2018 Mountain C Light Bodied Dry Red

Region

Hunter Valley, NSW

Winemaker

Adrian Sparks

Colour

Ruby Red with violet hues.

Aroma

Floral and expressive red berries, vibrant spice and lovely Plum notes.

Growing Conditions

Little rainfall and a warm Winter resulted in early bud burst for the region. The region recorded lower than average rainfall throughout the growing season resulting in an early vintage. Fruit quality was high with no disease pressure.  With crops being slightly lower than average, harvest was around 8 days earlier than normal, with pristine fruit showing great intensity. 

Palate

Elegant and intense, this light bodied palate has beautiful weight and length, the fruit carrying through well after the wine has left the mouth.

Vinification/Maturation

A tribute to the late Maurice O'Shea, the Mountain C is a light bodied red made to a particular style. The fruit was hand picked and destemmed to open top fermenters. Cold soaked and fermented for 9 days on skins, before gentle pressing to large format old French oak. Blended to tank and bottled at 15 months.

Alcohol/Vol

13%

Peak Drinking

Drink now or cellar up to 10 years.

97 Points - Gary Walsh

Wine Front

"From the top section of the 1946 plantings at Rosehill, which produces grapes that are lighter and fresher in style. Only a couple of barrels bottled.

Roses, raspberry, so fresh, so perfumed. Light-bodied, a delicate wine, but one of substance, brightly lit and electric, fine chalky tannin, wonderful length. This is how you should treat old vine Shiraz. Awesome."

94 Points - Huon Hooke

The Real Review

"The bouquet is very savoury and presents all kinds of nuts: walnut foremost, and is earth-bound and reserved, playing in lower register, while the palate is sinewy and drying, savoury and sapid, with tightly-focused tannins which are fine and supple, though abundant. A leaner style, with good concentration and medium length. Very good and needs time."