Description
The Tatiarra Vineyard consists of 143 acres of Cambrian Earth, North facing on the Western face of Mount Camel entirely planted to one grape variety, Shiraz, which the Heathcote district has become renown for the world over. The original vineyard was established by Bill Hepburn in the early 1990’s consisting of 10 acres of low cropping vines. It was a modest start, with borrowed equipment, friendly neighbours and supportive family. Bill spent those early years camped in a caravan, not far from a large gum tree under which he built a ‘thunderbox’(thus the inspiration for Tatiarra’s flagship wine, the Caravan of Dreams). However, the long cold nights finally got to Bill and he decided it was time to pass the dream on.
Tatiarra Cambrian Shiraz 2009
Tatiarra Tasting Note
The 2009 vintage has had the benefit of an extra 12 months bottle age before being released as well seeing slightly longer barrel maturation. Full bodied, the wine possesses magnificent fruit concentration with mouthfilling flavours of ripe blackberry, liquorice, dark plum and vanilla followed by a peppery finish. Exceptional depth and persistence of flavour. Superb rock like structure will ensure excellent long term cellaring results with the potential to evolve into the best Tatiarra Cambrian Shiraz to date.
Nicks Tasting Note
Totally opaque youthful inky black colour with deep dark purple black purple hue showing Tatiarra’s renown colour saturation. Superb nose with perfumed aromas of ripe blackberry, liquorice and dark plum followed by some dark chocolate, vanillin confectionary and spice. The palate is a concentrate of flavour, yet not bulky or over the top – quite the contrary – energetic with a rock like structure, delivering an explosive flavour profile of liquorice, ripe blackberry, black cherry and dark plum that fills every corner of the mouth. A touch of vanillin oak and very persistent blackpepper follows on the back palate. Very fine grained, almost velvet like tannins with a dry structured finish and mouthfeel. Magnificent depth with exceptionally long aftertaste of liquorice, ripe blackberry, black cherry, meaty spice like characters and blackpepper. A powerful example of Heathcote Shiraz displaying fabulous balance between its rock like masculine personality and the fleshy, exuberant richness of its fruit.
Cellar Tracker Tasting Note
Impenetrable ruby red colour. Intense aromas of plums, blackberry concentrate and vanilla with subtle dried herbs. Intense, full bodied, richly flavoured palate of fleshy plums, blackberry concentrate, vanilla oak and spice.The palate is still extremely primary with immense concentration of red and black fruits with obvious, but integrating, vanilla oak. Rich and rounded, mouth filling flavours from front to back. Acidity is still quite high, silk tannins and a long length. Such a well balanced wine with notching that is in excess. This wine is still a baby with another decade (at least) ahead of it. Such fantastic drinking. 94 Points
Wine Reviewer Tasting Note
The 2009 Cambrian Shiraz was tasted alongside it’s little brother the ‘Culled Barrel’ and it was a very interesting comparison with the Culled Barrel being the more rustic of the two and the Cambrian having all of it’s edges rounded out. The Cambrian is a deep red in colour with a nose that jumps out of the glass with plum and vanillin oak. The palate is rich and fruit forward initially, but slowly moves towards a more structured and spicy expression of Heathcote Shiraz across the palate. The finish brings the wines concentration to a point with drying tannins, concentrated fruit and quality oak all vying for attention, underwriting this wines future as a medium term cellaring proposition.
Wine Advocate Tasting Note
Very deep purple-black colored, the 2009 Cambrian Shiraz is profoundly scented of blackberry preserves, black cherry compote, blueberry pie filling and licorice with nuances of cinnamon stick and vanilla pod. Big, concentrated and very full bodied in the mouth, it gives a good backbone of crisp acid and firm, medium grained tannins, finishing long and spicy. Delicious now, it should develop nicely over the next 4-6 years and drink to 2019+. Score: 93 Points, The Wine Advocate
