Deep crimson cherry on the eye with flecks of purply hue. Dark berry dominates the nose, which takes in vanillin and peppery hints with a touch of fresh mint. It's a full bodied, complex shiraz that offers rich plum, dark blackcurrant and cherry flavours, intermingled with hints of black pepper and spice finishing with velvet tannins.
Awards and Accolades
91 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Very deep, youthful purple/red colour with a violet, anise-scented bouquet, the wine is elegantly structured and refined, smooth and supple, with richness as well as spicy cooler-grown influences. Very smart drinkability. Great value."
2014 Vintage: 93 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "Good colour; combines generosity with complexity, the fruit offering blackberry and plum flavours, with hints of charcuterie in the backdrop, the tannins fine and supple, then a savoury aftertaste.”
From the Winery
Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are spaced at approx one metre, with around 20 buds per vine, and hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. They are cane pruned one year in four followed by three years of spur pruning. Red wine grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.
The Waterwheel Shiraz is fermented in open stainless fermetors at 18-22 degrees Celsius. A combination of pump-overs and plunging is used to gently extract delecate colour and fl avour. The wine is pressed at dryness with malolactic fermentation occurring before oak maturation in new, 1&2 year old American Hogsheads for 9-12 months before being bottled on the Waterwheel estate.
Established in 1972 and purchased by the Cumming family in 1989, Water Wheel place an emphasis on producing high quality varietal table wines. Now over 300 acres of vineyards, only estate grown fruit is used in production.
Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are spaced at approx one metre, with around 20 buds per vine, and hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. They are cane pruned one year in four followed by three years of spur pruning. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Red wine grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.
Bendigo Wine Growing Region 150 km. north west of Melbourne. Rainfall 17''(425mm). Whilst it is possible to grow wine grapes with this rainfall we believe that to do so places too much stress on the vines and we therefore irrigate. Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. Red wine grapes are grown on heavy clay soil and white wine varieties are planted on lighter, better drained soil.