The Blend - Coonawara - 2014

Grape varieties : 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol : 14%

Guard : 10 years +

The length and intensity of the flavors that this wine offers will sublimate lamb, game or beef simmered with carrots and spices. You can also simply pair it with a homemade burger!

Australia began producing wine more than two centuries ago. This has resulted in a country rich in old vines, multi-generational winemaking families and an ingrained knowledge and respect for craftsmanship. Add to that a thirst to explore and innovate, a fearless attitude and a diverse notebook of 65 wine regions in many climates, and you have the makings of an extraordinary wine country unlike any other.



Australia burst into export markets in the 1980s and since then has been providing the world with vibrant, fruity and exceptional value wines. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s, Australian wine history was dominated by examples of Shiraz, Grenache and overly concentrated red blends. Between these two extremes lies the diversity of Australia's offering of high quality and regional wines that has always existed.



Australian viticulture is mainly concentrated on the southern oceanic edge where conditions are cooler. There are four main wine regions located around major cities. Western Australia around Perth, South Australia around Adelaide, Victoria around Melbourne and New South Wales around Sydney.



The country is one of the largest wine producers in the world, and was the 4th largest exporter in the world in 2011. This recent development now makes Australia one of the most prominent countries for the quality of its wines. You can taste Australian wines all over the country. Each Australian region has its own grape varieties. Australian wines are defined by their grape variety, unlike French wines which are defined by their terroir.

Coonawara


Coonawarra is the largest wine growing region in coastal South Australia. The first vines were planted in the last decade of the 19th century by the Scottish settler John Riddoch. It is credited with producing some of the best red wines in the country, and is often described as Australia's most famous terroir. It is located in the far south-east of the state, near the border with Victoria south of Wrattonbully. The proximity of the Southern Ocean gives Coonawarra a mild oceanic climate, with Mediterranean effects in summer moderated by cool breezes coming from the sea. This cooling of the vines is essential to the richness and complexity of the region's wines, because it extends the maturation period, resulting in the development of a wide range of flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of the region, producing some of Australia's greatest wines. They feature concentrated fruit flavors and, although the principles of winemaking are to extract as much tannin as possible, they are well integrated and never overpowering.