2022 Kaesler ‘Reach for the Sky’ GSM

90 points: Halliday Wine Companion – Dave Brookes

APPEARANCE: Deep crimson, bright hue.

BOUQUET: Lifted red cherry, some dark brambly fruit with savoury spice from the Mourvèdre coming through.

PALATE: Rich plum, with a dense middle palate with a soft pure fruited finish. Fresh and vibrant, it hovers between medium and full bodied, the blend displays all the hallmarks of each of these great varieties perfectly.

FOOD MATCH: Grilled lamb cutlets with dukkah, charred lemon.

GRAPE VARIETY: Grenache 54%, Shiraz 29%, Mourvèdre 17%

REGION: Barossa Valley

VINTAGE CONDITIONS: Winter rainfall for 2021 was 48% above average. The wet winter was welcomed after 3 dry years. Maximum temperatures were below average for the beginning of the growing season; however, the latter half was warmer providing good ripening conditions. A hailstorm on the 28th of October severely damaged some vines, fortunately most recovered and secondary shoots grew however, they were typically less fruitful than primary shoots which resulted in lower yields in some varieties. Although the season was
challenging, our ongoing regenerative farming techniques have assisted with building resilient vines that continue to produce outstanding fruit. This was evident in the 2022 vintage with the winemakers talking about the wines being elegant and structured with depth and length of flavour.

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

All three varieties are pickeed and fermented separately prior to blending before bottle. Getting the blend right can be one of the most challenging part of the winemaking process as once its blended, it cant be undone! Fortunately we were blessed with excellent quality for all three varieties from the 2022 vintage, with all three showing their strengths in this blend. Best enjoyed slightly chilled.