PIRATHON by Kalleske 2007 SHIRAZ The grapes were harvested from the low-yielding vineyards of traditional family growers in the north-western Barossa districts of Greenock, Moppa, Belvedere, Stonewell, Seppeltsfield, Koonunga and Ebenezer. 2007 was a drought affected vintage with a warm growing season and one of the driest winters on record. Intermittent summer rainfall refreshed the vines and enabled them to remain remarkably vibrant and take them through to ripening and harvest. The drought conditions resulted in reduced yields by about thirty percent but importantly quality from 2007 is very good. The wine was entirely vintaged at the Kalleske winery at Greenock by Tony & Troy Kalleske. Following harvest, each individual lot of grapes was crushed into a separate open top fermenter. During fermentation, hand pump-overs gently extracted colour and flavour from the grapes. The fermented grapes were pressed with a traditional basket press. The wines were then filled to new and seasoned American, French, Russian and Hungarian oak hogsheads for maturation for almost two years before each lot of wine was racked from the barrel and carefully blended. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration, ensuring the true expression of the vineyards in the bottle. Pirathon Shiraz 2007 is deep red-purple in colour. The bouquet is uplifting with perfume, spice, tobacco, chocolate and wild berry. The palate is rich and complex with mouthfilling fruit and classy barrel maturation characters. This wine is full-bodied with a chewy texture, layered structure and integrated round tannins. The length is very generous and completes a rich harmoniously balanced wine. Pirathon is a paramount expression of north-western Barossa Shiraz that will reward time in the cellar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pirathon Shiraz 2010 Pirathon Shiraz 2009 Pirathon Shiraz 2008 Pirathon Shiraz 2007 Pirathon Shiraz 2006 Pirathon Shiraz 2005