'Merchant' Cabernet Sauvignon

Description

2011 KALLESKE MERCHANT CABERNET SAUVIGNON In 1838, merchant and miller, Johann Georg Kalleske migrated from Prussia, establishing a new life in South Australia. Today, seven generations later, descendant and fellow merchant and miller, Kym John Kalleske, farms our diverse Kalleske property established at Greenock in the North-Western Barossa in 1853. Continuing the family tradition, Kym is a miller of hay and a merchant of chaff, lamb and grapes. This Merchant Cabernet Sauvignon is a single vineyard wine that’s been hand pruned and harvested by Kym. Traditional winemaking and eighteen months in barrel has ensured a full-bodied varietal Cabernet Sauvignon displaying classic structure and richness typical of the Kalleske vineyard. GROWING SEASON Vintage 2011 was the wettest growing season since our first Kalleske vintage in 2002 and certainly the wettest the Barossa has experienced for decades, with double the normal rainfall. It was also much cooler too, resulting in a longer ripening process and vintage being about 3 weeks later than normal. However, once vintage began in mid March, April was dry and warm with fantastic ripening conditions to give a perfect finish to the vintage. The cool weather has resulted in great natural acidity and fresh vibrant flavours in the grapes, with wines more elegant than usual and displaying plenty of florals and spice. VINEYARD Merchant Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from a single vineyard that was planted on the Kalleske property at the end of last century. The hand-pruned vines are low-yielding and are grown in shallow, sandy loam soil over superb deep red clay, providing ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. WINEMAKING The grapes were picked on 15th April and then destemmed into an open top fermenter. The must was fermented for 7 days on skins with hand pump-overs twice a day. After pressing off skins the Cabernet was filled to a mix of 30% new and the balance used French oak hogsheads. The wine completed primary fermentation and underwent natural malolactic fermentation in barrel. The Cabernet was matured in barrel for eighteen months prior to bottling. TASTING NOTES Merchant Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is dark red-purple in colour. The nose is very inviting with immediate varietal Cabernet characters bursting from the glass. There are aromas of violet, blackberry, cinnamon, tobacco and choc mint. The palate is medium-full bodied and displays brilliant fruit purity of cherry and blackberry together with dried herbs. There are fine integrated natural tannins adding back- bone and structure. Classy barrel maturation adds complexity while preserving the varietal fruit. This stylish Cabernet is completed by a lengthy finish. Merchant is a classic Barossa Cabernet that can be equally enjoyed now or in a decade. This wine is 100% Organic & Biodynamic Certified by Australian Certified Organic.