Monday, May 16, 2011

Finally, I'm back on the chain gang: 2009 Eden Valley Cabernet reviews

Whoa! I can't believe it has been so long since my last blog post. Indeed, it's been a crazy, busy year but I'm Back On The Chain Gang and writing again. Yes, we may have lost our entire crop from the Karra Yerta Barossa Ranges vineyard, for perhaps the first time in fifteen or more years, but we did manage to source tiny amounts of Barossa Cabernet and Barossa Shiraz to make a 2011 Shiraz Cabernet. It was a very difficult vintage, and such a wet summer proved too much for the incredible old vines to cope with, despite the best efforts by James. They fare much better in temperatures nearing the mid-forties.

Thus, I have been clearing our other Karra Yerta stock and working hard at Collective Barossa with not only our wines, but those of Gumpara Wines and Kurtz Family Vineyards. Most rewarding. If I thought I was in for a lazy few months until next vintage, I was mistaken. All good though; the great reviews keep coming and finally, I feel like we are making progress with our (Karra Yerta) brand recognition. There's nothing better than a midnight surprise of finding an email order in one of my inboxes:)


Our website is desperately in need of updating, and this will be tended to once our fabulous webmaster returns from a two month long holiday in the UK. In the interim, I'll be posting the past three months' reviews on here and also putting up some other posts that I have written in the previous months. The draft on the post about my trip to Brisbane in May is almost complete but I'm finding it hard to not write a novel! Yes, what an experience!


In the meantime, here are the swag of reviews that we have received since my last post i
n April.

Tuesday 3rd May 2011 on his website Wine Will Eat Itself:

Karra Yerta 2009 Eden Valley Cabernet
Eden Valley 14.0% Screwcap $25

Flavours and aromas first; Blackberry, boysenberry, cigar leaf, mocha and spice with just a touch of mint on the finish. It's very bright and the fruit gets lighter in colour as it moves through its line, reaching raspberry coulis by the end of the road...but the intensity never
wavers.

Love the structure here. The acidity and tannin are spot on ensuring that it not only drinks well now but will hold together as it improves over the mid-term (at least). Truth be told, I'm not generally a fan of Eden Valley Cabernet but I am a fan of this. Not unusually for Karra Yerta, it over delivers for the price.


Only 32 cases were made so you might want to move fast on this one. Drink it young or drink it with some age. Either way, you can't lose.


Winery website-
www.karrayertawines.com.au/


Next, is Andrew Graham's review of July 4th, 2011 from his website Australian Wine review. (http://www.ozwinereview.com/2011/07/karra-yerta-eden-valley-cabernet.htm)

Karra Yerta Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Eden Valley, SA)
14%, Screwcap, $25 Source: Sample www.karrayertawines.com.au

This comes from High Eden (which is the only official Barossan subregion by the way, the rest are unofficial. That's David Wynn's doing) and, with only 32 cases produced, it's a rare beast indeed. I don't think it's as dark, concentrated and sinewy as the 'estate' Shiraz, though no doubting the appeal.


The core of that appeal is just how bright it is. Bright and juicy, looking ripe if somewhat simple in style. There's a nose of blackberry, etched in sweet and easy French oak, and then more light sweet blackberries. Palate too is all easy openness and light, with bouncy blackberry fruit and even, soft tannins.


I actually thought this might be a little too simple real enjoyment, but considering that it still looked vibrant (and surprisingly serious) the next day, I'm erring in it's favour. 17.1/90



Finally, here's the review from Gary Walsh of The Wine Front (http://www.winefront.com.au/karra-yerta-cabernet-sauvignon-2009/) which was posted on his website on July 1st, 2011:

Karra Yerta Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
It’s labelled on the front as Barossa Ranges, but comes from High Eden, which sounds like a really nice sort of place – somewhere you might eat apples in the nude, play with snakes and smoke spliffs – guilt free preferably. This is a total production of 32 dozen and yet the winery is professional enough to have a bottle image available.


A brown sauce like spice along with some mint and lavender perfume lends it immediate interest. There’s dark fruit flavours along with something fresher, like wild strawberries, and a dried herb savouriness. Medium weight, yet fleshy, with firm silty tannins and excellent pitch and carry. Not over-made and charismatic too. Think it’s going to age very well and most likely improve (more importantly). Sort of want to rate it higher, but I’ll hang the plus sign on the front door for this one instead.


Rated : 93+ Points
Tasted : Jun 11
Alcohol : 14%

Price : $25

Closure : Screwcap

Drink : 2012 - 2019+