A new review and a new medal!

So, in following up to my previous entry, I am exceptionally proud to announce that we have won a Silver Medal at the 2009 Barossa Wine Show for our Karra Yerta Wines 2006 Shiraz Cabernet! At 52.5 points, it was equal second in its class. As this was our first time entering the Barossa Wine Show we were totally flabbergasted. Here is a link to the online Barossa Wine Show results book: http://www.barossa.com/lib/pdf/mf289.pdf

Our other entry, the 2009 Karra Yerta Wines Eden Valley Riesling scored 44 points and stood on equal footing with many other fine rieslings including some from Henschke and Yalumba so despite not getting a medal, we were still really happy with the result. To top it off, on the same day that we discovered our BWS results we also received the following fabulous review from Andrew Graham (http://www.ozwinereview.com/2009/09/karra-yerta-shiraz-cabernet-2006.html) Thanks Andrew for your glowing report!

Karra Yerta Shiraz Cabernet 2006 (Barossa & Eden Valley, SA)
$25, Screwcap, 14.5%

There are, according to the Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Directory, 2320 wineries in Australia (as of this year). Karra Yerta, with an annual production of only several hundred cartons, is one of the smallest amongst them (the website tagline is 'one of Australia's smallest wineries').

What Karra Yerta shares with Australia's finest wineries, however, is character. Character derived from old (up to 80 year old) vineyards, in an exceptional grape growing area (Chris Ringland's 'Three Rivers vineyard' is several hundred metres away, with the original Pewsey vineyards also close by) and produced with passion (converse with the energetic Marie Linke, caretaker of the vineyard with her partner James, and you will get a sense of this).

The ultimate results are fine quality, handmade, unpretentious wines, made in tiny quantities and happily representative of the patch of dirt they were produced of.

A formula that sits very easily with me.

This Shiraz Cabernet then is produced from 87% estate Shiraz, blended with some Barossa floor Shiraz and topped up with 13% Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Surprisingly this spent 24 months in oak, a heroic level for what is a $25 bottle of wine, but it doesn't do this any disservice.

Judging by the colour alone, this looks like quite a beast: It pours deep blood red and is rimmed with youthful purple. The nose matches the sentiment, with rich blackberry jam, vanillan oak and a twist of formic. It smells deep and warm and cosseting and, well, Barossan.

Nice.

Matching the nose, the palate is rich and sweetly red berried, the oak driving the palate weight forward and edging it with vanillan sweetness. Initially I thought this was just a tad too obvious and full, but the hints of Eden Valley milk chocolate through the middle had me hooked.

Just to reinforce the quality, the tail end has a great flow of flavour and thrust, coupled with a complete absence of heat (good to see in a 14.5% ABV red).

Nice again.

It is hard then to argue with any element of this red. The oak is a bit prominent and sweet, but I'm not worried about it integrating, so there is little case for any discordance. Really all I can do is join the chorus and rave about how good this is.

So what you get is a genuine Barossan red, that will cellar well, with plenty of the aforementioned character and appeal, for just $25 a bottle. Bargain. 18.2/93

Posted by Andrew Graham at 5:18 PM

Spring is here... and the tastings have begun.

Since my last entry, James and I have progressed with the pruning and tying on and the vineyard is looking fairly tidy; just a day or two's mowing to be done yet.

In between that workload, we entered some of our wines into a few local events; the first being the "Taste of Spring Eden Valley Riesling Tasting" which was a trade event for winery representatives and media, and the second being the 2009 Barossa Wine Show.

The Barossa, of course, was at it's beautiful best. Springtime here is really lovely and the visitors to these events were not disappointed. With the events located at the Eden Valley Institute, Chateau Tanunda and Yalumba Wines, the historical beauty of the venues only complemented the many superb wines being offered. The photo above is of one of the tables at the 2009 Barossa Wine Show Exhibitor's Tasting at Yalumba last Friday and the one below is of setting up the tables ready for a divine lunch prepared by Gill Radford (of Radford Wines) after a morning tasting seventy-five different Eden Valley rieslings from thirty-five different producers. The riesling tasting was held on Thursday.

I may be slightly biased but the long tables set up with the assortment of rieslings, including rare museum stocks, was something to be in awe of and I must admit that I was amazed that there were so many. Although I was incredibly busy for most of the day helping Gill and her staff with the setting up, serving and clearing, I did manage to taste quite a few of the wines (not as many as I would have liked but that may have been near impossible for me anyway!) and must admit that I was completely entranced by this often overlooked variety which is so incredibly special. There is not much that compares to an aged riesling in respect to softness and I think a lot of the media present agreed.