2012 Massena The Eleventh Hour Shiraz

The Massena venture was started by two High School mates, Dan Standish (formerly winemaker at Torbreck) and Jaysen Collins (previously manager at Turkey Flat). The duo are noted for trialling unusual varieties such as Primitivo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Roussanne, Saperavi and Tannat. The sixty year old Shiraz vines from Greenock that produced this wine were ready to be uprooted due to the lack of yields and the reluctance of other companies to pay extra for the A grade fruit. After repeated requests for access to these grapes, at 'the eleventh hour' the owners agreed to stop the bulldozer and retain a small area of vines. No American oak is used at Massena. After 16 months in French oak the wine was moved to tank in individual components for several months before blending and bottling without fining or filtration.

‘A Seductive Opulent Barossa Shiraz that showcases the Brilliance of the 2012 vintage.’

Spectacular impenetrable inky black colour with deep black purple hue. Youthful but already quite complex aromas of freshly crushed blackberry, black plum, black cherry and liquorice emerge from the glass followed by some dark chocolate and vanillin oak like characters. Dense, opulent and richly concentrated the palate fills every corner of the mouth with its decadence. Ripe blackberry, dark plum and liquorice flavours are present in abundance with some underlying dark chocolate and spicy vanillin oak. Velvet smooth tannins with very long aftertaste of ripe dark plum, blackberry, liquorice, chocolately oak and spice.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc 14.5%
Stelvin