Berton Reserve Barossa Shiraz

Producer Note

Established by Bob and Cherie Berton in May 1996, Berton Vineyard is one of Hallgarten's most important partners. The estate covers 30 hectares of land located on gently rolling hills at 450 metres above sea level, in a sub-region of Eden Valley in South Australia. The superb Reserve Shiraz and Reserve Chardonnay wines are still sourced from this plot. In 2007, Bob purchased the Yenda winery in the heart of the Riverina. This state-of- the-art facility has the capacity to process 20,000 tonnes and enables Berton Vineyard to produce value for money wines which sit alongside their premium single vineyard offerings.

Vineyard

The grapes come from the Barossa, in South Australia. Situated at a latitude of 34° South, the region is made up of rolling hills and valley floors. The growing season often sees hot, warm weather with temperatures of 35°C, which can result in vine stress, helping to concentrate the flavours in the berries. The wide diurnal temperature differences help to retain balancing acidity. Some of the grapes come from Berton's original vineyard in the Eden Valley, where the climate is cooler. The vine age is varied, but all vines have been spur pruned and are generally trained on a single wire cordon trellising system. The soil styles in the vineyards are varied, ranging from clay, to limestone and sandy soils, with each terroir adding its own characteristic.

Winemaking

Fermentation took place in stainless Ganimede fermenters for eight days between 22 to 28°C on premium French oak. Each parcel was pressed at 0.5 Baumé through a bag press into stainless steel storage vessels. Each parcel was clarified via centrifuge, and then transferred to new and used French and American oak barrels for approximately 16 months. A barrel selection took place of the best parcels, with blending over several days, ultimately arriving in this rich, spicy and complex blend.

Tasting Note

The aromas are powerful and complex encapsulating a wealth of ripe black cherries, blackberries with hints of white pepper and spice. The rich and harmonious palate delivers soft flavours of blackberry and chocolate notes, underpinned by fine French oak and defined by exotic spicy tannins.

Serving Suggestion

Perfect with chargrilled steak, roast veal or game pie.

Grape

Shiraz 96%, Cabernet Sauvignon 4%