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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (1)
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines
The company just added a new brand to our growing portfolio of wines. "Tarrawatta" is the name. The wines are produced from vineyards we bought a few years ago, located in Eden Valley (Barossa, South Australia).
Tarrawatta wines include a Grenache, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Shiraz and a high-end blend called "Godswalk". The first vintage was produced in 2018.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (2)
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
We did a tasting last week with the wine team, including the Sommeliers of our various restaurants.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (3) Tasting with the team
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Already enjoyable for some despite their youth, and very approachable both by taste and prices.
Here are my tasting notes:
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (3) Grenache
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Ambervale Grenache 2018
Recommended market price about 50 Australian dollars (roughly between 280-300 HKD retail)
Nice, fruity, ripe, plummy nose, with dark ripe fruit and earthy notes.
Medium to full-bodied, fruity, palate, exhibiting nuances of mocha, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, spice. The fruit seems a slight touch over-ripped for my palate (yet nothing bad or unagreeable with, and, in fact, quite usual with some Southern Australia wines). Not bad, a bit rustic on the tannins, earthy finish. Nice overall, fairly complex, yet a touch rough right now. Give it another 6 to 8 months to round up a bit and open up.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (4) Grenache
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Technical details:
Produced from 2 patches of vines planted on red loam soils. Aged for 20 months in new French oak (500l barrels) Grainy tatins. Taste very similar to a Chateauneuf du Pape. Cellaring: 2 to 6 years, up to 10 max.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (5) Shiraz
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Ambervale Shiraz 2018
Recommended market price about 50 Australian dollars (roughly between 280-300 HKD retail)
Gentle nose with aromas of chocolate milk, (typical of the Shiraz grape), more mineral, mint, floral notes (lavender) and ripe red cherry fruit. Light to medium-bodied, with an enticing mix of flavours like pepper, milk chocolate, earth, spices and purple flowers. Taste much lighter than the grenache, yet seems more complex, with a richer, broader spectrum of aromas and flavours. The finish is quite nice, with a slight hint of green bitterness (some green pepper and black pepper), present, yet fairly integrated tannins.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (6) Shiraz
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Technical details:
Produced from old vines located on block 1 and 6. Mostly new oak. Same as the Grenache, aged for about 18-20 months in French oak barrels. Cellaring: about 10 to 15 years.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (7) Cabernet Sauvignon
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Tarrawatta Eden Valley Ambervale Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Recommended market price about 50 Australian dollars (roughly between 280-300 HKD retail)
Soft nose, quite discreet, a bit sweet, with aromas of mint, mineral, red and dark fruits, plum, figs and peppermint. Nice, forward, a frank attack, expanding nicely in the mid-palate. Medium to full-bodied, quite ample. Touch of dry, slightly green tannins, yet fairly well integrated, on the finish. Nicely done overall. Too young now, but definitely promising.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (8) Cabernet Sauvignon
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Technical details:
Produced from grapes from 2 blocks. This Eden Valley wine really expresses the differences that exist compared to its counterparts of Barossa valley. Eden Valley higher altitude resulting in wetter, cooler climate and daytime temperatures by 2-3°C cooler than Barossa, a wine made with a grape variety like Cabernet Sauvignon will usually be lighter and fresher in Eden Valley. A mix of oak and cooperage (metissage) 300 litres barrels.
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Tarrawatta Eden Valley Wines (8) Godswalk
©LeDomduVin 2020 |
Tarrawatta "Godswalk" Eden Valley 2018
Recommended market price 250 Australian dollars (roughly between 1390-1450 HKD retail)
Complex and layered spicy, peppery, minty, earthy aromas mingling with ripe red cherry, chocolate, mocha notes. The palate is quite rich and opulent, medium to full-bodied, yet fairly elegant and already very approachable despite being quite young. Definitely, a step up in quality and depth compared to the 3 previous ones above, this high-end blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon shows a complexity that could easily rival with some of the most notorious wines from this area.
Technical details
A blend made from 6 different patches, resulting on 70% Shiraz (mostly from block 1 planted with old vines) and 30% Cab Sauv (from block 13, the highest block, bringing balance and freshness). Aged in brand new metissage 300 litres barrels for the cab, and classic barrels from Tonnellerie Seguin Moreau, Sirugue and Baron in 300 litres and 225 litres. Cellaring: 10 to 15 years, up to 20 years max.
A very interesting tasting and promising wines for a new brand. Chapeau! Yet, it makes sense that these wines taste great, as the winemaker is no other than the famous and talented Craig Isbel (previously winemaker at Torbreck 2002-2017 and owner at Izway wines, follow him at @izway_wines).
Till next time, thank you, take good care of yourself and be safe, and drink responsibly.
LeDomduVin (a.k.a. Dominique Noël)
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