Keith Tulloch Shiraz

There can be no wines in this list more highly acclaimed than those of Keith Tulloch. We are enthralled by their purity, intensity and uniquely defined style. James Halliday commented "I cannot remember being more impressed with an initial release of wines than those under the Keith Tulloch label. There is the same almost obsessive attention to detail, the same almost ascetic intellectual approach, the same refusal to accept anything but the best". For those who may have tasted any legendary Hunter Shiraz wines of the 40's, 50's and 60's, tasting many of the modern Hunter wines can be a depressing experience but Keith Tulloch is very different, adding to that great legacy with a series of wines that uniquely capture the exotic spice and hedonistic pleasure of dense and rich Shiraz fruit in a medium bodied wine that has the sensuous, subtle velvety texture of fine Burgundy.

Shiraz, Viogner

Vintage experience in the Rhone Valley during 1996 showed Keith Tulloch the magic of Viognier co-fermenting with Shiraz. The great reds of Cote Rotie are renowned for their small blended percentage of the white grape variety Viognier. Many of the beguilingly perfumed, silky textured, and finer tannin reds of the Rhone are made in this way, and this certainly contributes in part to their young-drinking charm. When blended Viognier can stabilize and enhance the colour of Shiraz, bringing a glaze or sheen to the wine. A silky texture rather than a taste with floral aromas, heighten the Shiraz characters.

A Rhone Valley style, with the Shiraz co-fermented with 5% Viognier in open vats. Both varietal components are fully ripe when harvested late in the Vintage, producing bright richness of aroma and soft complexity to the palate. The wine is matured for 12 months in fine French oak barriques adding cedar complexity.

A Rhone Valley style, with fully ripe Shiraz characters of blood plum and ripe black cherry fruit balanced with the exotic Viognier aromas of citrus blossom and rose petal. In Keith's own words "Viognier is like Chardonnay on steroids!" and when married together with Shiraz, these two varieties combine magically to produce a palate with richer aromatic charm, warm briar berry spice and a velvety medium-bodied balance. With a rich, ripe black-fruit softness on entry, and smooth roundness and chocolatey softness onto the finish. Adding to the mix is the finely integrated weave of supple oak, and a delicate floral hint of violets and rose-petal resulting in a beautifully complete blend.