer than average. average in the Barossa Valley (5.8°C warmer).
With summer rainfall at 50% of average, growers with access to water, soil moisture monitoring, good irrigation management and healthy soils experienced less stress – and subsequently delivered healthy fruit and consistent yields.
The Indian summer of March and early April was “the icing on the cake”, with average temperatures, without extremes, perfect for ending the vintage. The 28-30mm of rain on April 14-15 did not cause any major problems for picking – and was a welcome post-harvest watering for most Barossa growers.
Overall, in 2018, Barossa Valley crushed 56,970 tonnes*, down 22% from the 2017 vintage, but 9% from the five-year average. In 2018, Eden Valley crushed 11,593 tonnes*, down 3% compared to 2017.
The total Barossa crush of 68,563 tonnes* represented 9% of the total volume and 25% of the total crush value in South Australia.
Average prices for Barossa Valley varieties remained stable in 2018, with Shiraz at $2252 per tonne, down 1% from last year. At Eden Valley, the average price of Shiraz increased by 11% to $2636 per tonne and Cabernet Sauvignon increased by 15% to $2354.
*Wine Australia estimates the response rate for wine grape crush in South Africa to be 85%, so the actual total Barossa crush is estimated at between 75,000 and 80,000 tonnes.
