2021 Kaesler ‘Alte Reben’ Shiraz

Alte Reben, German for ‘Old Vine’, is a single vineyard Shiraz sourced from the Kaesler estate in Marananga, planted in 1899. The wine was matured in a combination of new and seasoned French Oak for 18 months. Few can boast custody of a nine-acre, single vineyard of Shiraz planted in the nineteenth century – we make the most of it.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The 2021 vintage was in a word ‘Brilliant’. Barossa saw cool and dry conditions which has produced excellent quality reds and whites. Great growing conditions combined with good yields created a memorable harvest, with all wines showing a wide array of aromas and flavours. Soft supple tannins are in abundance in the reds which has
ensured easy drinking in their youth, with careful cellaring also reaping rewards. The highlight for 2021 was the overall quality, a genuine 10/10 season.

WINEMAKING
Due to the size of the block, its undulating ground, and differing soil types, we typically hand-pick the Alte Reben vineyard in three sections. For the 2021 Alte Reben Shiraz, we used the 1st and 2nd harvested sections. Each parcel saw 7 to 8 days of skin contact, and during this time, the ferment was pumped over twice per day. This block is known for its power and presence; we need to be very mindful not to over-extract the skins during fermentation. After pressing, we let the wine settle for a few days before racking it into 40% new French oak barriques, with the balance being 2 and 3-year-old barrels.

APPEARANCE: Deep crimson with dense purple hue.
BOUQUET: Raspberries, red plums and spice.
PALATE: Oak suporting the rich, structural palate. Blueberries and spice overlaying the dense and rich full-bodied style that is Alte Reben at its absolute best.
FOOD MATCH: Beef fillet steak and slow roasted root vegetables.

Region: Barossa Valley
Alc/Vol: 14.5%